C-span has been affording me the oportunity lately to hear Joe Biden speak quite a bit because he is one of the few folks who have come out and said he is running for president in '08. I have a range of feelings about Joe Biden including some that are good and others that aren't as good. On the down side, I think he is a grand-stander and tries so hard to be "down to earth" that it doesn't come off particularly authentic. On a petty note, he uses more product in his hair to keep it slicked back than Kathy Lee Gifford. Also, I don't like some of the votes he has cast, and I think he is a true-blue politician....and I get the sense that even though he is attacking Ned Lamont on Jomentum's behalf, he would gladly do a photo-op with Ned as though they are long lost buddies if we send Ned to D.C.
All that being said, I think that Biden is an incredibly smart man. I don't think he is the right guy for the white house, but I do think that he can be of great value as a leader in the federal government. He has articulated one of the best common sense homeland security agendas that I have heard from anyone (except perhaps Feingold). He has done a great job in his speeches of outlining basic security vulnerablities that exist and how to fix them. I doubt that the ideas are uniquely his, but I can say that the other candidates should start stealing lines from him on the issue because what he says makes sense and I think would resonate with independents and disenfranchised republicans....and security driven soccer moms. Ideas like stockpiling 10 million doses of radiation sickness vaccines, helping states and localities change from Chlorine Gas to a slightly more expensive but non-lethal chemical for water sanitation so that a terroist couldn't kill 100,000 people in a city just by hitting the Chlorine tanks by one of the reservoirs, installing ventalation systems and emergency escape shafts in subway systems in our biggest cities, etc. I think he does a great job of outlining some problems and articulating solutions.
Therefore, while I don't think he should be our nominee for president, I think he could be of great value to the United states as a committee chairman in the Senate, and I think he would be a great choice for Homeland Security Secretary in a Democratic Administration after 2008. He would do well with press conferences, he is very good at highlighting success for himself and his party, and reporters would generally want to talk with him....the dems need an image boost in the security area and I think our next Homeland Security Secretary could help with that greatly in addition to our next president. What are your thoughts about Biden?? Is he where he belongs, or is he the next intraparty target like Lieberman? You know how I feel, let me know how you feel.