The Republican Presidential campaign has been given an unexpected gift in the person of Barack Obama’s presidential running mate, Delaware Senator Joseph Biden. The unflappable member of Congress has made some untimely political gaffes which Barack Obama has had to do some damage control, downplay, or ignore altogether. John McCain and Sarah Palin are making some inroads with small businesses and blue collar working class Americans with their poster boy “Joe the Plumber,” and it seems, they are getting an extra bonus with “Joe the Bumbler.” Some of the more memorable political fodder for the Republicans to use has been comments such as: “It is patriotic to pay taxes; Hillary Clinton is more qualified than I am to be Vice-President, FDR got on television and addressed the American people about the Stock Market Crash of 1929, and within six months an international incident will test the presidency of Barack Obama.”
Never mind all the attacks from Governor Sarah Palin, mostly, that Barack Obama doesn’t share our values, that he is a friend of terrorists, an elitist, he is a socialist (will redistribute wealth), he will raise taxes on the struggling middle class and small businesses, he will increase the size of government and increase federal spending; he voted to give big tax breaks to oil companies, he supported the Bush-Cheney Energy Plan, his earmarks are substantially larger than John McCain’s, and that Barack Obama places his own political aspirations to be President above the interests of the American people and the safety of our troops.
When every political point counts in a very close election, with all the scrutiny and criticism of Governor Sarah Palin’s oddball answers to reporter’s questions, still she is a dynamo in front of a lectern. With Senator Joe Biden, on the other hand, it’s no telling what might come out of his mouth. Since picking the Vice President is the first major policy decision of the incoming Presidential nominee, the more Joe Biden speaks, at least as of late, the better he makes Sarah Palin look. For Barack Obama, with a friend and running mate like this, who needs enemies?
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
October 24, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com
