Ron Goldstein makes the case for Biden in Newsweek. I have confessed in the past that I have always liked Joe Biden. He’s my kind of guy. I even find some of his shortcomings endearing. For example, I love his big ‘never-shut-up’ mouth. As a politician, I think he is one of the few naturals. He’s not up to the level of a Ronald Reagan or a Bill Clinton. But he’s a heck of a lot better than Dukakis, Gore, or Kerry. And he’s a fighter. He was known as someone not to mess with when he was growing up in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
My problems with Biden are not personal, and they have nothing to do with his ability. My problems are strictly political. Joe Biden is too much of a hawk, too status-quo, too much Establishment. In an election these can be virtues. These attributes make a lot of people feel comfortable. They don’t make me comfortable.
Biden also disappointed me, in a very major way, with his ‘aye’ vote on the bankruptcy bill. I know he represents Delaware. But, that is an inadequate excuse. That vote killed any chance that I would support Biden in 2008.
I’ve been around the blogosphere long enough to know that most people on Kos, and here, are really down on Joe Biden. I’m not really down on him. I just can’t support his candidacy for the Presidency.
