Oh No, Joe!

As veep speculation is running wild a lot (and I mean A LOT) of reporters and pundits have been pushing the idea that Sen. Joe Biden may be "The One." Sure, there still a lot of talk about Indiana Sen. Evan Byah, but lately its been Joe, Joe and more Joe.

The CNN is all "twitterpated" over the prospect of a Obama/Biden mashup.

In a week where vice-presidential speculation has reached a feverish pitch, Barack Obama gave tea-leaf readers another reason to suspect he will name fellow Sen. Joe Biden his running mate later this week.

Speaking to veterans in Orlando, Florida, Obama specifically called out the Delaware senator and former presidential candidate, calling him a 'friend' and saying he agreed with Biden's call for U.S. assistance to Georgia.

"We must help Georgia rebuild what has been destroyed," Obama said during a speech at the Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention. "That is why I’m proud to join my friend, Senator Joe Biden, in calling for an additional $1 billion in reconstruction assistance for the people of Georgia."

It was only a passing reference to the longtime senator, but it comes one day after Biden returned from a trip to Georgia at the behest of that country's president — a stark reminder of his national security gravitas and deep-rooted relationships with leaders around the world. As the Georgia crisis once again puts national security issues front-and-center in voters' minds, so the Beltway chatter goes, Obama needs a running-mate with foreign policy experience now more than ever.

CNN sez Obama also gave Virginia Sen. Jim Webb a shout-out, but who cares about that! This is about Biden, dammit. Biden is "The One."

I have mixed feelings about Biden. Other than his "articulate" faux pas (which quite frankly had more to do with his own ignorance about than anything), I don't really have a problem with the guy. He's excellent as a attack dog. No one rocks a pithy put down slam like Biden. But Biden is also notorious for speaking truth to power a little too frequently. There's a danger in a guy who truly is a "straight shooter," unlike McCain. Biden just says whatever is on his mind, for good and for nightmarishly bad.

Also, I don't know what Biden brings to the ticket. Yeah, he's got foreign policy cred, but so do a lot of aspiring veeps. Why not Sen. Chris Dodd, who is a stand-up guy and was willing to throw down over telecomm immunity even if it was going to be a one-man filibuster?

Mama Snob isn't a big Biden fan, so when I read her the CNN article she loudly announced, "He might as well pick Hillary!"

Papa Snob is also shaking his head, worrying on Obama veep picks.

I don't know if there's any person more worried about Obama's campaign than Papa Snob. He's a pessimist who wants to be an optimist but has lived too long to believe in that anymore. He's come to the conclusion that the only person who can help Obama pull in recalcitrant Democrats and a spare Rust Belt or Southern state is Hillary. He thinks this is a JFK/LBJ situation, where loathed rivals have to work together to win. He believes that with Hillary, Barack could pick up Arkansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and even Virginia.

The only problem is ... that's not going to happen. There's too much animosity amongst the supporters. I'd fear there'd be some massive revolt if that came to pass. The Obama people hate the Hillary people. The Hillary people hate the Obama people. I'm a believer in political expediency (anything to win!) but others? Eh ... not so much. Then there's the whole issue of both Clintons being such lightening rods and could potential obscure Barack's campaign. The media and the Republicans crave their Clinton Crack. They are fiends. There's nothing they'd love more than the former Dream Team now Nightmare ticket.

I still like Sen. Jim Webb, although he concerns me at times because he's a former Republican and is interesting and talented enough to possibly compete with Obama for attention. Obama doesn't need another attention whore. Biden, at least, wouldn't be that.