Cheers to Biden

Let me be the first here at FPPfO to applaud Obama's selection of Joe Biden as his running mate. I echo Ezra, Moira, and Mark (particularly the latter's point about Biden's active support for UN peacekeeping), but it is Steve Clemons I will quote here:

Obama's decision to get someone to bolster his foreign policy/national security credentials seems like a darned smart move to me. We are entering a period of enormous national security challenges abroad and economic challenges at home. It's much easier for Obama to requisition the econ experience needed to promote health care, infrastructure, education, support for those hit hard by the real estate sub prime crisis, and the like.

National security advice is much more tough. It takes years of absorption of what the world has been doing to itself to understand how to organize an effective, disciplined strategic course for the United States -- particularly at a time when the Bush administration has wrecked whatever global equilibrium previously existed.

I had worried that selecting a VP because of his/her reputation as "strong" in foreign policy/national security issues might give legs to the perverse argument that Obama was "weak" in this department. Buying into that narrative, in my eyes, could represent capitulation to this key election tactic of the Right -- one that, thus far, much of the public has been inclined to buy into. I realize now, however, that bringing Biden into the fold means that Team Obama will be will be aggressively challenging McCain on foreign policy, not attempting to cover up weaknesses.

And if Biden is an attack dog, by all means, let him loose. God knows there's plenty to attack.

(p.s. Center for U.S. Global Engagement has put out this useful snapshot of Biden's foreign policy record.)