The "Clean (and articulate) Team"

Now that Barack Obama has made it official, the only question is whether we should believe what Joe Biden said about his running mate earlier today, or a year ago.

For those who did not see the August 19, 2007 Democratic debate as it was televised on ABC News, the following is a transcript of an exchange between Biden and ABC's George Stephanopoulos. (See debate transcript here.)

STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator Biden, it seems like your colleagues here don't want to reach the judgment that you've made. Why isn't Senator Obama ready?

BIDEN: Look, I think he's a wonderful guy, to start off, number one. It was about Pakistan we were talking about. The fact of the matter is, Pakistan is the most dangerous, potentially the most dangerous country in the world. A significant minority of jihadists with nuclear weapons. We have -- and I disagree with all three of my friends -- we have a Pakistan -- we have no Pakistan policy; we have a Musharraf policy. That's a bad policy. The policy should be based upon a long-term relationship with Pakistan and stability. We should be encouraging free elections. There is an overwhelming majority of moderates in that country. They should have their day. Otherwise, they're going to go underground.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But Senator Biden, you did go beyond talking about Pakistan. You were asked: Is he ready? You said, "I think he can be ready, but right now I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training."

BIDEN: I think I stand by the statement.

For his part, Stephanopoulos was referring to a Newsweek interview in which Biden opined, "I think [Obama] can be ready, but right now I don't believe he is."

While Joe Biden can be articulate and authoritative at times, in many other cases he is a "gaffe machine" in overdrive; if you doubt me, please see here. (Indeed, neither Biden or Obama could get through their remarks today without screwing up.) And if his stumbles during previous runs for the White House don't catch up with him (i.e.: his demonstrated penchants for plagiarism and dissimulation - see video from 1987 of Biden's confrontation with a New Hampshire voter here), his record in the Senate - to include his "stream-of-consciousness" interrogations of Supreme Court nominees Sam Alito, John Roberts, Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas (gotta love Justice Thomas' classic response to the scandalous treatment he received from Biden's Senate Judiciary Committee) - will give John McCain more than enough ammo to finish off the Democratic ticket by November.

Four More Years!!

P.S.: If the Vice-President thing doesn't work out, maybe Biden can earn his keep as a singer.