Biden' his time?

The Bark was stunned to see the Joe Biden selection come to fruition. (Hey, we told you not to take our odds to Vegas.)

Some people have called the pick "safe."

I call the pick "stupid."

Biden does not play well politically outside the state of Delaware, even among Democrats. And Delaware itself carries a mere 3 electoral votes and was probably already a blue state.

Then you have the gaffe factor.

See, Biden likes to run his mouth a lot. And when he does so, the 65 year-old senator has been known to make an embarrassing blunder every now and again.

Even Saturday: Biden mispronounced Obama's first name and later introduced the candidate as "Barack America."

There's more where that came from.

I believe Obama made a veep mistake and, obviously, there's no going back now.

But selecting Hillary Clinton could've won the election.

The Veepstakes: Democrat Edition

With the convention getting underway this Monday in Denver, the time is near for Senator Barack Obama to decide on a running mate. In fact, we don't yet know who, but Obama has just told USA Today, within the last hour, that he has in fact made a VP decision.

Now the Bark will be watching and posting this week on the convention proceedings, but for now we'll resort to a little speculation, oddsmaking, if you will.

Several factors go into picking a VP. Among them are geography (who could potentially deliver a key swing state?), buzz (a "name" candidate), compatibility (a person who would offset weaknesses of the head guy), and clout and experience (does he/she have a successful record in politics?). Obama no doubt considered all of the above as he made his choice.

That out of the way, let's lay some odds on who that choice is (take them to Vegas at your own risk).

Joseph Biden (10:1): Biden is the rumor du'jour of late, but I can't possibly believe he would be Obama's choice. Way too many skeletons in the closet. You may've heard of Biden's '88 campaign in which he was caught red-handed plagiarizing, not the work or words, but the actual biography, of a British socialist in the Labor Party. Yes, he stole from someone else's life. And among other things, Republicans could throw Biden's "clean, articulate black man" remark back at him. Connecticut will go Democrat anyway. Obama has no need for Biden.

Evan Bayh (5:1): Bayh is a more moderate Democrat from right here in Indiana. Would Obama pick someone who supports the Iraq War? Good question. I think he could. Bayh has the experience both as an executive and in the realm of foreign policy that would make for a stronger ticket. He is not, however, a nationally-known name.

Hillary Clinton (15:1): David Gergen of CNN said yesterday that Obama needs a "game-changer" and that picking Hillary could "galvanize" the party while shifting the momentum of the election (which has currently swung in McCain's favor). Now, still...highly unlikely. The Obama's don't really seem to like the Clintons at all, and I can't imagine Barack would want Bill Clinton anywhere near the White House. Should Obama lose, Hillary is the clear front-runner for 2012, but she won't be VP. (Even in this crazy campaign season.)

Tim Kaine (4.5:1): Kaine is the Gov. of Virginia and an enthusiastic campaigner. He could bring home the Electoral votes from his home state.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright (off): For one thing, we're not sure where the Good Reverend went. He may be having tea with Ahamdinejad for all we know. But Dems know he would accept the job!

John Edwards (off): Hey, a little philandering never stopped William Jefferson Clinton's career.

Kathleen Sebelius (11:1): The Gov. of Kansas might or might not help Obama glean the Hillary leftovers of the women vote. But did he see her delivery of the Dem. Response to Bush's last State of the Union? Sebelius could not have been more dull and boring. In terms of charisma, she's the total opposite of Obama. Still, he might favor her administrative experience.

Jack Reed (6:1): The Rhode Island senator is a West Point grad who would help Obama immensely on national security.

Paris Hilton (off): Both candidates seem to be persona non grata with the heiress these days. But her ingenius satirical response to McCain's ad did outline the sort of forward-thinking energy policy Obama might like!

Anyone Else (3:1): The Dem Veepstakes are more wide-open and difficult to forecast than are the Repubs'. We'll know the answer by Saturday, but don't be shocked if Barack's choice is someone beyond the speculative radar.

Pass me the bottle, Mr. President

No, not that president!

Get this story from the AP:

College presidents from about 100 of the nation's best-known universities, including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus.

The movement called the Amethyst Initiative began quietly recruiting presidents more than a year ago to provoke national debate about the drinking age.

"This is a law that is routinely evaded," said John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College in Vermont who started the organization.

"It is a law that the people at whom it is directed believe is unjust and unfair and discriminatory."

Other prominent schools in the group include Syracuse, Tufts, Colgate, Kenyon and Morehouse.

_________________________________________

How bout that?

This is rich. College presidents asking for more legal drinking! Isn't this sort of like the warden saying the inmates don't have enough couches?

I never thought I'd see the day.

Now our crack research staff here at the Bark has been all over this (once they took a break from scanning the ground for coins with their metal detectors).

And guess what?

Butler's own President Bobby Fong is one of the signatories!

If you're not convinced this isn't a hoax (and I wouldn't entirely blame you), you can see what he and 114 of his peers had to say at amethystinitiative.org.

Election Issue #1: the Rebirth of the Bear

From now through election day, the Bark will break down assorted matters of importance to you the American citizen.

They may be time-sensitive, as is this first issue, or they may be eternal and generational matters, such as the budget and the Supreme Court.

But let's begin with the ongoing Russian rape of the republic of Georgia.

The conflict may seem worlds away, but, rest assured, this is a deadly serious matter.

A sovereign, democratic nation is being raped and brutalized by a bunch of barbaric KGB soldiers and revolutionaries who have extended their killing and mayhem to defenseless civilians.

It is unthinkable.

The Russians have blown up swimming pools, blown up airports, blown up railroads and factories and schools, and left the bodies of Georgian soldiers out to rot in the August sun.

The Bear is again on the march, and the world's response is...well, nothing.

Unless you believe words can deter a man like Vladimir Putin.

Putin, of course, no longer holds the Presidency, but the Russian "democracy" that "elected" Putin's underling Dimitry Medvedev knows the country is in the grip of fascism.

Indeed, Putin is the most powerful ruler in Russian history, even more powerful than Stalin.

And he's on a mission. A mission to restore the Soviet Union.

What does that mean?

That means that Ukraine is next, Latvia is next, Poland is next.

We once thought the Cold War was over. That no longer appears to be the case. Mikhail Gorbachev said so himself on one of the cable news networks last week.

So, in the worst of times, as we deal with China, as we deal with Iran, as we deal with ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and with terrorists everywhere, the Russians emerge once more.

What they have done to an American ally is a display of where the intentions of the former KGB really lie.

What does the USA need?

Someone who can stare down Putin eyeball to eyeball.

Any takers?

Mitchell Bows Out, Thinks About 2012

Earlier this week the Bark brought to your attention the Olympic hopes of a former BU grad named Victoria Mitchell.

Competing with a collection of athletes known as Team Darfur (not Australia, as was reported by BU), things didn't exactly go the way Ms. Mitchell hoped they would Friday.

In the initial 3,000-meter women's steeplechase in Olympic history, the 26 year-old Aussie native failed to survive the first heat, finishing 32 out of 51 overall with a time of 9 minutes, 48 seconds.

Via the Indianapolis Star:

Mitchell won the NCAA steeplechase in 2005, becoming the Bulldogs' first individual national champion in any sport in 73 years.

Before the Olympics, she received encouragement from Marty Meyer, a Butler education professor. Over the summer, she reunited with former Butler track coach Joe Franklin, who was recruiting in England for the University of New Mexico.

"It was part of my journey," Mitchell said of her days in Indianapolis. "Everything that's led up to this moment has had an impact of some sort. Butler was a great experience."

The Bark congratulates Ms. Mitchell on a job well-done and is happy to see her optimism for 2012. She stood for a worthy cause on the world stage where so few ever get the chance to compete. We're proud she's a Bulldog.

National Madden Day

We're an hour in to what should one day be a federal holiday.

We can dream anyway.

It's Tuesday, August the 12th, and that means the release of Madden 2009.

It's a good thing classes haven't started yet, because if they had I might not be attending any.

Let's have a look at the team ratings:

Patriots 97
Cowboys 96
Chargers 95
Colts 95
Giants 94
Steelers 94
Jaguars 93
Packers 91
Eagles 91
Bucs 91
Vikings 90
Browns 88
Redskins 88
Seahawks 87
Saints 87
Panthers 86
Broncos 84
Titans 84
Bills 82
Ravens 81
Bengals 80
Bears 80
Cardinals 78
Texans 78
Lions 78
Rams 77
Jets 76
49ers 72
Chiefs 71
Raiders 71
Falcons 67
Dolphins 67

The Giants at 94? Really? I mean, I know they won the Super Bowl, but no Strahan, no Shockey. The Raiders got shafted a little bit with only a 71. They actually have quite a bit of talent.

I can't really quibble with the 97 they gave New England, despite the Pats losing Asante Samuel and having major questions at corner. The Chargers are loaded. But so are the Colts. I thought maybe you'd see New England ahead of Indy, but not the Cowboys, too.

Meanwhile, the Colts individually are about what you'd expect. Peyton is a perfect 99 rating (Bob Sanders too). Reggie's at 97, a new high for him. Marvin dips to a 94, nothing for a 36 year-old WR to be ashamed of. Dallas Clark was sort of a surprise, with a 93, and Antoine Bethea received the same. Matching 95's for Mathis and Freeney, interesting that the producers now put those two on equal footing (that says a lot for Robert Mathis, doesn't it?)

So there you have it. Madden 2009 is out. Happy gaming everybody. Don't stay up too looooong. (It'll affect your field vision, ya know!)

Bulldog in Beijing

Courtesy a BU press release:

Butler University 2005 graduate and standout cross country runner Victoria Mitchell has been named to Australia’s 2008 Olympic field and track team.
Mitchell will compete in the 3000 meter steeplechase, the same event for which she won the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I championship title in 2005. Finishing in 9:54.32 minutes, Mitchell became the first Butler athlete to capture an individual national championship in 73 years. In 2005 she was ranked as high as 7th in the world.
The 26-year-old Mitchell now lives in Ettaogah, Victoria, Australia, and is under contract with NIKE. Mitchell’s personal best time in the 3000m steeplechase is 9:54.81, in the St. Mary’s Classic in Australia this past June.
The Beijing games mark the first time that women’s steeplechase will be an Olympic sport.
While earning a master’s degree in education at Butler, Mitchell captured five Horizon League individual track championships. She was named the league’s 2004 Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and 2004 Cross Country Athlete of the Year.

So, there you have it. The Bark wishes Ms. Mitchell all the best and will post results once track and field events get underway this Thursday.