Published: August 26, 2008 04:58 pm            

Is Biden Obama’s pick?

What was all the ado about Barrack Obama delaying his announcement of the vice presidential choice? We are not “children all nestled in our beds while visions of sugar plums dance through our heads …” Have we forgotten why Biden bowed out of the presidential race in ’87?

The national media was nearly convinced that Texas Congressman Chet Edwards might get the nod. Obama declared “I won’t comment on anything else until I introduce our running mate to the world” and “That’s all you’re going to get out of me.” The timing of the announcement of the choice for vice president does not sound like much of a problem until you take into consideration the number of small newspapers that wound up with a Saturday morning edition stating that the choice had not yet been made. Newspapers like to print the news. If Obama had made the announcement Friday afternoon, all Saturday morning papers could have carried the correct story and the news. Obama’s camp denied many small newspapers an opportunity to print the news.

“Stop the presses” is not an option when tens of thousands of papers are to be reprinted at a tremendous cost. Ironically, I had asked Tom Colley earlier in the week who he thought Obama might pick. His answer: “Joe Biden.”

Another key ingredient in this game of cat and mouse was the response that Obama made when questioned about the potential VP candidate. You would think that he would have been overjoyed to have chosen the “perfect” running mate. It sure didn’t sound like he was enthused at that point. One person commented that it sounded more like the vice presidential choice had been made by someone else and Obama was stuck with the choice. It does raise some questions. Did Obama have as much say in the VP candidate selection as we are led to believe? Why did the Obama camp play a smoke and mirrors game drawing attention away from the actual VP pick? The answers might be interesting.



Hundreds of books have been written about our 32nd President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, probably more than any other president. Joe Biden may become the next vice-president. Saturday, I went to a large bookstore in Roanoke and asked if the store had any books about Joe Biden (either a biography or an autobiography). The clerk answered that there was only one book available and that he could get a copy for me in a few weeks. Will Biden’s candidacy be once again overrun by “the exaggerated shadow” of his mistakes? Biden is going to have a tough sell. He had better be forthright and honest if he is going to regain and keep the respect of the American people. One false word and he will have ring around his blue collar appeal.



Our next president is going to inherit a lot of problems. Freedom is this country does not come without a price tag. Our defense systems and our strength are equally important as negotiation and diplomacy. Ronald Reagan probably knew and understood that better than any contemporary president. He also understood and knew how to wage economic warfare. “No people in history have ever survived who thought they could protect their freedom by making themselves inoffensive to their enemies,” Dean Acheson said.

Reagan was a Republican. Acheson a Democrat, both knew the price.



Mercer County Democrats had a picnic at Glenwood Park last Sunday. Among the crowd of about 150 people lined up to enjoy the pot-luck, carry-in dinner and homemade treats were Mennis Ketcham and Margaret Workman, candidates for the State Supreme Court; and Darrell McGraw seeking re-election as State Attorney General. The event offered people an opportunity to meet these candidates and have a good time eatin’ and politikin’ at shelter No. 5.



Last Tuesday Mercer County candidates drew for ballot position in the general election. Those offices that were most affected include the magistrate court and the family court. Republican candidates will head the list because we have an incumbent Republican president according to the information provided by County Democrat Chairman Mike Vinciguerra. Vinciguerra is also a candidate for the District 24 House seat facing candidate John Shott on the Republican side of the ballot.



There you have it, a few words on politics and items of interest to the area. I hope you have some bright blue skies above you the rest of this week. We could use a little rain …



Wilson Butt, a Bluefield resident, is a retired Department of Highways official.

        

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