Posted on 10/20/2008 10:38:08 AM PDT by Reaganesque
I was under the impression that Biden's job was to reassure American voters to go with the exceptionally inexperienced natsec pick. Not to let them know that he was going to not only be tested right off the bat, but that he would probably flunk:
ABC News' Matthew Jaffe Reports: Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., on Sunday guaranteed that if elected, Sen. Barack Obama., D-Ill., will be tested by an international crisis within his first six months in power and he will need supporters to stand by him as he makes tough, and possibly unpopular, decisions.
"Mark my words," the Democratic vice presidential nominee warned at the second of his two Seattle fundraisers Sunday. "It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy."
"I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate," Biden said to Emerald City supporters, mentioning the Middle East and Russia as possibilities. "And he's gonna need help. And the kind of help he's gonna need is, he's gonna need you - not financially to help him - we're gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it's not gonna be apparent initially, it's not gonna be apparent that we're right."
See AoSHQ and Hot Air for more. The former is wincing at the idea of Joe Biden - a man who is always ready to tell you how smart he is, and if that doesn't alarm you, nothing will - being the backup for Obama in a hypothetical crisis like this; the latter is helpfully reminding us that Kennedy's own test of foreign was an "unmitigated disaster" that nearly ended up destroying Eurasia.
My own worries are slightly different. We can probably survive losing a diplomatic confrontation with Iran (unless they decide to do something stupid, like try to nuke Israel: then we won't have to lose it): and our response to an invasion of South Korea by North Korea will at least have the virtue of simplicity. But if China decides to force a confrontation over Taiwan... well, if Obama wins then I recommend that the Taiwanese that aren't ready to make nice with the PRC start acquiring passports ahead of time. Likewise, if the Pakistanis conclude that now is a good time to push India over Kashmir, sorry, guys: we had a change in administrations, and the new one isn't particularly interested in maintaining good relationships with the world's largest democracy. Then there's the dark horse of Venezuela: I suspect that Chavez would dearly love to push around Uncle Sam a bit, and the potential there for a blindsiding of a hypothetical Obama administration is just too great to ignore.
And note: all of this assumes that the test will be essentially diplomatic in tone. Instead of, say, an anthrax attack on San Diego, or a radiological bomb set off in Jacksonville, or even a series of coordinated ground-level terrorist attacks in ten or twelve suburban locations. I am even less confident in the Democrats' ability to produce an effective and measured response to renewed assaults on American citizens than I am in their ability to counter the diplomatic moves of regimes that don't care if we like them or not. Given that I have zero confidence for them in that, I sympathize if that admission alarms you. It alarms me, too.
Gotta wonder though, just whose side is Biden on?
Just imagine what Bill Ayres would do if he was wearing Obama’s shoes.
Let me be the almost 1st freeper to call it..
BIDEN is with the Clintons...
this is so much more severe then any economy babble...
Biden is the brain trust the leftists have been saying Palin pales in comparison to. Its nice to see them hung by their own petard.
At least she has enough good common sense to help elevate her ticket. Biden, well, not so much...
That’s an interesting consideration isn’t it.
Still, this type of statement is hallmark Biden. He’s uncorked a good many statements equal to this one over the years.
The terminally stupid? The useful idiots?
They need representation too, you know.
Duhhh... Just why do you think our enemies endorse Obama?
Our enemies ALREADY know what a Conservative leader will do... they will be feeling real ‘lucky’ with Mr. ‘Hope and Change’ at the helm!
You may be the first to have said it, but I was thinking - while reading the other thread - I wonder if he dislikes Obama as much as Hillary? Does he think Obama cheated and stole the nomination from him like Hillary’s followers do? If so, he’s doing an excellent job of sandbagging Obama, while seeming to support him.
“Now Biden is admitting that its a dangerous world out there. The lying hypocrite!”
Don’t be mad at him. He is telling the truth here and helping us.
It’s not just Obama’s inexperience that will tempt our adversaries but his world view that the U.S. does not really have enemies that he cannot assuage by talking.
Ronald Reagan had no “foreign policy experience” when he was elected (he had been governor of California for two terms), but the Iranians just happened to release the hostages on the day he took office. They rightly feared Reagan more than Carter, because Reagan was much more hawkish.
There’s also the possibility of Obama making “tough, unpopular decisions” that many Americans see as an unacceptable attack on their basic freedoms.
DO,
You are a long time well respected Freeper and American..
Biden does have a stupid mouth but this takes the cake.
Biden actually thinks its a GOOD thing to elect the candidate (sarc) that will invite attacks on this country.HOLY Crap , now I have heard everything.... Really give this a lot of thought.
The world loves Obama..there is no excuse of Biden to say this while supporting his running mate in a normal world.
Our enemys heard this also.
Sounds like Biden and 0 are in collusion with evil powers to plan something.
Interesting too that Biden changed his mind in just a few short months from when he said zer0bama was totally unqualified to be president.
He is almost admitting we will be attacked as a naive inexperienced dolt will be at the helm.
Biden is a true American, left or right.... his pick as VP shocked both sides. Perhaps his conscience is riding high now and he sees the light... Yes he has always said silly things but this had got to take the cake. This is not even silly, this is serious national security ....
I agree that it takes the cake. I’m not trying to be argumentative here, even though I do see it somewhat differently that you. I just think that when it comes to Biden, you may be giving the man too much credit when you begin to think he may have given this forethought.
He may have. I have no way of knowing. I just think the guy is this dumb. He has a track record. Most of those other instances couldn’t have been helpful to anyone, so I’m thinking this probably wasn’t by design either.
I could be wrong. It don’t think your original premise is outside the realm of possibility at all. It’s just that I think there may be a more simple answer.
I appreciate your point of view on this. You take care.
Biden did not change his mind or minds (LOL) ..his comments are showing that, Biden is waking up that power is not absolute and he will be a weak VP if elected. He sees the writing on the wall.
He does not want to be a part of the upcoming attacks...he spoke his mind.
Give the man some credit.... I could not say it better then BIDEN.
I think that Biden is scared that they are in over their heads. I don’t think he has confidence in Obama and that due to his own perceived national security “experience”, that he will be called on to act if there is a crisis. Neither one of these guys has a history of making decisions nor has either shown ANY leadership. Biden has done little in the Senate for 36 years other than bloviate. Obama is just a “show pony” who can speechify. God help us all.
Another seminal line in the most bizarre presidential campaign in modern history.
While many of us are still wondering why Biden was the VP pick... Biden is starting to smell that he is not going to be anything more then a donkey in the new admistration. Biden is antipathy of anything Obama is seeking.
Think back to the shock on both sides when Biden was picked. Biden is not a bad guy. He is in over his head and does know that Obama is not prepared and he Biden is doing us a favor.
After all, if the world loves Obama why would he be tested?
This may perhaps be one of the most important FR threads and I am saving it.
Not many responses or ideas. TOO BORING???
Go figure.
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