Why did Obama pick Biden over Bayh?

[Bo]

Yep it's all political. Bush chose Cheney. Honestly, someone convince me that it was politically motivated. How much do you think Cheney helped Bush in the 2000 or even 2004 election? Then again, Cheney was the head of Bush's VP committee and he picked himself. Bush could've said no though.

Cheney provided foreign policy experience and a measure of defense gravitas to the ticket, considering he was a former respected Secretary of Defense and was considered an old hand.

Exactly. Bush Jr. was attacked as inexperienced on the campaign trail (especially on foreign policy), so he needed someone to give him more credentials in that department. I still can't understand why Gore picked Lieberman, though. Unlike Cheney, he added nothing to the ticket.

The theoretical idea was to increase turnout and votes from Jewish voters in order to win Florida.

Gore was overwhelmingly winning Jewish voters become Lieberman came along anyway, and I don't think Jews are as influenced by identity politics as other groups are. Also, Jews are a very small voting block, so energizing them a little bit more would have little impact electorally. Other than Jews, I don't see any other group Lieberman managed to appeal to. Also, Gore might have lost some anti-Semtiic votes by picking Lieberman (which there aren't many of, but you never know). I think that in terms of strategy, Gore should have either picked a liberal or a competent woman as VP. For instances, Russ Feingold would have been able to appeal to both the Democtaic base and Jewish voters, while Dianne Feinstein would ahve appealed to females and Jewish voters. Lieberman's appeal was too limited. Frankly, if it wasn't for Bush Jr.'s DUI story coming out right before the election, Gore and Lieberman probably wouldn't have even come very close in Florida.

[phk]

Another consideration was that Biden's replacement in the Senate would have been picked by Democratic Governor Ruth Ann Minner. If Bayh had been chosen, Republican Mitch Daniels would have picked a Republican to replace him, altering the balance of power.

Biden was a much better choice than Bayh.

This.

Obama would have been stuck at 59 seats.

[Bo]

Another consideration was that Biden's replacement in the Senate would have been picked by Democratic Governor Ruth Ann Minner. If Bayh had been chosen, Republican Mitch Daniels would have picked a Republican to replace him, altering the balance of power.

Biden was a much better choice than Bayh.

This.

Obama would have been stuck at 59 seats.

It would be 58 seats right now, or possibly 57 if Franken lost in MN due to the butterfly effect.

[Derek]

Yep it's all political. Bush chose Cheney. Honestly, someone convince me that it was politically motivated. How much do you think Cheney helped Bush in the 2000 or even 2004 election? Then again, Cheney was the head of Bush's VP committee and he picked himself. Bush could've said no though.

Cheney provided foreign policy experience and a measure of defense gravitas to the ticket, considering he was a former respected Secretary of Defense and was considered an old hand.

Exactly. Bush Jr. was attacked as inexperienced on the campaign trail (especially on foreign policy), so he needed someone to give him more credentials in that department. I still can't understand why Gore picked Lieberman, though. Unlike Cheney, he added nothing to the ticket.

Foreign policy wasn't a significant factor in 2000. Yes, Cheney helped Bush while in office, but not to win the white house. Seriously, who on this forum was on the fence but chose Bush because Cheney was his runningmate?

[HappyWarrior]

Yep it's all political. Bush chose Cheney. Honestly, someone convince me that it was politically motivated. How much do you think Cheney helped Bush in the 2000 or even 2004 election? Then again, Cheney was the head of Bush's VP committee and he picked himself. Bush could've said no though.

Cheney provided foreign policy experience and a measure of defense gravitas to the ticket, considering he was a former respected Secretary of Defense and was considered an old hand.

Exactly. Bush Jr. was attacked as inexperienced on the campaign trail (especially on foreign policy), so he needed someone to give him more credentials in that department. I still can't understand why Gore picked Lieberman, though. Unlike Cheney, he added nothing to the ticket.

Foreign policy wasn't a significant factor in 2000. Yes, Cheney helped Bush while in office, but not to win the white house. Seriously, who on this forum was on the fence but chose Bush because Cheney was his runningmate?

Whether foreign policy was an issue at the time, people wanted someone who would be strong on foreign policy at any time.

[Derek]

They wouldn't have thought that far into it because the VP isn't a top issue. That doesn't have to do with Biden being picked by Obama so that he could LOOK good on defense.

[phk]

In reality I think Obama's preferences were actually something like

Kaine > (Bayh ~ Biden)

[Ringorules]

In reality I think Obama's preferences were actually something like

Kaine > (Bayh ~ Biden)

And I think you are right.  If Kaine had a little bit more experience, he might easily have been on the ticket. 

[Derek]

If Obama got to pick it would've been Kaine.

[Derek]

French allies? Communists not being evil? sounds like Massachusetts

[Landslide Lyndon]

French allies? Communists not being evil? sounds like Massachusetts

Hey, DWTL. Why you moved to Pennsylvania?

[Bo]

In reality I think Obama's preferences were actually something like

Kaine > (Bayh ~ Biden)

That's what I read as well. But the Russo-Georgian war in August changed everything.

[Derek]

I doubt Obama made the decision and if he would have it would have nothing to do with any current affairs bbesides the polls and what young voters in college wanted to see.

[dmwestmi]

After flipping through David Plouffe's book, I remember him saying that Joe Biden provided a nice balance to the ticket--in terms of age, blue-collar upbringing, foreign policy experience, and experience in the Senate. Bayh is (relatively) young, did not have a hardscrabble upbringing, and represents a Midwestern state in the Senate.

In my opinion, the Obama team was likely looking to make up for his lack of foreign policy experience--something that the McCain campaign and the MSM kept highlighting. Though he served on the Armed Services Committee, foreign policy is not Sen. Bayh's strength. Gov. Kaine's foreign policy experience was limited to missionary trips. This left one option. Furthermore, Biden is a household name--he ran for President twice, and he'd been in the Senate for three decades. Any worries that older progressives had about voting for Obama would have then been put to rest.

Sen. Bayh would have prevented all of the "Sarah Palin has more executive experience than all of the candidates put together LOL" nonsense, and would have balanced the ticket ideologically--Bayh has a strong moderate record, whereas Biden and Obama voted almost in lockstep. And as Mr. Plouffe put it, he was a guy who wasn't going to color outside of the lines. I'm guessing that his drawbacks were his crippling lack of charisma, lack of name recognition outside of Indiana, and his wife's corporate board experience. These seemed to be of more concern than plagiarism and making baffling comments about Indians and convenience stores.

[Derek]

lack of foreign policy is the key phrase there buddy. We're seeing it now in the case of the xmas day bomber and his apologies for America's success now. Biden is a dork and full of gaffes.

[Landslide Lyndon]

lack of foreign policy is the key phrase there buddy. We're seeing it now in the case of the xmas day bomber and his apologies for America's success now. Biden is a dork and full of gaffes.

Welcome back JSojourner. We missed you.

[President Mitt]

Bayh's seat would have been lost. Biden's seat...well...it seemed then it would have been kept.

[Derek]

yep pure politics, nothing else

[Derek]

Yep it's all political. Bush chose Cheney. Honestly, someone convince me that it was politically motivated. How much do you think Cheney helped Bush in the 2000 or even 2004 election? Then again, Cheney was the head of Bush's VP committee and he picked himself. Bush could've said no though.

Cheney provided foreign policy experience and a measure of defense gravitas to the ticket, considering he was a former respected Secretary of Defense and was considered an old hand.

Exactly. Bush Jr. was attacked as inexperienced on the campaign trail (especially on foreign policy), so he needed someone to give him more credentials in that department. I still can't understand why Gore picked Lieberman, though. Unlike Cheney, he added nothing to the ticket.

Foreign policy wasn't a significant factor in 2000. Yes, Cheney helped Bush while in office, but not to win the white house. Seriously, who on this forum was on the fence but chose Bush because Cheney was his runningmate?

Whether foreign policy was an issue at the time, people wanted someone who would be strong on foreign policy at any time.

That's only Republicans. Look at Blumenthal. The democrats sure voted for him in a hurry despite his lies about being in Vietnam.

[GPORTER]

Another consideration was that Biden's replacement in the Senate would have been picked by Democratic Governor Ruth Ann Minner. If Bayh had been chosen, Republican Mitch Daniels would have picked a Republican to replace him, altering the balance of power.

Biden was a much better choice than Bayh.

So, it was just purely politics?

[Derek]

Everything Obama has ever done has been pure politics. He has nothing in common with the average ordinary individual.

[Bo]

Everything Obama has ever done has been pure politics. He has nothing in common with the average ordinary individual.

Same for many other Presidents, including Reagan and Bush Jr.

[Derek]

Everything Obama has ever done has been pure politics. He has nothing in common with the average ordinary individual.

Same for many other Presidents, including Reagan and Bush Jr.

I thought Bush Jr. was as middle America as you can get with his cowboy attire and stuttering.

[HappyWarrior]

Everything Obama has ever done has been pure politics. He has nothing in common with the average ordinary individual.

Same for many other Presidents, including Reagan and Bush Jr.

I thought Bush Jr. was as middle America as you can get with his cowboy attire and stuttering.

Other than the whole being born into a millionaire family with political family members who had already reached high office.

[Lunar]

The most obvious answer is that Obama served in the Senate, and knew both of them, and used his personal judgment in evaluating them both.

You couldn't be a coworker with someone for four years without forming an opinion of them.