Obama desperately needs "gravitas" of which he ain't got some.
With this pick, Obama goes on defense strategically but offense tactically. Biden brings no geographical advantage apart from Delaware and some influence in eastern Pennsylvania in the Scranton area. I do not think that Biden will have much influence with these blue-collar Catholics.
He goes on offense tactically because Biden is a snake who can dish it out and then smile like a croc. One could say that Obama does not need the attack dog because the media will enthusiastically do that for him. I suppose the modus operandi will be for Biden to raise an issue and rely on the media to cover only that in the ensuing news cycles so long as it will play.
If the Republicans are smart they might be able to turn the gravitas issue against Obama by pointing out how desperately inexperienced he is and arguing that he has now signed on with the wrong kind of experience in the man who opposed the surge. Biden has been all over every side of the war and has authored the cockamamie plan to carve it into three parts. So the attack on Biden is that, yes, he has experience but he hasn't learned a damn thing.
