Biden and his speech

I just finished watching the end of Biden’s speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. I was, and I guess still am, unsure if he is the best choice for Obama’s “change we can believe in” campaign. Biden represents the Washington-insider, old-timer, white-middle class set, like most other US politicians of the 20th century. He stood against Obama and called him too inexperienced to be President. I’m sure much of this will be used as ammunition against him in the coming weeks. Obama certainly looks to be posturing himself for “change in the white house” as opposed to the “change we can believe in” that dominated the beginning of his campaign. He is most definitely looking to the Washington establishment to help him usher in this change, despite spending the last year rallying against them.

That being said, I think Biden did pretty well. He is a powerful communicator, who was able to build on his momentum throughout, eventually working even the Clintons into a standing ovation. He touched on subjects that held a powerful emotional appeal for his audience like health care, terrorism and foreign policy. He framed the speech to play to his strengths and made the case as to why he should be standing alongside Obama as he races for the white house.

He made health care a central issue, throwing back to the original legacy of Hillary Clinton while she was first lady; it’s an issue which will continue to plague American politics for as long as medicos are allowed to profit from sickness and death. He re-pitched the security theme that has dominated American discussion since 9/11, highlighting the mistakes of the Iraq war and framing the issues of terrorism in a much more accurate way by zeroing in on the problems in Afghanistan. The real focus for the states needs to be in Afghanistan, and anyone who has seen Charlie Wilsons War will understand that America has a long history of dropping the ball here.

Critics contend that Obama and Biden were wrong in their judgement of the troop surge in Iraq, and claim that it’s a vindication of the USA invading Iraq in the first place. That the surge in troops in Iraq has worked is irrelevant; the troops should never have been on their imperialist mission to Iraq in the first place. It was a personal vendetta, pitched as “a hunt for the terrorist” who are still roaming freely in Afghanistan. Bush has needed to clean up his mess for 5 years. Yes, Saddam was evil; but so is Mugabe, and Bush has been totally disengaged from any kind of regime change in a devastated Zimbabwe, despite his brutal and oppressive regime looking like it will cling to power yet again, after assassinating key players in the opposition. It is very unsettling that despite the Bush administrations amazing leadership on AIDS in Africa, they’ve been totally silent on the horrors of life for residents of Zimbabwe.

Biden also framed what I believe is an underestimated issue in American politics; the tarnishing of Americas reputation as a world leader since 9/11. Biden communicated that he understands how American influenced has been severely damaged, and needs to be repaired not just to ensure Americas future, but to enable a balance of power and responsibility in global affairs. That America is viewed with suspicion at best, and with hostility as worst is tragic not just for Americans, but for anyone who longs to see change’s occur in global affairs and politics. It has been widely publicised outside of the USA that is the rest of the world were voting, Obama would hold an unassailable lead due to the refreshing approach to foreign policy he brings. Biden framed this incredibly well, in a fashion that did not tarnish his patriotism but in fact enhanced it.

Interesting was how through all of this, he reframed change. Change was less about an overturning of the mess of politics, and more about making a change in colour from red to blue, and a change of names, from Bush then Clinton then Bush to Obama. Change we can believe in is now less of the same for the rich and upwardly mobile, and more allegedly for the battler, the struggler, the average American.

I think Obamas greatest strength has yet to come into play; his ability to mobilize new voters en masse through social networking and targeting groups that traditionally don’t vote. If he can pull that off, he and Biden might just speech-make their way into the white house.