Why did Obama pick Biden over Bayh?

[phk]

Another consideration was that Biden's replacement in the Senate would have been picked by Democratic Governor Ruth Ann Minner. If Bayh had been chosen, Republican Mitch Daniels would have picked a Republican to replace him, altering the balance of power.

Biden was a much better choice than Bayh.

This.

Obama would have been stuck at 59 seats.

[Bo]

Another consideration was that Biden's replacement in the Senate would have been picked by Democratic Governor Ruth Ann Minner. If Bayh had been chosen, Republican Mitch Daniels would have picked a Republican to replace him, altering the balance of power.

Biden was a much better choice than Bayh.

This.

Obama would have been stuck at 59 seats.

It would be 58 seats right now, or possibly 57 if Franken lost in MN due to the butterfly effect.

[Derek]

Yep it's all political. Bush chose Cheney. Honestly, someone convince me that it was politically motivated. How much do you think Cheney helped Bush in the 2000 or even 2004 election? Then again, Cheney was the head of Bush's VP committee and he picked himself. Bush could've said no though.

Cheney provided foreign policy experience and a measure of defense gravitas to the ticket, considering he was a former respected Secretary of Defense and was considered an old hand.

Exactly. Bush Jr. was attacked as inexperienced on the campaign trail (especially on foreign policy), so he needed someone to give him more credentials in that department. I still can't understand why Gore picked Lieberman, though. Unlike Cheney, he added nothing to the ticket.

Foreign policy wasn't a significant factor in 2000. Yes, Cheney helped Bush while in office, but not to win the white house. Seriously, who on this forum was on the fence but chose Bush because Cheney was his runningmate?

[HappyWarrior]

Yep it's all political. Bush chose Cheney. Honestly, someone convince me that it was politically motivated. How much do you think Cheney helped Bush in the 2000 or even 2004 election? Then again, Cheney was the head of Bush's VP committee and he picked himself. Bush could've said no though.

Cheney provided foreign policy experience and a measure of defense gravitas to the ticket, considering he was a former respected Secretary of Defense and was considered an old hand.

Exactly. Bush Jr. was attacked as inexperienced on the campaign trail (especially on foreign policy), so he needed someone to give him more credentials in that department. I still can't understand why Gore picked Lieberman, though. Unlike Cheney, he added nothing to the ticket.

Foreign policy wasn't a significant factor in 2000. Yes, Cheney helped Bush while in office, but not to win the white house. Seriously, who on this forum was on the fence but chose Bush because Cheney was his runningmate?

Whether foreign policy was an issue at the time, people wanted someone who would be strong on foreign policy at any time.

[Derek]

They wouldn't have thought that far into it because the VP isn't a top issue. That doesn't have to do with Biden being picked by Obama so that he could LOOK good on defense.

[phk]

In reality I think Obama's preferences were actually something like

Kaine > (Bayh ~ Biden)

[LastMcGovernite]

In reality I think Obama's preferences were actually something like

Kaine > (Bayh ~ Biden)

And I think you are right.  If Kaine had a little bit more experience, he might easily have been on the ticket. 

[Derek]

If Obama got to pick it would've been Kaine.

[Derek]

French allies? Communists not being evil? sounds like Massachusetts

[Landslide Lyndon]

French allies? Communists not being evil? sounds like Massachusetts

Hey, DWTL. Why you moved to Pennsylvania?

[Bo]

In reality I think Obama's preferences were actually something like

Kaine > (Bayh ~ Biden)

That's what I read as well. But the Russo-Georgian war in August changed everything.

[Derek]

I doubt Obama made the decision and if he would have it would have nothing to do with any current affairs bbesides the polls and what young voters in college wanted to see.

[dmmidmi]

After flipping through David Plouffe's book, I remember him saying that Joe Biden provided a nice balance to the ticket--in terms of age, blue-collar upbringing, foreign policy experience, and experience in the Senate. Bayh is (relatively) young, did not have a hardscrabble upbringing, and represents a Midwestern state in the Senate.

In my opinion, the Obama team was likely looking to make up for his lack of foreign policy experience--something that the McCain campaign and the MSM kept highlighting. Though he served on the Armed Services Committee, foreign policy is not Sen. Bayh's strength. Gov. Kaine's foreign policy experience was limited to missionary trips. This left one option. Furthermore, Biden is a household name--he ran for President twice, and he'd been in the Senate for three decades. Any worries that older progressives had about voting for Obama would have then been put to rest.

Sen. Bayh would have prevented all of the "Sarah Palin has more executive experience than all of the candidates put together LOL" nonsense, and would have balanced the ticket ideologically--Bayh has a strong moderate record, whereas Biden and Obama voted almost in lockstep. And as Mr. Plouffe put it, he was a guy who wasn't going to color outside of the lines. I'm guessing that his drawbacks were his crippling lack of charisma, lack of name recognition outside of Indiana, and his wife's corporate board experience. These seemed to be of more concern than plagiarism and making baffling comments about Indians and convenience stores.

[Derek]

lack of foreign policy is the key phrase there buddy. We're seeing it now in the case of the xmas day bomber and his apologies for America's success now. Biden is a dork and full of gaffes.

[Landslide Lyndon]

lack of foreign policy is the key phrase there buddy. We're seeing it now in the case of the xmas day bomber and his apologies for America's success now. Biden is a dork and full of gaffes.

Welcome back JSojourner. We missed you.

[President Mitt]

Bayh's seat would have been lost. Biden's seat...well...it seemed then it would have been kept.

[Derek]

yep pure politics, nothing else

[Derek]

Yep it's all political. Bush chose Cheney. Honestly, someone convince me that it was politically motivated. How much do you think Cheney helped Bush in the 2000 or even 2004 election? Then again, Cheney was the head of Bush's VP committee and he picked himself. Bush could've said no though.

Cheney provided foreign policy experience and a measure of defense gravitas to the ticket, considering he was a former respected Secretary of Defense and was considered an old hand.

Exactly. Bush Jr. was attacked as inexperienced on the campaign trail (especially on foreign policy), so he needed someone to give him more credentials in that department. I still can't understand why Gore picked Lieberman, though. Unlike Cheney, he added nothing to the ticket.

Foreign policy wasn't a significant factor in 2000. Yes, Cheney helped Bush while in office, but not to win the white house. Seriously, who on this forum was on the fence but chose Bush because Cheney was his runningmate?

Whether foreign policy was an issue at the time, people wanted someone who would be strong on foreign policy at any time.

That's only Republicans. Look at Blumenthal. The democrats sure voted for him in a hurry despite his lies about being in Vietnam.

[Derek]

Everything Obama has ever done has been pure politics. He has nothing in common with the average ordinary individual.

[Bo]

Everything Obama has ever done has been pure politics. He has nothing in common with the average ordinary individual.

Same for many other Presidents, including Reagan and Bush Jr.

[Derek]

Everything Obama has ever done has been pure politics. He has nothing in common with the average ordinary individual.

Same for many other Presidents, including Reagan and Bush Jr.

I thought Bush Jr. was as middle America as you can get with his cowboy attire and stuttering.

[HappyWarrior]

Everything Obama has ever done has been pure politics. He has nothing in common with the average ordinary individual.

Same for many other Presidents, including Reagan and Bush Jr.

I thought Bush Jr. was as middle America as you can get with his cowboy attire and stuttering.

Other than the whole being born into a millionaire family with political family members who had already reached high office.

[Lunar]

The most obvious answer is that Obama served in the Senate, and knew both of them, and used his personal judgment in evaluating them both.

You couldn't be a coworker with someone for four years without forming an opinion of them.

[Derek]

Everything Obama has ever done has been pure politics. He has nothing in common with the average ordinary individual.

Same for many other Presidents, including Reagan and Bush Jr.

I thought Bush Jr. was as middle America as you can get with his cowboy attire and stuttering.

Other than the whole being born into a millionaire family with political family members who had already reached high office.

What's wrong with that? Obama has grown up spoiled too and if you're envying his money, Kerry has more since his marriage to Teresa Heinze.

[Derek]

Everything Obama has ever done has been pure politics. He has nothing in common with the average ordinary individual.

Same for many other Presidents, including Reagan and Bush Jr.

First of all, there is no Bush jr. There is a George HW Bush and a George W Bush. Secondly, everything that Bush did was not political. One thing that I like about President Bush is that he put the country first and himself and politics last. He said that no matter what happened to him politically, he wanted to keep America safe. Another President like that is Jimmy Carter. He said basically the same thing but in a different situation. He said that no matter what happened to him, he wanted the hostages to come home. I think that our country is blessed to have Presidents like those two. Presidents who can say that they pay no attention to polls and do not care what happens to themselves politically, they only care about what is best for the country are the types of Presidents that we need more of. President Obama does not join that group.

Ronald Reagan also wanted what was best for the country. He made some mistakes. He thought that his economic plan helped the poor, that was wrong. It helped the rich. He and President Johnson, and Franklin Roosevelt are the three presidents who we can blame for the national deficit. Reagan did make some mistakes. But, he made people feel happier again. He asked Americans if they were better off than they were four years ago and in 1980 they were not. He asked them again in 1989 and they were better off. They were happier...children went to bed at night without the fear of nuclear war thanks to Ronald Reagan. The Russians and the Americans had good relations for the first time in fifty years thanks to Ronald Reagan. For a time during the Reagan years, 300,000 jobs were created per month. That was once again thanks to Ronald Reagan. So, Reagan did a lot of good things as well. And there is no real evidence to prove that everything that Reagan did was political as there is not for George W Bush.

I think that your comment is a partisan political comment rather than a factual comment.

President Bush like alot of his fellow Texans was an honest man led by his Christian principles. As for Reagan, 300,000 jobs a month? Ah ok sounds good to me.