Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 31, 2008, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page b4 v new Winnipeg free press est 1872 Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 vol 136 no 290 b 4 Winnipeg free press sunday August 31, 2008 Winnipeg repress. Com Winnipeg free press editorial Board members Are Margo Goodhand Gerald flood Catherine Mitchell Tom Oleson Dave Obrien cartoonist Dale Cummings six month View from the West Archive available online at Winnipeg repress. Com � 2008 Winnipeg free press a division of up Canadian newspapers limited partnership published seven Days a week at 1355 Mountain Avenue Winnipeg Manitoba r2x 3b6, pm 697 7000 Bob Cox / publisher Margo Goodhand / editor submissions to the View from the West Are Welcome. Contact comment editor Gerald flood 697 7269 Gerald. Flood free press. My. Ca the economist h is first run for the presidency collapsed in 1987, after a bizarre act of plagiarism. Bizarre because Joe Biden not Only borrowed the words of another politician Neil Kinlock the Leader of the British labour party he borrowed his life Story too. He claimed that he was the first Biden to go to University and that his ancestors had worked Down a Coal mine both untrue. The Only thing he did not claim was to be Welsh. This was doubly damaging because Biden like the Man whose identity he tried to Purlin is a notorious windbag. He loves nothing More than the sound of his own voice. And when he talks the sentences and paragraphs Tumble Over each other with no obvious end in sight. Members of the audience just have to Cross their fingers and Hope. But Barack of amass Choice of Biden As his running mate has nevertheless been greeted with widespread applause and not just from Loyal democrats. The senior senator for Delaware not Only brings White hair to the democratic ticket. He also brings a True personal Story that complements of amass autobiography. Of amass rally in Springfield ill., on aug. 23, where he introduced his new running mate to the world was his Best performance for some time. Biden is a perfect example of a lunch bucket Democrat made Good. His father was born Polo playing Rich but ended up poor thanks to a series of bad investments. Young Joe grew up in a solid but struggling working class family in Scranton pa., before moving to Wilmington Del. He worked his Way through College and made it to the Senate by the age of 29. He remains popular in his native Pennsylvania one of americans largest swing states. He is a pro Choice roman Catholic who instinctively understands the cultural anxieties that drove his fellow papists to embrace Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, and continue to make them wary of Obama. He is also one of the poorest members of the Senate an institution that is threatening to revert to its gilded age status As a millionaires club. He endured an unspeakable personal tragedy shortly after his first run for the Senate in 1972, when his wife and daughter were killed by a drunk Driver. He travels Home to his family in Delaware every Day on Amtrak and lives in a surprisingly modest House. All this makes him appealing to Obama wary working class voters. Biden is one of the most experienced foreign policy hands in Washington. He has been the chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee since the democratic takeover of Congress in 2007, with a particular interest in Eastern Europe and is on first name terms with Many foreign politicians. Two weeks ago Mikhail Saak Shvili the president of Georgia invited him to visit his embattled country. He is also a Happy Warrior a Man who relishes the pig wrestling Side of politics and can deliver a killer punch without seeming malicious. This is a perfect complement to of amass biggest weaknesses his wafer thin re sum on foreign affairs. It will stand him in Good Stead in the Vic presidential debate which could prove surprisingly important in a close race. The fact that he is a Good Friend of John Mccain the two men have served together in the Senate for two decades could also help the democrats to wrong foot their opponent. By Denis strengths extend beyond the Campaign Trail. Dick Cheney is hardly a name to conjure with in democratic circles. But Biden brings some of the same qualities to the democratic ticket that Cheney brought to the Republican one in 2000. At 65, he has no Choice but to sublimate his personal political ambitions into those of his Boss and As an old Washington hand he knows How to get things done. Of amass supporters seem to believe that All they need to do is Huff and puff and the old order in Washington will come tumbling Down. Biden understands that in order to achieve results you need to know How to manage committees and flatter Power brokers. The republicans have wasted no time in charging that Biden undercuts his Bosses message of change. But this is transparently self serving. If Obama had picked a less experienced Man Tim Kaine the governor of Virginia another swing state for example they would be mocking the democratic ticket As lightweight. Still the Man who tried to borrow Kin Nocks biography has worrying weaknesses. The most obvious of course is his Mouth. The republicans have already produced a video of Biden arguing that Obama is too inexperienced for the top Job and proclaiming that he would be honoured to run with or against Mccain. Biden once described Obama As the first mainstream african american who is articulate and Bright and clean and a Nice looking Guy. There will be plenty More where that came from. A second problem is that his judgment in his major area of expertise foreign policy has proved up and Down. He argued that Iraq should be partitioned into sunni shiite and kurdish regions and stuck to his harebrained scheme Long after it had been debunked both by american military commanders and by iraqi politicians. Like Obama he bet against the Success of the surge. All grist to the Republican Mill. By Denis biggest problem however is that he is not Hillary Clinton. Clinton won 18 million votes in the democratic primary Biden dropped out after coming fifth in the Iowa caucuses. Of amass advisers have whispered that the reason Clinton was not considered for the vice presidency is that she is a Washington insider who voted in favour of the Iraq War. But Biden is also a Washington insider who voted in favour of the Iraq War. Far from bringing cd intones supporters Back into the fold by Denis Elevation May look like just another snub. By Scot Lehigh i Magine that you re the wife or husband of a leading politician. And that though not a combatant yourself youve nevertheless been under attack. And further that you have to introduce yourself to the american people in a speech that millions will watch with your critics waiting to pounce on any mistake or miscue. Of yes and that you have to speak shortly after a poignant address by the legendary and ailing Ted Kennedy. It would be enough to put butterflies in the stomach a Frog in the Throat and a Hummingbird in the heart of the average person and to Send her or him racing like an auctioneer through the text. Then think about the deft performance Michelle Obama turned in when she addressed the democratic National convention in Denver last week. Save for the nervous tic of sprinkling see or you see throughout her remarks she pulled off a major address with remarkable aplomb. Her big goals for self definition were apparent to persuade viewers that she was not the angry entitled Black woman she has been caricatured As but rather the Loving and grateful daughter of parents who strove and sacrificed for their children to show herself As the dedicated Mother she obviously is to reassure Middle americans that she shares their values of family Community and hard work and to try to repair damage caused by a february Gaffe that has been used to question her Pride in country. That is to portray herself As the appreciative product of the american dream someone the average american can look at and say yes she May be of a different race but her values Are the same As mine. In doing so she defined herself less As an accomplished professional woman than As a Mother. I come Here As a mom whose girls Are the heart of my heart and the Centre of my world she said. They re the first thing i think about when i Wake up in the morning and the last thing i think about when i go to bed at night. Having her telegenic daughters join her on the stage afterwards underscored that message. For my Money the Post speech appearance on the convention screen by her husband who watched from Kansas City was a Little Hokey though thoroughly in keeping with modern convention stagecraft. To the charge that she is an unappreciative elitist the introductory video noted that she had left a status Job at a Chicago Law firm to work for a neighbourhood non profit and then for a Hospital. It is the Bookend to of amass own Story about having spurned Wall Street to become a Community organizer. Despite its muddled launching another important moment came when she spoke of her Pride in this country. Saying that everyone has an obligation to improve the country she continued and you see that is Why i love this country. And in my own life in my own Small Way Ive tried to give Back to this country that has Given me so much. Will that placate the right Wing talk radio types who cant get Over her february comment that for the first time in my adult life i am really proud of my country of course not. But i expect it will play Well with less partisan types who had nevertheless found the comment troubling. Yet if hers was a speech of effective moments a big Opportunity for the democrats was nonetheless lost. One of the Best received lines in of amass speech was the compliment she paid Hillary Clinton for her role As a political Pioneer. But think How much better that moment would have been had Clinton been in the Hall to stand and wave and to applaud her approval afterwards. The Clinton Campaign is said to have discussed whether Hillary should attend. So Why did not she she was Busy preparing for her own big speech spokeswoman Kathleen strand said adding she watched the speech and called right after to congratulate her. Still had Clinton attended it could have created a much commented on tableau of political reconciliation. The value of such a moment priceless. Scot Lehigh is a staff writer for the Boston Globe. Joe Biden notorious windbag for veep Michelle of amass winning ways the economist r republicans had needled Barack Obama for accepting the democratic presidential nomination in an enormous sports stadium. But their efforts to Dampen the mood failed to spoil a grand party. As Veteran political hands say remember the visual. The 70,000 adoring Flag waving supporters will be seen on news bulletins again and again. Whether Obama was presumptuous or not undecided voters will see a Man who can inspire like no politician in recent american history. His speech on thursday Laid no new principles. But Many americans were tuning in for the first time. And he sharpened some of the themes he has developed Over the past year. To the charge that he is elitist a celebrity he once again told the Story of an immigrant father and growing up with his single Mother. To the notion that he is self obsessed he said this election has never been about me. It is about you. He began to describe to those who have heard that change was an empty slogan exactly what it meant in policy. He said he would make tax cuts for 95 per cent of working families invest in alternative Power like wind and solar focus once again on Afghanistan and More. The crowd lapped it up. But most importantly he attacked John Mccain without Ever seeming Nasty. Noting that Mccain had voted with George Bush 90 per cent of the time he said i dont know about you but ism not ready to take a 10 per cent Chance on change. And he declared confidently that he looks Forward to tangling with Mccain on foreign policy the Bush Mccain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of americans republicans and democrats have built and we Are Here to restore that legacy. He managed to be Sharp in his criticism while refusing to question Mccaints motives or patriotism. Returning to the theme of the 2004 speech that made him famous he got his biggest cheer of the night for saying that americans troops have not served a red America or a Blue America they have served the United states of America. The big finale capped a convention that began As a mixed bag. The first night was a soft focus look at his wife Michelle and a tribute to Ted Kennedy an old lion of the party gravely ill with cancer. But Little was said about Mccain and the election ahead. The next night Hillary Clinton put her shoulder to of amass wheel finally and fully burying the fear that the party would remain divided. But despite her made for television line no Way. No How. No Mccain it was Only the next third night when speakers truly sought blood from Mccain. John Kerry belied his 2004 incarnation As a wooden presidential candidate to give a fiery speech contrasting senator Mccain often a Maverick against his party and candidate Mccain who has come round to toeing his part yes line on taxes immigration and Energy policy. Bill Clinton who courted controversy again and again in the primaries for his unedited thoughts on Obama similarly fell into line with a rousing speech. And finally Joe Biden of amass recently chosen running mate addressed foreign policy experience saying again and again on Iraq Afghanistan and other crucial decisions John Mccain was wrong. Barack Obama was right. With the conventions the Trench warfare phase of the Campaign begins. There Are no new policies or promises and there is Little left to learn about either Man. Instead the Battle is now about organization and discipline not just of the two candidates who can be in Only one place at a time but the phalanges of supporters who will try to drive their message through. The democrats made a decent go of it last week. And now it is Over to the republicans in St Paul. Remember the visual Obama moves to the attack before 70,000 adoring supporters a 04_ aug 31 08. Ind b4 8/ 30/ 08 5 00 09 pm ;