Biden’s experience adds to Obama’s resume

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., chose Joe Biden, an experienced senator from Delaware, to be his vice presidential running mate last week.

Biden emerged as Obama’s choice after a secretive selection process that reviewed at least a half-dozen contenders.

Biden is a long-time senator originally from Pennsylvania, but he currently represents Delaware.

Biden ran for the presidency earlier this year against Obama but dropped out following his poor performance in the Iowa primary. He is a Roman Catholic from a working-class background, and he favors abortion rights.

At 65 years old, Biden brings some white hair and a slew of experience to the Democratic ticket.

Biden’s addition to the ticket helps counteract one of Obama’s biggest criticisms ““ lack of foreign policy experience. Biden serves as the chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee and brings decades of experience.

That experience could make him a good candidate in the eyes of voters by adding to Obama’s resume, which critics have said has some holes.

“I think (Biden) complements Obama’s areas of weakness. … I think it’s a good choice,” said Prishil Patel, a fourth-year political science student.

Bruin Democrats President Jesse Melgar said he also believes Obama’s choice was a smart move because of the political connections Biden has.

Biden “is an incredible choice, not only because he’s got a lot of experience in foreign policy, but … because he knows the ins and outs of Washington,” Melgar said.

However, Obama is also receiving criticism for his choice because of Biden’s status as the ultimate insider. That same experience, which has earned him praise from Democrats, places Biden in the pool of politicians who have played by Washington’s “old politics,” according to some students.

“Biden’s been in the Senate forever. This works against Obama’s message of change,” said Andrew Kreitz, president of Bruin Republicans.

With Congress’ approval ratings historically low, Biden is not a particularly strong pick, Kreitz added.

Though this contradiction may dilute the message of the Democrats, many students still support the choice of Biden for vice president.

Biden “is still good for Obama. If he wants to change something, he needs someone that knows Washington,” Patel said. “He’s not entrenched in the Washington mindset, but he needs someone to help him navigate.”

However, the Obama campaign may face other challenges.

Biden is well-known for his feisty rhetoric that has gotten him in trouble in the past.

“He is well-known for making statements he regrets, some may say racist statements, very negative comments about Obama,” Kreitz said. “As a Republican I was worried about an Obama-Hillary ticket and a little bit relieved that it was Biden.”

Courting supporters of Hillary Clinton, who was Obama’s main competitor in the primaries, may prove crucial for the Obama-Biden camp in winning the general election in November, according to Melgar.

“The choice (Democrats) made has been widely supported,” Melgar said. “It’s very clear that a lot of (Clinton’s) supporters are proud to support Barack Obama because he will bring the change she proposed.”

But Kreitz theorized that the conflict between Clinton and Obama, which resulted in biting remarks about each other during the primaries, is why she was not chosen to be on the ticket.

The choice of Biden, then, may be a great aid to the Obama camp but may carry challenges of its own.

However, some voters have said that the priority in the election will be for the office of the president.

“I don’t think the vice president stuff is going to make too much of a difference,” Maya Benari, a third-year art history student, said.

With reports from Bruin wire services.

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