I’ve been rooting for Joe Biden for VP ever since the Obama/Hillary nastiness made that “dream ticket” an impossibility. I’m thrilled that Obama has shown the smarts to pick him. Biden brings everything to the ticket Obama needs: experience, straight-talk, military credibility (did you know he’s got a son in the National Guard?), working class roots, and did I mention experience? He compliments Obama’s weaknesses perfectly.

Biden is to Obama what Cheney was to Bush in 2000. But better. In 2000, aside from his governorship of Texas, George W. had a rather thin resume. Nice speeches, but was he ready to lead? Having Cheney on the ticket was an insurance policy for the voters; it reassured them that there was a grownup around to watch over the idealistic young president. Why, if an old pro like Cheney was willing to vouch for W’s foreign policy credentials, if he of all people was willing to hitch his wagon to W’s, then certainly, I, as a voter, should be confident as well, shouldn’t I? Biden does the same for Obama.
(Yes, of course, the Republicans are now trying to use Biden’s own words against him, saying that Biden–in the primaries–argued that Obama was not ready. But the quote they’re using is weak, and this one won’t stick.)

Another Cheney comparison: the attack dog thing. Biden, like Cheney, will speak his mind and say bad things about the other candidate that may not be politically correct. He’ll fire the shots but suffer few consequences because — after all — he’s just the vice presidential candidate. But Biden will do this better, because, unlike Cheney, he’s actually likeable. Cheney talks tough, but he’s also secretive, nasty, and anti-charismatic. Biden, on the other hand, comes across as a straight-shooting, tell-it-like-it-is, all-American kind of politician. He’s blunt and will be a great asset in attacking the McCain platform without getting too dirty. I salivate at the prospect of a Biden-Romney debate. Romney’s biggest weakness is his lack of authenticity. Standing next to Biden, he’d seem like a cardboard cutout, a fraud, a pretender to the crown.

Biden is not just a help politically. He is perfectly equipped to be an ideal vice president once in office. His voluminous experience in the Senate and in foreign policy combined with the willingness to give Obama honest feedback rather than blind allegiance makes him the best possible match for our hope-filled frontrunner. In choosing Biden, Obama has aced his first major decision as potential commander-in-chief. This decision speaks well for all involved.