Reaction to Obama/Biden VP Ticket

Mother Jones: “By tapping Biden, Obama does little to reinforce his core themes of change and hope. He does not amplify his Washington-is-broken and postpartisan messages.”

Feministe: “I’m not devastated but not thrilled either. There’s a lot of really troubling things in there…”

Andrew Sullivan: “Not an inspired choice, in my book. But smart and solid — and adult.”

Powerline: “Happiness is a thing called Joe”

The New Republic: “The fighting in Georgia underscored the need to bring some foreign policy experience to the ticket. No one does that better than Biden.”

Tom Maguire: “It’s interesting how far off the table the war in Iraq has fallen as an issue for the Democrats.”

Orin Kerr: “Being from Delaware myself, I think that’s pretty cool; I’ve liked Senator Biden ever since he spoke to my 7th grade class during our class trip to Washington.”

Subguns: Bill Clinton “reacts” to news of Obama-Biden ticket.

Bridget Johnson: “For a campaign that has consistently chided John McCain for being mired in the old Washington guard and conducting the “same old Washington politics,” Obama’s choice is bizarre.”

Politico: “But while Biden, 65, made strides during the primary season on curbing his legendary penchant for leaving no thought unspoken, those who have watched him (and listened to him) over the years know the Obama team will spend some sleepless nights wondering what he might say at any given moment.”

Donklephant: “A safe choice. Even a smart choice. But picking someone who’s been part of Washington for more than three decades is hardly change we can believe in.”

Chicago Tribune: “For Biden, the choice amounts to something like a political resurrection, one that took nothing less than 20 years, and one that has seen him evolve from firebrand to party statesman.”

The Caucus: “Just three hours after the Obama campaign sent out its text announcement, the McCain campaign rolled out its first ad this morning, using Senator Joe Biden’s own words during the primary season about Senator Barack Obama.” [Video here]

Jonah Goldberg: “I think it is an outright terrible decision on Obama’s part to pick Biden. Yes, he helps balance Obama’s inexperience on foreign policy, but he also reminds people of it. Yes, Biden could conceivably be effective as an attack dog. But Biden is such a gasbag he makes the Hindenburg look like a sack of rocks.”

AP: “Barack Obama told everyone he wanted a running mate who will challenge his thinking, and now he’s got one. Joe Biden’s tendency to speak his own mind—and speak and speak—is entwined in his DNA.”

Blast from the past: “I’m sticking with McCain,” Biden said in 2004. (MSNBC)

R.S. McCain: “The thing is, Joe is old news. Very old news. And he’s got no executive experience. To jerk around the national press for a full week, only to deliver Joe Biden — this is a disappointment. Imagine the reactions of those poor saps getting their text messages: ‘WTF? Dude. Joe Biden?’”

Ed Driscoll: “If there were any Obamamaniacs relying solely upon their text messages to find out who the Messiah’s veep would be, they were the last to know.”

Hot Air: “After a week of excruciating suspense, the big revelation is Joe Hairplugs?”

The Moderate Voice: This is a big deal for little Delaware.

Seth Gittel: Unpublished comments by Biden on Obama.

AP: “The candidate of change went with the status quo.”

HuffPo: Obama-Biden logo revealed.

Jim Geraghty, NRO: “It’s hard for Obama supporters to play the age card any longer, as their potential veep is all of six years younger than McCain.”

Marc Ambinder: “This is a formidable ticket, and a risky ticket, and not a comfort zone choice for Obama…criticism will focus on Biden’s 1987 plagiarism bout, his support of credit card companies (he pushed the bankruptcy bill that Dems now hate), his comments about Obama, his racial obliviousness.”

WSJ: “The McCain campaign was quick to ridicule the choice. ‘There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama’s lack of experience than Joe Biden,’ said his spokesman, Ben Borritt.”

Taylor Marsh: “If not Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden is absolutely the next best pick in my view. No doubt, many will be fueled to act out on this, but they’re not thinking of the larger goal.”

Riehl World View: “I can’t believe Obama doesn’t feel like he’s sitting on a keg of dynamite with Biden – just hoping he doesn’t go off.”

CNN: A flurry of activity at the Biden house.

Washington Note: “Wait till America gets to know Jill Biden – she’s an impressive woman.”

TalkLeft: “Is anyone besides me extremely unhappy with Joe Biden, the ultimate crime warrior, on the ticket?”

Patrick Ruffini: Joe Biden vs. Joe Biden’s Mouth

Countless Biden Gaffe YouTube videos circulating: here and here, for example.

Source: Pajamas Media