The Mad Rants of an Unconventional Soccer Mom

So... there's some waffling among my friends. Who did you think he should have picked? Hillary? Bayh? Tim Kaine? Richardson? Someone totally unknown? Just curious. I think he did the right thing. Sure it would have been cool if he found someone that fit the bill that was totally off the radar. It would have at least made the traditional media look dumb.

But still...I’m really ecstatic about Obama’s choice. I think he brings a lot to the ticket and is a perfect complement to Obama. Does he have a perfect voting record? No. There are votes that he made that I don’t agree with. The Bankruptcy bill is one and so was his initial vote on the war, which he has said was a mistake. But he has done a lot of good for progressive causes and for protecting the people of this country:

Women/Health/Family: He authored the Violence against Women Act. He has fought to protect Roe vs. Wade. He supports Title X which funds the family planning program that provides information, services, support, and research for family planning. He sponsored the Fair Pay Restoration Act to overturn a Supreme Court decision that makes it more difficult for women to bring pay discrimination cases. He co-sponsored the bill increasing the federal minimum wage to $7.25. He helped author the Family and Medical leave act to give families up to twelve weeks leave without losing their jobs. He sponsored the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He has fought to allow Medicaid to provide home- and community-based support services needed by disabled individuals to remain out of institutions. He also fought to allow low-income families with disabled children to buy into the Medicaid program.

Education: He authored College ACCESS legislation that would increase the Pell Grant to $6,300 and also provide families with a tax credit up to 12,000 over a four year college career. Of course this is currently being blocked by Republicans. He co-sponsored the original Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which has enabled millions of children with disabilities to have equal educational opportunities. You know – like my children who have IEP because of their disabilities. He co-authored KIDS 2000, a program which established a public/private partnership to provide computer centers and internet access in schools. He co-authored cosponsored the Facilitating Outstanding Classrooms Using Size Reduction (FOCUS) Act, which would provide $2 billion in funding to hire 100,000 new teachers to reduce class size, particularly in the
early grades.

Crime and Civil Rights: He authored the COPS Program and fought to put an additional 100,000 police on the streets to make them safer. He authored the bill to establish an FBI registry of sexual offenders. He sponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to prohibit job discrimination of any kind. He sponsored the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act to expand federal and state coordination to fight hate crimes. He authored an expansion of the Voting Rights Act that helps protect minorities. He has fought for paper trials in the voting booths so that elections won’t be stolen again.

Listen, I can go on and on about his record, but to be honest, I don’t think it is about his record or his experience. In fact, I haven’t even touched on what are known to be his strong points – Defense, Veterans rights, Labor Rights, and Foreign Affairs. Neither did Obama or Biden in their speeches today. The fact is Obama needs him to be the attack dog. Obama needs him to be his ambassador to blue collar America. He may be little inarticulate and prone to putting his foot in his mouth, but that is the appeal. He is a “regular” guy. Yes, he’s an old white guy. Yes, he’s spent his whole life in public service. But unlike most politicians, he has spent his time actually doing his job and not hobnobbing with lobbyist for golf trips and special favors (unlike McCain). The man has a total worth of $100,000. He has not used his position for power and greed. He is a true public servant. There’s nothing pretentious about him. In fact, look at how the media is fawning over him talking about his "American story." About how he is a wonderful family man who takes the train home every day to Wilmington. About how he lost his wife and daughter. About how is a fighter and not afraid to get in the mud.

And a word about the primaries: Every single candidate in the democratic primary bashed Obama and bashed each other, as did all of their surrogates’. That is what happens during primaries. You try to make the other guy look weak or evil. The voters didn't buy it. The McCain campaign had an ad ready to go for whatever person Obama decided to go with. It’s no surprise. Do you remember during the 1980 primaries when Bush Sr. attacked Reagan and accused him of using “voodoo economics’? That was used against him and yet he was chosen as the VP. Or an even better example…what about this years republican primary? Romney ripped on McCain over his lack of economic experience and vowed never to run with him because he would be an awful president and McCain literally called Romney a pig and accused Romney of a "wholesale deception of voters". Guess who is currently #1 on McCain’s VP list?

Biden is likable. But yes, he is imperfect. Even so, he brings a lot to the table. He appeals to the rust belt. He appeals to the working class. He appeals to the elderly. He will help shore up more of Hillary’s people and will secure Pennsylvania. He is a strong pick…and again…I’m really happy with it. Obama did what he needed to do. That was to pick someone that would help him win the Presidency, so that he can advance the causes and changes that are needed in America.

There will be change. I have no doubt about it – even with the old white guy on the ticket. Obama is still about ending the war and preventing more. He is still about saving social security. He is still about advancing clean energies and reducing oil dependence. He is still about improving healthcare for everyone. He is still about appointing Supreme Court Judges that will protect women’s rights. He is stilling about restoring our reputation around the world. He is still about transperency in government. He is still about change.