Democrat October Surprise? Joe Biden Steps Down, Hillary Clinton To Rescue

ThePostChronicle ^ | Sep 11, 2008 | Marc Centanni

[Delacon]

An October surprise might be brewing. And not just your ordinary run-of-the-mill type of surprise, but a blockbuster one of epic proportions. Hillary Clinton supporters, your dream may not be dead yet.

In one of the more memorable moments in the Democratic presidential primaries came last year when debate moderator NBC anchorman Brian Williams asked Sen. Joe Biden about his reputation for talking too much.

Williams asked Biden, who was described by the Los Angeles Times as a "gaffe machine," if he could reassure voters that he would have enough verbal discipline needed for the world stage.

"Yes," Biden replied with a grin and a twinkle in his eyes, CNN Reports.

The third Senator from Pennsylvania has made two gaffes in the past week and one of them might actually have a little hidden meaning.

The other day when he stopped by Columbia, MO. The Senator was speaking before a large crowd when he decided to give special recognition to State Senator Chuck Graham, a Columbia Democrat.

"Chuck, stand up, let the people see you," Biden shouted.

However, Biden did not realize that Graham is confined to a wheelchair.

"Oh, God love you. What am I talking about? I'll tell you what, you're making everybody else stand up, old pal. I'll tell you what, everybody else stand up for Chuck. Stand up for Chuck!" Biden said.

Then yesterday, Biden attracted attention for telling a crowd in New Hampshire that Sen. Hillary Clinton "might have been a better pick" as Obama's running mate.

"Make no mistake about this," Biden said. "Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Let's get that straight. She's a truly close personal friend, she is qualified to be president of the United States of America, she's easily qualified to be vice president of the United States of America and quite frankly it might have been a better pick than me."

Wow. Is Biden about to take a dive?

World Net Daily writes: 'Intrade is currently predicting a 7.9 percent chance Biden will be dropped. Until the election is over, the Biden trading category will fluctuate in value between 0 and 100 like a stock reacting to daily news. The price has been steadily increasing since yesterday when Biden said Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., could have been a better candidate for Obama's running mate.'

WND also has the video.

On Fox's "Hannity & Colmes" last night, Sean Hannity asked Gov. Ed Rendell, D-Pa., "Will they replace Biden with Hillary?"

Rendell replied, "No, absolutely not. Joe Biden is here to stay. Next vice president of the United States."

The problem is how to extract Biden from the ticket and replace him with Hillary without making look obvious. However such a move might be perceived as yet again another indicator that Obama cannot make up his mind on anything.

The only way to make it happen is for Biden to save face. Call me cynical but I see a "personal reason" on the horizon for Joe Biden. And what will they offer him to make it an attractive option?

Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton had a two hour meeting today. The lunch meeting at was at Clinton's office in New York City and was the first between them since the presidential primary campaign that caused a rift between the two Democrats.

The beginning of the meeting was open to reporters and was your usual political fare. Clinton predicted Obama will win the White House "pretty handily."

The AP reports that the pair also talked behind closed doors later. A joint statement says the former president and the Democratic nominee discussed the campaign briefly, but mostly talked about how the world has changed since 9/11. How much you want to bet that the conversation also included, "If I pick your wife will you not F@!k with me?"

You see, word out is that the reason Obama did not pick Hillary the first time is because he did not want a presidency with three heads running the White House. The problem is that of governance. However if you do not win, as FOX commentator Charles Krauthammer puts it, "you cannot govern."

Biden was a safe pick before the phenom known as Sarah Palin. Now it's a case of Obama's reptile dysfunction versus McCain political Viagra.

Waht to do, what to do..

[6SJ7]

Hillary is not going to ride the Obama barrel over Niagara Falls.

[Kickass Conservative]

This would make Hillary the “Sloppy Seconds” V.P. choice and would make Obami look like a complete dumb ass.

If he couldn't get this right the first time, what decisions will he make that will completely screw up the country?

There aren't any do overs in the Oval Office. God help us.

[BILL_C]

And, if the Dem’s won, BHO would be “Dead Man Walking.”

It's only happened one time before that a VP killed the President but the charade that followed has lasted nearly a half century. When Johnson killed Kennedy, they used a lowly government agent as the patsy and set him up to look like a lone killer. With Hoover as the one to fake the evidence, they have had to lie too much over the years.

I think the Clintons would be more direct, just a simple heart attack would do nicely even if it was just food poisoning. Bill Clinton seems to like simple scenarios when he kills his "problems" off.

[Selmore]

I got some time available

[NoLibZone]

The Al Qeda party said Palin would have to quit.

[al baby]

he will pick Oprah

[sassbox]

I agree with you about Biden. I hate his politics, but there is something likeable about him. He reminds me of Michael Scott from The Office.

[Tucker39]

I think its a lot of hooey, and here’s why:

I think Slick Willie has heard the rumors, too. He heard that assinine remark by Biden on Wednesday. And I believe he called Bama to Harlem today to tell him exactly where the bear defacated in the buckwheat!

I think Clinton reminded Bama how he played the race card on Hillary in the primaries. He reminded him how he snubbed Hillary and did not even vet her and even PRETEND that she might have a shot at the VP gig.

I believe Clinton warned Bama that he had better not even THINK of putting Hillary on the spot by asking her, at this late date, to save his boney little butt! Hillary probably knows by this time that Bama is very likely going to lose the election, which gives her another bite at the apple in 2012. And if, God forbid, Obama should win, she does NOT want to play second fiddle to him for possibly 8 looooooong years!

And if you parse Bill’s statement after the meeting, you can see the acres of wiggle room he leaves himself, promising to help Obama as much as he can AFTER HE COMPLETES HIS COMMITMENT TO HIS GLOBAL WHATEVER, blah-blah-blah!

Forget Hillary! Obama may dump Biden, but he will not get Hillary to replace him. IMHO.

[rodeo-mamma]

I think Hillary would be interested. Palin threatens Hillary’s ambitions to be the First Woman President more then Obama does. Hillary still wants to be the First Woman President. I am sure she does not like it that this may never happen because Palin is so popular. Palin seems more likely to be the First Woman President if McCain is elected. Before Palin, Hillary wanted McCain to win, now with Palin in the picture, I bet Hillary isn’t so sure anymore. If nothing else, I bet they are seriously thinking about putting Hillary on the ticket. It doesn’t mean they will do it though, because they have to do it in a way that won’t cause more problems for the Democrats.

[DRey]

Faking an illness won’t be necessary. Biden will just say that against strong objections from Obama, he believes he must do what is best for the Democratic party. He believes that Hillary is the better man for the job, and is stepping aside. That’s all it will take. The Democrates will scream orgasmic, the Republicans will throw up, and then the chips will fall where they may. He’ll do it. He has nothing to lose.

[nclaurel]

I don’t think Obama would admit a mistake that big—his ego is too big. And don’t VP candidates have to have a physical?
Obama is in a tough spot
1 Keep Biden lose to McCain
2 Have Hillary as VP and lose his life shortly after assuming office.
Option 1 he can hope riots will scare the voters to elect him but option 2 has no out.

[cherry]

he better stick around for just one debate....then Sarah can also claim that she knocked one arse off already....

[Red Steel]

Athlete mouth disease.

[rodeo-mamma]

Obama isn’t known to have the best judgment, it could happen. Saying he would be a fool wouldn’t be enough to stop him

[kempster]

For all we know he could have asked her before Biden and she turned him down already.

[Tanniker Smith]

No matter how they massage it, it never looks good to replace your VP choice before an election.

It just screams: I CAN'T EVEN MAKE ONE IMPORTANT DECISION WITHOUT SCREWING IT UP!!!

[loreldan]

Only one problem with this. Hillary does not want to be known as the ‘second choice’.

[mlocher]

Let’s see, the Dems have a history of switching bad candidates for better ones at the last moment

Are you old enought to remember Senator Eagleton, McGovern's VP pick, who was unceremoniously dumped for medical reasons (he may have been psychotic and was suicidal) after McGovern said that in spite of his problems he, "backed him 1000%"?