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Barack Obama and Joe Biden at a rally on Saturday. (AP)
Last update - 01:50 25/08/2008
ANALYSIS / Obama played it safe, but is Biden good for Israel?
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Joe Biden, John McCain 

After weeks of anticipation, speculation and even gambling - presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan to name Senator Joe Biden as his running mate was leaked in the middle of the night. The Democratic candidate was forced to send out text messages to his supporters at 3 A.M. so that they would not be disappointed, having expected to be the first to know.

As far as Obama is concerned, Biden is not a soul mate, but he is certainly a safe choice. Biden, 65, who participated in the Democratic Party primaries, brings with him a lot of experience, but also a heart wrenching history, which is essential in enticing the middle class voters. Biden was born to a wealthy family, but his father went bakrupt and the family moved to a working class neighborhood in Wilmington, Delaware. Biden was forced to do manual labor on the weekends to supplement his family's income when he was growing up.

It appears that Obama's choice will make the lives of the Republican campaign writers a little harder than usual. In the past, Republicans went to great lengths to demonstrate how "limousine liberals" were detached from the needs of the people. Flashing the elitist card has helped the Republicans defeat many Democratic candidates, including John Kerry. This time, Obama, a product of a single mother home, and Biden, appear much more authentic and down to earth than their rival John McCain, with his wealthy wife and the family's seven homes.
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Only a few weeks before he was elected to the U.S. senate in 1972, Biden's wife and daughter were killed in a car accident. Biden considered leaving politics, but ultimately remained. Today he is remarried, and father to two children from his first marriage and another child from his second marriage.

Biden is a Catholic, a Syracuse University graduate and a politician with 35 years of experience. He quit the presidential race earlier this year due to his low ranking in the polls. His bid to reach the White House in 1988 also ended in failure after he was accused of plagiarizing one of his speeches. That year, Biden nearly died from an arterial aneurism.

The vice presidential candidate currently chairs the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, a post that Obama hopes will compensate for his own lack of experience in the global realm.

Biden is a firm supporter of Israel, but the way he sees the U.S.'s role in the Middle East doesn't necessarily reflect Jerusalem's ideal of the ideal "American partner."

When it comes to the Iranian threat, it is not clear that the Obama-Biden combo will raise smiles in Jerusalem. Biden's past remarks have sparked criticism and have been described as "inconsistent." Biden has said more than once that he does not think that isolating Iran is the most efficient way to combat the Islamic republic's nuclear ambitions, and he has even urged sensitivity to Iran's needs. He met with a senior Iranian official in Davos, which led his detractors to say that he was willing to negotiate with an extremist regime that supports terrorism. On the other hand, Biden has proclaimed that a nuclear Iran was "unacceptable."

Following Obama's announcement that he selected Biden, the Republican Jewish Coalition immediately issued a response, saying that with Biden, Obama's ticket was even more dangerous. Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matthew Brooks explained that "with the selection of Senator Joe Biden the Democrat's ticket has become an even greater gamble for the Jewish community. Throughout his career, Senator Biden has consistently been wrong on Iran and his voting record on Israel has been inconsistent. Like Obama, Biden fundamentally misunderstands the threat posed by an Iran determined to obtain nuclear weapons. Biden has continuously demonstrated poor judgment on Iran. He has voted against significant legislation that would pressure Iran to stop pursuing nuclear weapons. Biden has failed to recognize the serious threat that Iran poses to Israel and the US and its allies in the Middle East."

During his years on Capitol Hill, Biden has developed a reputation of a decent principled man. His main weakness is the fact that he talks a lot and usually says what he thinks without censoring his comments. This weakness could be an advantage for Obama because when he says what he thinks, Biden falls in line with Obama's message of revolutionizing politics.

Obama, if elected, will quickly find that despite the presidential authorities, a president often has difficulty advancing his own agenda, facing resistance from the House of Representatives. Biden could certainly help Obama grease the right wheels.

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      1.   Questin should be: Is GOP or Dems good for Israel? 20:58  |  Mark B. 23/08/08
      2.   From bad comes good 21:26  |  Choni Davidowitz 23/08/08
      3.   Israel gains strength under Democrats 21:38  |  Robert 23/08/08
      4.   hussein obama with biden are Israel`s worst nightmare come to 22:02  |  glenna 23/08/08
      5.   Is Biden really a safe choice? 22:14  |  Samuel Prime 23/08/08
      6.   Biden 22:40  |  American 23/08/08
      7.   #2 Glenna.. This is not about Israel..nor Israeli election. 23:04  |  John 23/08/08
      8.   #2 Glenna.. This is not about Israel..nor Israeli election. 23:05  |  John 23/08/08
      9.   Obama/Biden Ticket 23:21  |  Mary 23/08/08
      10.   Robert should check his history a bit 23:32  |  Arie 23/08/08
      11.   #2 Glenna. It is an american election...NOT an Israeli one. 23:44  |  John 23/08/08
      12.   To Robert 01:52  |  Mr. D 24/08/08
      13.   Chief of Staff 01:53  |  elli 24/08/08
      14.   Obama, Biden, and the RJC 03:00  |  Dave 24/08/08
      15.   The jews can Cheney themselves. Biden is good for Obama/ US 03:05  |  lydia 24/08/08
      16.   #11, ellie 03:26  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/08/08
      17.   I wish I owned seven houses 04:23  |  Connie 24/08/08
      18.   NO, IT ISN`T 04:31  |  indrajaya 24/08/08
      19.   #16 CPK Maybe it should be Joe Lieberman? 05:40  |  American 24/08/08
      20.   Never trust a guy who wears purple silk ties 07:39  |  Ramius 24/08/08
      21.   Choni Davidowitz - Full of It 08:08  |  Mark of Lewiston 24/08/08
      22.   Ramius` Sense of Humor 08:30  |  Mark of Lewiston 24/08/08
      23.   # 19, RAMIUS 08:33  |  indrajaya 24/08/08
      24.   #3 is wrong 08:34  |  Tomer 24/08/08
      25.   #19, Ramius 08:40  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/08/08
      26.   Biden good for israel? 08:43  |  Nathan 24/08/08
      27.   Analysis/Obama played it safe,but is Bidan goog for Israel ? 08:54  |  martin list, m.d. 24/08/08
      28.   #19, "American" 09:24  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/08/08
      29.   Indrajaya Has her say about politics... 09:34  |  Ramius 24/08/08
      30.   #21, Mark of Lewiston 09:36  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/08/08
      31.   Why do people care if he`s good for Israel? 09:57  |  ELIAS KHOURY 24/08/08
      32.   Mark 10:03  |  Ramius 24/08/08
      33.   Biden, perfect for Israel - NOT for the US! 10:14  |  Fritz 24/08/08
      34.   Elias, did you make that up all by your little self? 10:29  |  Ramius 24/08/08
      35.   the real question can 2 incompetents rescue the usa 11:38  |  vhardman 24/08/08
      36.   biden 12:37  |  Joram 24/08/08
      37.   It helps to not start the article off with an inaccuracy 13:24  |  bbl 24/08/08
      38.   Samuel Prime, could it be..... 13:24  |  David James Vickery 24/08/08
      39.   The 3am Text 13:51  |  Passengeer57 24/08/08
      40.   But is Biden good for who? 14:04  |  Gray 24/08/08
      41.   AntiSemites in the making 14:20  |  Brod 24/08/08
      42.   Israeli obsession with this shows collective immaturity 15:47  |  Labhras 24/08/08
      43.   #1 Mark B....the US is already working WITH 16:27  |  Lynn 24/08/08
      44.   #39 Passenger 57....Biden got 5,000 votes in the 16:31  |  Lynn 24/08/08
      45.   Biden and Obama, demonstrate perseverance ... 16:46  |  Smadar 24/08/08
      46.   The Russian Rosner? 16:50  |  Galuteus Maximus 24/08/08
      47.   #43 Lynn dont you read the papers. 17:10  |  Labhras 24/08/08
      48.   #1 Mark. 17:20  |  John Allen 24/08/08
      49.   30 Cipora - Committed to Undecided for Now 18:16  |  Mark of Lewiston 24/08/08
      50.   35 Victor Hardman - Can Incompetents Run the US? 18:23  |  Mark of Lewiston 24/08/08
      51.   agree with bbl about haaretz shoddy fact-checking 19:07  |  michelle 24/08/08
      52.   Gary #40, you realize that... 19:59  |  bbl 24/08/08
      53.   Labhras #42 -- wrong again. 20:06  |  bbl 24/08/08
      54.   Gee Lydia #15, it`s almost as if you didn`t know... 20:16  |  bbl 24/08/08
      55.   YOU Fail to Recognize 20:18  |  Natasha 24/08/08
      56.   Yes bbl; When... 20:55  |  Gray 24/08/08
      57.   #53 bbl--No it is you that is wrong again. 21:10  |  Labhras 24/08/08
      58.   Labhras -- you web skills are your problem 21:48  |  bbl 24/08/08
      59.   HOT NEWS 21:48  |  Clickfool 24/08/08
      60.   Gary -- are you really being repressed? 21:54  |  bbl 24/08/08
      61.   #27 Dr. List--CA will go Obama! 22:15  |  mike 24/08/08
      62.   #17 Connie 22:20  |  Mike 24/08/08
      63.   #35 That is great Victor---Obama has my vote 22:22  |  mike 24/08/08
      64.   #2 Choni--that is good 22:29  |  mike 24/08/08
      65.   #4 Glenna--at last, no all caps! 22:32  |  mike 24/08/08
      66.   Mike 22:40  |  Connie 24/08/08
      67.   #20 Ramius 22:40  |  mike 24/08/08
      68.   #22 Hi Mark 22:44  |  mike 24/08/08
      69.   #58 bbl are you an idiot or what.. 22:45  |  Labhras 24/08/08
      70.   mike 22:49  |  Connie 24/08/08
      71.   #60 bbl you are a teacher -wow god save America 22:56  |  Labhras 24/08/08
      72.   #50 MARK CONFIRMS incompetents should not run the usa 23:14  |  vhardman 24/08/08
      73.   Mark of Lewiston, don`t listen to Cipora, vote Obama 23:20  |  Mark B. 24/08/08
      74.   #48 John Allen, no need for insults 23:27  |  Mark B. 24/08/08
      75.   No Nation puts a price on itself. (2nd try) 00:32  |  Akram Zekaria 25/08/08
      76.   So when.. 00:49  |  American 25/08/08
      77.   # 47 Labrhas.....so, we will see 00:50  |  Lynn 25/08/08
      78.   #72 please shut up. 00:55  |  American 25/08/08
      79.   Biden is fine for Israel. Is Israel fine for Biden ? 01:06  |  Stephen 25/08/08
      80.   #73, Mark B 01:11  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 25/08/08
      81.   Biden 01:12  |  American 25/08/08
      82.   Cipora -25 This US election is loaded with domastic issues. 01:21  |  Akram Zekaria 25/08/08
      83.   BIDEN _- "I AM A ZIONIST"!!! 01:51  |  PADDY 25/08/08
      84.   PADDY; Oh no...not another one 03:14  |  Gray 25/08/08
      85.   McCain or Obama can make no difference when Israel is weak. 04:07  |  Akram Zekaria 25/08/08
      86.   Biden talks tough but is soft on Iran 04:09  |  JM 25/08/08
      87.   bbl; Let`s start over 04:10  |  Gray 25/08/08
      88.   Livni as Prime Minister is antidote 04:49  |  Afikoman 25/08/08
      89.   If the VP choice in America is so damn important 05:28  |  Mark Lincoln 25/08/08
      90.   The lesson of Georgia 05:30  |  Mark Lincoln 25/08/08
      91.   Biden, interested in real remedy 06:11  |  Dena Silver 25/08/08
      92.   The most ironic thing about the powers of the US presidency 06:39  |  Voice of Reason 25/08/08
      93.   Appreciate the Advice 06:43  |  Mark of Lewiston 25/08/08
      94.   Biden: Smart, Knowledgeable 23:57  |  Norman I. Gelman 06/09/08
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