Opinion | Editorials
Not a new face for change in direction
The choice of Biden as Obama's running mate has come as a surprise to Democrats.
- Gulf News
- Published: 23:28 August 24, 2008
For a person who has persistently campaigned on a "time for change" mandate and little else, it must have come as a surprise for supporters of the Democratic Party that Barack Obama settled for Joe Biden as his running mate in the race for the White House. Biden, who has been around the corridors of power for nearly four decades, certainly cannot be described as a new face, or a change in direction of the policies of the Democratic Party. The choice of Biden is widely seen as being someone who can bridge the gap in Obama's experience in Washington politics and, more especially, foreign policy.
During the campaigns for presidential nominee by their respective parties, Senator John McCain has constantly brought up the issue of Obama's lack of knowledge of matters foreign, a barb which obviously got home as it necessitated Obama making a sudden and unexpected trip to Iraq, Israel and Europe. Only time will tell whether the short visits to each country enabled him to be sufficiently briefed on the issues at hand. But now it seems he will not have to rely on his memory and scores of aids alone, for he will have Biden by his side.
But Biden is a difficult person to pin down when it comes to foreign policy. It is said that he likes to carefully examine a problem before coming forward with his own solutions, which may or may not excite the imaginations of other Democrats, or even those more closely involved with the issue. His "solution" for Iraq, for example, to divide the country into three - Kurd, Sunni and Shiite - was less than warmly received by Arabs. Biden is also known to enjoy a verbal scrap with his political opponents, preferring the sound of his voice more than the logic of his argument.
More from Editorials
More from Opinions
Opinion Editor's choice
-
Egyptians must reject foreign meddling
By Tariq Ramadan, Special to Gulf News
Presidential election may turn out to be less a new chapter in a democratic future than an old chapter complete with a stage-managed outcome
-
Moderates may gift Egypt to Islamists
By Linda S. Heard, Special to Gulf News
Liberals cannot afford to sit at home or in cafes watching queues lengthen outside polling stations. They must quit complaining and vote with their feet
-
Is Al Maliki serious about democracy and more words?
By Mohammad Akef Jamal, Special to Gulf News
He is pushing towards a military showdown with the Kurds at a time when they are stronger than ever before
Your turn
