âºThe Democratic Ticket – Sen. Joe Biden (Del.)
Joe Biden began his long tenure as Senator of Delaware in 1973; at the time he was the Senate’s youngest senator, the fifth youngest in U.S. history. The death of his first wife and two children in a tragic accident on the day of his election to the Senate almost led him to resign the post, but his electorate convinced him to remain. His sixth term as senator ends in January, making him the longest-serving Delaware senator in history. He has worked on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which handles the confirmation of federal judge appointees, including as Chairman during the Clinton administration, and on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, of which he is currently serving as Chairman. His long experience in the Senate, together with experience on the campaign trail as a candidate for the Democratic nomination in 1988 and earlier this year, helps balance out Obama’s image as a young and inexperienced candidate, particularly in the area of foreign policy.
In the past few days, he has also established himself as Obama’s anti-McCain voice; his speech at the Democratic National Convention was wrought with the recurring phrase “John McCain was wrong, and Barack Obama was right!” In the past, however, Joe Biden has expressed a less antagonistic view of McCain, even suggesting a bipartisan Kerry/McCain ticket for the 2004 election. His other disadvantage is that his long years in Washington may tarnish Obama’s reputation as an outsider. But for adding age and experience to Obama’s campaign and challenging John McCain’s policies, this choice is faultless. (Sources: Associated Press reports/New York Times)
âºThe Republican Ticket – Gov. Sarah Palin (Alaska)
Governor Palin, at 44 years of age, is two years Obama’s junior. Her election in 2006 as Alaska’s youngest and first female governor was trumped last Friday by the announcement that she would be the Republican Party’s first female vice presidential candidate, and the first Alaskan on any presidential ticket. She is known in her home state as a fighter against corruption, and a strict ethicist; she reduced her own salary on becoming mayor of Wasilla, and as Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Commission was a pronounced whistleblower, forcing the resignation of Republican Party of Alaska Chairman Randy Ruedrich and Attorney General Gregg Renkes for serving party interests on public money and time, among other complaints.
Her campaign for Governor in 2006 promised a clean government initiative, after which she famously opposed state funding for the “Bridge to Nowhere” and challenged Ted Stevens to come clean about his federal investigation, further distancing herself from the G.W. Bush Republican rear guard. Her approval ratings of over 90 percent rank her as America’s most popular governor for 2007, and she is currently the most popular governor for 2008 as well. She is known to be a social conservative with a strong anti-abortion stance. As if to prove that by example, she has five children, including a child with Down syndrome to whom she gave birth last year. (Sources: Associated Press reports/USA Today)
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