On Biden
Although I do not care too much about ‘perception,’ there is a need to look at what Biden being Barack Obama’s running mate means. In this post I will focus on the weaknesses, not on the strengths of the choice.
To me, Biden is one of the Democratic Party’s best politicians. He is solid, serious yet with a sense of humor, well informed and experienced. He has a long record, and one knows what to expect with him. He was more a centrist before he started to run for president in 2007, but he is still someone who should appeal to both centrists and the liberal base.
On the other hand; if there is one thing Biden does not truly represent it is change. Obama’s campaign has been about change from the get-go. Having someone who has been in the senate for Lord knows how many years undermines that.
Furthermore, Senator Joe is not a woman.
That’s crude isn’t it? Well, only if you forget that the race for the Democratic nomination was historic because it was between a black man and a white woman. Many women felt disenfranchised during the primaries; they believed Hillary Clinton was treated unfairly. Sexism, this election cycle showed, is still very much alive in the U.S.
Obama could have reached out to such voters by asking a woman to be his running mate
Biden not being a woman is a strong point - not a weakness. Having a Black Presidential Candidate and a Woman Vice President Candidate is too much new - too fast. Don’t forget that at the base, we are a centrist but Conservative leaning Country. Biden picking a woman would have been a sure way to plummet in the polls. The only reason for him to have picked a woman would have been the same as Mondale - when you are so completely utterly owned and have no chance of winning. Then perhaps a large Jolt will make a difference. It didn’t then and it’d be disasterous now.Well wouldn’t be disasterous for McCain if Obama picked a woman.
I think Interested speaks some truth. The U.S. isn’t an "all or nothing" country. We do things in baby steps. Give it some time and then maybe we’d see this.