Obama Veep Week: Biden Pick a Letdown After All the Foreplay
Obama: All Foreplay, No Finale
Nancy Morgan
Right Bias.com
The last two days of foreplay leading up to Obama’s announcement of Joe Biden as his VP pick have left me exhausted. I, along with millions of other Americans, got suckered into the Obama campaign’s carefully orchestrated media orgy surrounding his choice of Vice-president.
First, the news that Obama, The One, has decided on a VP. But he’s not saying, just yet. The media reacts as anticipated. “You’ll just have to wait!”, Obama says. Then, right on cue, a full day media watch, with cameras set up outside the homes of those on the short list. Cameras, beaming out to the world, the picture of four houses. No action, just speculation. The tension builds, the world awaits.
Then, in the waning hours of Friday, select bits of information are released to an anxious nation. No, its not Kaine…oh. No, its not Hillary either. And did you know she wasn’t even on the list? Each announcement is timed for maximum media exposure.
Then the biggy. Headlines on Drudge breathlessly report that Obama – Bayh bumper stickers are being manufactured. The firm refuses to confirm. Could it be? Or is it just another fake-out? Speculation swirls.
Millions of Americans have been whipped into a frenzy of anticipation. Who will Obama pick? More leaks tantalize the eager public. Talking heads claiming the inside scoop are interviewed ad naseum. Finally, finally, a News Flash: Secret service agents are heading to Sen. Joe Biden’s home. Could it be??
Millions of eager Obama acolytes check their Blackberries every few minutes, relying on Obama’s promise that they would be the first to know his VP pick. Alas, they waited in vain.
AP jumped ahead with a carefully worded announcement with built-in deniability, just in case they’ve been suckered again. They were willing to risk a replay of the infamous Truman headlines in order to be “the first to report.” They lucked out.
Around 3 am Saturday morning, it became official. Sen. Joe Biden is THE GUY. Whoosh. After all that foreplay, I was left flat. Biden? Mr. logorrhea himself? Mr. political expedience with hair plugs? Say it ain’t so.
Michelle needs to give Barack a good talking to. She needs to tell him that its not good policy to engage in extended foreplay unless he can actually deliver the goods. Joe Biden? Aargh. It was for this I waited up two hours past my regular bedtime? It’s not fair. I feel used and abused.
Once again, I fell for honeyed promises from the lips of a master wordsmith. Once again, the actions didn’t match the rhetoric. I have only myself to blame. Once again, I realize the truth of the statement, Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus. I should have known.
Obama should have known also. His political handlers should have known. When you tease and tantalize, you better have the goods to back it up. This, every woman knows. Apparently, Obama doesn’t.
Obama has used up his share of the headlines, his last quotient of goodwill from a fickle media. From now on, the headlines will focus on Bill and Hill. Obama has just proved, once again, that he doesn’t know how to pick his wars. He doesn’t know that big promises require, uh, lets say, culmination. And Joe Biden is not a ‘culminator.’ Sigh.
This morning, I don’t respect Obama. I feel used and abused. And if I were a liberal woman, I would exact my revenge in the voting booth.
by Nancy Morgan
Nancy Morgan is a columnist and news editor for RightBias.com
She lives in South Carolina
Article may be reprinted, with attribution
Look, I’m not that excited about Biden myself but I understand why he was picked. He’s solid, dependable, a devoted father, loving husband (no scandals here), and he’s a foreign policy wonk. He may not be the most ardent lover around, but he’s a scrapper, he’s not afraid to get down and dirty, and he gets the job done.
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