Biden goes on Foreign Affairs offense days before Debate

Joe Biden was in Cincinnati, OH today speaking on foreign affairs. Biden ratcheted up his attack of John McCain calling him out on his poor foreign affairs judgement. Using the phrase "dangerously wrong". A phrase the campaign was certain to know would grab headlines on this wednesday and thursday for the foreign affairs debate on Friday night.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13834.html

Joe hasn't been heard much on the campaign trail over the last couple of weeks. This is partly by chance with all the oxygen been sucked up by the Palin stories, the McCain stories, the fiscal crisis and by Obama. Also it could be part by design. One thing that has frequently impressed me by the Obama campaign has been their since of timing. I remember early on last year some one referring to Obama as a strong finisher. This was amid a numerous of comments by analyst saying he was going to have to go on the offense vs. Hillary as early as last July. Obama steadied his course and came on like gangbusters last December and January. It takes real calm, confidence and sense of the overall picture to hold your fire until a time that will deliver the greatest payoff.

The Obama campaign was taking some heat this over this summer for not being aggressive enough. We could be once again be witnessing a more fine tune sense of timing. It makes a great deal of sense on many fronts. Between the conventions, the olympics, summer vacations, gas prices one has to question how many people were focused and paying attention. He could have spent a ton more money but what would get from it. This is in comparison to the McCain campaign which took financing. The McCain campaign had to dump a bunch of money just prior to the convention that was raised in the primary. The jump coincided with the Palin pick and the Convention which may have coincidentally artificially increased his bump. We see how long his bump has lasted.

Now that we are six weeks out, we past the holidays, school is back in session, and the debates are upon us let's examine where we are. McCain is confined to the 84 million dollars between now and Nov. 4. Obama is free to spend all the money he sees fit in any manner he sees fit. This coincides with an anounced increased in ad buying by the Obama campaign by something like 20%. I have a feeling the ads being aired from here on in will be more effective than the ones over the summer. Let's also remember by allowing the McCain to take the first hyper negative shot this summer that narrative has already been set that McCain has gone negative and personal. Any response by Obama will be seen as a rebuttal. We saw this in the primary. Hillary was forced to negative and many said over board. When Obama responded and kept the response to issues he was seen as the positive candidate. We see this identical scenario playing out in the General. Now keep in mind the other major difference between the McCain and Obama negative ads is subject. McCain has been releasing a flurry of personal attacks, smear by association and highly exaggerated fabrication. Obama has been able to repeatedly use McCain's own words against him. (admittedly their may be a subtext to the adds of out of touch). However when one can't remember how many houses one has what can we expect.



Back to Biden. Joe goes on the offensive today gaining some press just as Palin has been rediculed for not being able to face the press. McCain is going to have to respond and it puts McCain on a defensive footing setting the tone for the debate. We'll see how effective it is, I don't see a way in which it hurts. Also this is a good time to consider how searious this comment (dangerously wrong) would have been taken if it had been delivered by Palin against Obama.

The more one watches Obama conduct his campaign it is impressive and honorable. This very much what we should expect out of our next President.