After a corrected tally of the votes on the Great TPMCafe VP Prediction Thread of July 25, 26, and 27, I am pleased to announce that bloggers McCord, Jonze, and Tellinya correctly predicted Obama's selection of Joe Biden. Kudos to our great prognosticators.

The rest of us didn't do quite so well (myself included). After correcting the tally for a dangling chad and an overvote, we see that Biden was the 5th choice of avid TPM readers.

1. Kaine: 7.5
2. Richardson: 7
3. Sebelius: 6
4. Clinton: 4
5. Biden: 3
5. Bayh: 3

For the original posts, see

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/07/weekend-bloggers-join-the-obam.php

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/07/weekend-bloggers-kaine-romney.php

Five questions reporters might ask Joe Biden ... and the answers you'll never hear from his press secretary.

5. Mr. Biden, what's up with the hairplugs?

Have you ever considered that because the Senator's first wife was tragically killed in a car accident and the Senator bravely endured a horrific tragedy, he may have wanted to look good for his second wife?

4. Mr. Biden, have you had a change of heart about saying that Obama may not be ready for the presidency?

It is truly beyond the pale of civility when you question the Senator's integrity by suggesting that he, a survivor of a brain aneurysm, might now be inconsistent in his positions. 

3. Mr. Biden, are you guilty of being racially insensitive?

When Senator Biden was being sworn into the Senate at the hospital bedside of his critically ill sons, nobody questioned his sensitivity towards others.

2. Mr. Biden, what does it say about you that you plagarised some speeches 20 years ago?

Senator Biden has given many speeches from the heart, such as his eulogies for his deceased wife and infant daughter.

1. Mr. Biden, were you wrong to support the Iraq war?

Nearly 40 years ago, the Senator endured terrible, gut-wrenching hardships that have built his character and almost led him to drop out of the Senate. But the Senator provded he would always put his country ahead of narrow self-interest and has since become a true American hero. Therefore, the Senator's voting record must be viewed in the context that he always does what he thinks is the best thing for America. How dare you ask such impertinent questions!

Maybe some of the folks at Camp Obama read the TPMCafe from time to time. Anyone in the mood to brainstorm ways of helping Obama fight back against John McCain?

Here are a few possible topics...

1. Where are the Democrat ex-POWs who are infuriated that John McCain's campaign is trivializing their suffering by repeatedly invoking McCain's POW status to excuse his many gaffes? Why isn't the DNC, Campaign Obama, or some intrepid 527 group trotting some of them out? Would it even be a good idea? Just asking.

2. So the GOP hacks are going to go after Obama on his supposed Ayers connections. But everyone's vulnerable if you're going to play the "weak associations" game. Who's the very worst character that the Obama campaign can link McCain to, if they have the balls? Certainly we can do better than Ralph Reed! Just asking.

3. If Obama picks Joe Biden as his vice-president, doesn't this suggest that he's using George W. Bush's pick of Dick Cheney as his model? When Bush picked Cheney, it was widely regarded as a good choice: safe, reassuring, bolstering Bush's foreign policy credentials, giving Bush an asset in dealing with Congress, etc. Nobody doubted the ex-Defense Secretary's readiness to be president, and his choice was respected by the GOP base. Cheney did nothing to hurt Bush get elected, and probably helped. What else might Obama learn from Bush's road to the Whtie House that could help him to get elected? Just asking.

Remember, since it's a brainstorm, no ideas are off the table. Be creative. Be outlandish. And if you can, please don't criticize others' ideas.

My answers in the comments.

Will a single day go by when Barack Obama doesn't preface his criticisms of John McCain by heaping praise upon the man, focusing on the events of McCain's biography many years ago instead of the man he is today?

Here he is yet again today:

"John McCain, let's face it, he's got a compelling biography," Obama said, citing the Republican's captivity during the Vietnam War.

Stop it! Hillary Clinton was a fighter. John Edwards was a fighter. You promised us you would fight, too. Don't let us down.

Today the New York Times reports that Barack Obama isn't talking about his future running mate.

A reporter tried to ascertain what he was thinking about his running mate.

“No hints,” Mr. Obama said. “No hints.”

Hmmmmm... Does anyone else see that the letters for N-O-H-I-N-T-S, rearranged form I-N-T-O-N with the letter H left over?

H?????? ??INTON

Hmmmmm... Is that a hint? ;-)

Something's been really irritating me about the Obama campaign for weeks now, and I just have to finally get it off my chest.

Here's my beef: Barack Obama never just attacks John McCain. He always prefaces a criticism with praise, carefully saying what a great war hero John McCain is and how honorable he is ... and then he begins a high-minded disagreement with the man's policies.

Like when you said, “Most of us know John McCain's biography and it is worthy of admiration. This is a man who is a genuine American hero and has served his country with distinction." And that's how you ATTACK the man!

Give it a break, Barack! I'm sure your advisors and strategists have told you that you must not be perceived by certain voters as maligning the heroism of your rival, but you've been following their advice for months now and look what it's got you: you're 5 points down in Zogby's new poll.
I say: fcuk it! From here on out, just assume your audience is smart enough to know that John McCain was a POW and that nothing you are saying is in any way anti-POW or anti-veteran.

Do you think John McCain is prefacing every attack on you with praise for your character and appreciation for your experience? Enough with the McCain-is-a-genuine-hero bullshit. Just hit him back, and spare us.

I swear, if I have to sit through the entire Democratic National Convention and listen to speaker after speaker softballing John McCain and telling America repeatedly what a great, honorable war hero he is, you will not like me when I'm angry.

Please... please... please... it's time to take the gloves off.