ABC: Biden Says Hillary Might Have Been a Better VP Choice

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 9:01pm

Here's hoping this might be a trial balloon floated to prepare the way for him to step down and for Hillary to become the VP candidate.

===

Biden: Hillary a Better Pick Than Me

September 10, 2008 5:17 PM

ABC News' Matthew Jaffe Reports:

Barack Obama's vice-presidential nominee Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., Wednesday said that Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, might have been a better pick for the position than him.

At a rally in Nashua, New Hampshire, a man in the audience told Biden how glad he was that Obama picked him over Hillary "not because she's a woman, but because look at the things she did in the past."

"Make no mistake about this," Biden responded. "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. But she’s first rate, I mean that sincerely, she’s first rate, so let’s get that straight."

Spokesman Ben Porritt offered this response from the McCain camp: "Barack Obama’s most important decision of this election and Biden - the candidate he selects - suggests himself that he wasn’t the right man for the job and that Hillary Clinton would have been a better choice. Biden certainly has a credible viewpoint on this."
ABC NEWS: Biden: Hillary a Better Pick Than Me

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 9:15pm

It might be true (about Hillary), but why would he publicly say such a thing??

If he were to step down, that wouldn't play very well either. Could you imagine how the GOP would run away with that?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 9:18pm

CNN.com also has this story.

It's peculiar. But I dunno that it means he will be stepping down. Funny how a week ago it was Palin who was thought to be likely to step down and now it's Biden? What damage that could do to the campaign. I dunno if the zeitgeist of bringing Hillary in could counter that.

[romantico]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 9:18pm

As a Hillary supporter, this is the DUMBEST thing he can say. I doubt Hillary would want the job under these circumstances. Its OBVIOUS McCain would not have picked a woman if Hillary had been chosen.If Obama was to make the mistake of selecting her now,it would make them both look bad. Obama is smarter than this, so its irrelevant.

Updated On: 9/10/08 at 09:18 PM

[Yawper]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 9:22pm

No, it's ok. They aren't going to say anything to stir up even possible rumors of intra-party bickering. I'm sure Biden is being wary of any traps that could be spun as anti-Hillary. Besides, he might truly believe that. The choice was Obama's, not Clinton's or Biden's.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 9:39pm

Biden is carefully laying the groundwork for 2012 if Obama should lose. If McCain is elected and stays true his word, the 2012 election could very well be a Palin vs Clinton fight. Imagine the FUN those debates would be!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:05pm

Biden is the gift that keeps on giving.


1. By saying this, Biden is doubting a decision by Obama, therefore making Obama look weak.

2. If Biden were to step down for anything other than a serious health problem, it makes it look like Obama made a poor decision. It would be a definite win for the GOP.

"Funny how a week ago it was Palin who was thought to be likely to step down and now it's Biden?"

jrb, nobody thought Palin was stepping down. Except you with your sick fantasies. Palin will become the first female Vice President.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:15pm

. Updated On: 9/10/08 at 10:15 PM

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:22pm

Goth, you're weird.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:35pm

If Biden were to step aside for Hillary, there would be mass jubilation on the Democratic side, the likes of which the party hasn't seen since 1960.

[Yawper]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:45pm

No, such a change now would mean landslide defeat for the Dems.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:45pm

I agree with PJ that there would be jubilation. But, Biden will not step down. We must assume that Biden can outshine Palin in the debates. The middle 5% that are truly undecided will watch the debates and not be swayed by cute jokes about hockey.

I respect Obama's decision. I have been a fan of Joe Biden for his great work in the Senate and we will miss him when he is VP. I would have picked HC. McCain kept his decision close to his chest and that makes it a brilliant choice, but history will treat it as pandering and irresponsible.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:47pm

Too late. I think it would do more harm than good. The GOP would be saying, "Gee, Obama couldn't even get his VP right, how do you expect him to run the country?" This was the worse possible thing that Biden could have said. It's like a lose/lose situation.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:52pm

It's nowhere near too late.

[cubanpab]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:52pm

i am stunned at why he would say this? even tho i agree that Clinton would have been the smarter choice, there was no reason for him to give the republicans this perfectly wrapped gift.

and him stepping down now to make way for clinton would destroy any chances we have of winning in Nov. people would see it for what it was...

he could have simply answered the question the same way he did, praising hillary, but leave out all the parts about her "being a better choice".

i am really confused by this.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:59pm

It's like they don't want to win. I dread the ramifications from this gaffe.

[cubanpab]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 11:02pm

I think Obama does want to win. He cant control what Biden says. He must be furious.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 11:04pm

Biden can't control what Biden says either. Never could.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 11:12pm

Well so far nothing has been mentioned on the evening news about this (though I think this statement will be thrown in Biden's face somewhere down the road).

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 11:16pm

Biden's comments are honest! He, you and I all know that politically HC was a better choice in light of McCain's brilliant choice of Palin. There is no legitimate argument that Biden is not qualified to be Vice President, and Biden's comments do not discount the fact Obama made a wise choice in selecting Biden.

[BroomstickBoy]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 11:19pm

I agree brdlwyr. I think some people are making a mountain out of a molehill.

You don't see that kind of honesty and humility coming from the Republicans, do you?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 11:22pm

And you never will!!

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 11:27pm

I thought it was a great day for Obama. Attacking McCain and using "swift boat" was great. The media seemed to focus on his response rather then McCain's ridiculous spin.

[Luscious]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 11:43pm

It's not going to happen. No how. No way. And no amount of wishful thinking on PJ's part is going to make it so. It would be political suicide for the Democrats. You know... I can't wait for this race to really get going. The tide is going to turn very soon in Obama's favor. In fact, I feel its already begun. It'll take a few days to become evident to the masses, especially die-hard Hillary fanatics like PJ, but it's going to happen. And frankly, come election day, I don't think it's even going to be all that close. I predict Obama is going to win by a much wider margin than expected, or the media would have you believe. CAN NOT WAIT FOR THE DEBATES!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 11:46pm

I'm sure you're right, dear.