Topic: 2008 US Presidential Election
Senator Biden, wearing sunglasses, is more mature and sophisticated.
(Reporter Li Mingbo) Senior Senator Biden eventually became Obama’s running mate, which benefited from his rich diplomatic experience and high fighting spirit when confronting the Republican Party.
Obama once said that he wanted a deputy who could challenge his ideas, but now he finally got what he wanted. Biden is the ideal candidate for his deputy.
Advantage 1: Make up for Obama’s diplomatic weakness
Biden is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and he is familiar with many world leaders and diplomats. In addition, he is familiar with foreign policies and international security affairs. Last weekend, he received an invitation from the President of Georgia to visit Georgia in the middle of his visit to Russia. During the period of tense relations between the two countries, he could run between Russia and Georgia, fully demonstrating his diplomatic influence.
In Washington, Biden is regarded as an academic figure, but his words are sharp immediately after he gives warm praise. Because McCain has repeatedly attacked Obama for his lack of foreign policy experience, Biden can make up for Obama’s weakness in diplomacy.
Democratic Party adviser McMahon said, "I think he is to Obama what lyndon johnson is to John F. Kennedy. He has superb diplomatic skills and a senior and outstanding Senate background. He is one of Obama’s most effective agents at present, because he can compete with Republican opponents at any time and on any issue.
Advantage 2: Life is bumpy and has affinity.
Although Biden is from Delaware, he was born in Pennsylvania and is a devout Catholic. Biden’s Catholic background can help Obama consolidate the ballot box. In addition, Biden is also very popular among Jews, which is his advantage.
Another advantage of Biden is his personality charm. Biden’s wife and two young daughters were killed in a traffic accident. The battered Biden once intended to quit politics, but finally decided to continue his political career. At that time, Biden was sworn in by his son’s hospital bed, and he still stopped work for one day on the day of the car accident (December 18) to send his grief.
After decades, he went home by train almost every day to meet his family. This remarkable life experience made him have a strong affinity.
Advantage 3: Congress has been familiar with the operation for 35 years.
Biden, 65, has been working in Washington since 1972. Years in Washington gave him a good understanding of the city and the operation of Congress, which Obama lacked.
Just as Cheney helped George W. Bush when he ran for office in 2000. At that time, Bush was inexperienced in politics, but he persuaded Cheney to advise him and finally won.
Advantage 4: It is difficult to have an idea about the presidency.
Biden’s experience is enough to help him a lot in foreign policy, so that Obama can devote more energy to developing the economy.
More importantly, at the age of 65, Biden doesn’t seem to have any thoughts about the presidency. So for Obama, Biden’s political relationship with himself should be much simpler than the relationship between other presidents and their vice presidents.
Advantage 5: Being born in a working family and accepting a variety of votes.
Biden was born in an ordinary working-class family in scranton, Pennsylvania. He has a good relationship with trade unions and appeals to blue-collar workers.
Obama did not perform as well as Hillary in winning the support of this class in the primary stage. Perhaps Biden, who is white, can help Obama attract more blue-collar white voters.
Advantage 6: Resolutely oppose crime.
Republicans have accused Obama of being weak in cracking down on domestic crimes, which may affect Obama’s impression among white voters. Biden happens to have a good performance in opposing crime, and his joining will undoubtedly reverse this impression disadvantage.
It was Biden who led the drafting of the violent crime control law in 1994. According to this law, more than 100,000 policemen took to the streets to patrol, which greatly reduced the occurrence of street criminal cases in the United States.
Three major disadvantagesnot to be neglected
Disadvantage 1:
Washington’s old face
Image or drag
Obama’s campaign slogan is "change", and he promised to bring change to the United States in the primary election. This slogan finally helped the young Obama to defeat Hillary Clinton, who is experienced in politics, in the democratic primary election. But Biden, who has worked in Congress for 35 years, can be said to be an old courtier in Washington. This image of Biden may be a drag on Obama. It remains to be seen whether Americans who like innovation and change will accept such old faces.
Disadvantage 2:
Lack of administrative experience
Both Obama and Biden are senators. Biden has been a senator for six consecutive terms, and Obama has not finished one term. However, both of them lack experience in administration, which gives people the feeling that they have some shortcomings in their abilities.
Disadvantage 3:
Attacked Obama.
Habitual duplicity?
Earlier this week, the American media revealed a final list of four people, and Biden was the number one favorite.
However, just two days ago, Biden told reporters who were stuck in front of his house: "I’m not that person." In fact, Biden already knew that he was Obama’s running mate. Biden’s untrue remarks triggered criticism from the American media. Some people questioned: Is he very good at lying?
Coincidentally, shortly after Obama officially confirmed Biden, the McCain campaign released a media interview recording. In this interview in 2007, Biden attacked Obama’s foreign policy and said that "he is not the ideal candidate for the president". In early 2008, Biden told reporters after withdrawing from the primary election that he would not be vice president for anyone, and he would rather continue to choose to be chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
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