Republican presidential nominee John McCain and Democratic nominee Barack Obama must both wish they could call a mulligan on their vice presidential selections right now.
If Obama had convinced New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to join the ticket, his lead in the polls would probably now be approaching the size of the financial bailout. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., was a worthy-enough pick -- his blue-collar cred and foreign relations bona fides make him valuable both politically as a running mate and for the country as a potential vice president. And given the other finalists frequently mentioned - I'm looking at you, Evan Bayh - Obama could have done way worse. Biden is the anti-Cheney, and that's a step in the right direction. You won't often find "Joe Biden" and "undisclosed" in the same sentence.
But every time Biden gets near a microphone, I can't help but cringe. Is he going to complain about how Obama's television ads are "terrible," as he did last week? Is he going to completely mangle American history, like his recent statement that Franklin Roosevelt was president during the 1929 stock market crash - and reassured Americans by speaking on the not-yet-invented television? Is his earnestness going to be embarrassing, like when he insists Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., would make a better vice presidential candidate, or when he seems to be trying a little too hard on the stump? It doesn't help that Biden's foreign policy expertise and empathy for the working class proved empty when he signed off on the invasion of Iraq and the 2005 bankruptcy bill. Luckily, our Founding Fathers already created a political body for long-winded, self-loving policy wonks: the U.S. Senate.
If Obama couldn't entice Bloomberg onto the ticket, he should have offered the spot to economic guru Robert Reich. Reich supported Obama in the primary but was also an influential member of President Clinton's cabinet (as Secretary of Labor). He would be a reassuring hand at the economic steering wheel.
John McCain's problems are significantly bigger. Whatever faults Joe Biden may have, he's no Sarah Palin. Like Obama, McCain had the right idea when he made his pick. The political environment is such that if McCain wants to even come close to 270 electoral votes, he is going to have to make big, bold gambles throughout the entire race. Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, was a good pick in that she fired up the evangelical base, may tempt some women to desert Obama and possesses that elusive "executive experience." But in all other regards, she's a train wreck.
Sarah Palin is a vice president meant to be seen, not heard. Besides her many gaffes - both endearing (the formative trip to Ireland, where her plane stopped briefly to refuel) and horrifying (invading Russia will "perhaps" be necessary) - Palin undercuts everything McCain's campaign was supposed to be about. Instead of the steady ticket of experience, McCain-Palin is the real roll of the dice. Instead of "country first," McCain chose a political gimmick.
In hindsight, I'm relieved that my political fantasy - a McCain-Romney ticket - never materialized. Mitt Romney would have offered a role as a credible economic fixer-upper and could still highlight McCain's maverick side (since everyone knows the two presidential primary rivals loathe each other).
But, alas, Barack Obama picked Joe Biden and John McCain picked Sarah Palin. And while these names won't change, both selections should be recognized for their implications on future executive decisions. Obama gravitates towards safe, conventional experts. McCain prefers brash, from-the-gut stunts. After eight years of that, I'm ready for change.
Jacob Shelly is a senior in the School of Public Affairs, president of AU's chapter of Students for Barack Obama and a liberal columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline.
