Biden Brings Obama Resilience

Obama's running mate has foreign policy expertise, but more important, he knows how to roll with the punches

by Jeffrey Sonnenfeld

Presidential running mates are more than media attack dogs or private strategic advisers. Regardless of whether one likes Dick Cheney as Vice-President, no one can deny that he has shown that co-pilots matter. Similarly, the careers of Gerald Ford, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Harry Truman, and Theodore Roosevelt serve as reminders that unforeseen events can elevate the second-in-command to commander-in-chief.

The expected clichés about Barack Obama's selection of Joseph Biden as his running mate focus on whether Biden adds leadership depth to the ticket and is prepared in an emergency to assume the responsibilities of commander-in-chief. The two misleading themes recycled through the weekend's political punditry: that the Obama/Biden ticket lacks requisite executive experience, and that it suffers from internal dispute. These two concerns demonstrate a lack of appreciation for Biden's genuine leadership qualities. Should the Obama/Biden ticket prevail, it is hoped that Biden will never assume command through tragedy or crisis. However, he can serve as a strong partner who reinforces Obama's leadership course. Should Biden himself ever become President, there are those whose paths to greatness can serve as an example.

There is an oft-echoed concern that the Democrats are offering a ticket with no genuine executive experience, as neither candidate has served as a governor. Here the legendary imagery of such strong gubernatorial models as Thomas Jefferson (Virginia), Franklin Delano Roosevelt (New York), and Ronald Reagan (California) offer seemingly compelling examples. However, executive experience at the state level failed to make successful presidents of Martin Van Buren (New York), Rutherford Hayes (Ohio), James Polk (Tennessee), Jimmy Carter (Georgia), or George W. Bush (Texas).

Neither Generals Nor Governors

Similarly, one of the challenges faced by great generals George Washington and Dwight D. Eisenhower was to recognize the irrelevance of the military command model to civilian democratic leadership. Harry Truman famously predicted on the eve of Eisenhower's inauguration: "He'll sit here and he'll say 'Do this! Do that!' And nothing will happen. Poor Ike. It won't be a bit like the Army. He'll find it very frustrating." Truman proved prophetic. As President, Eisenhower was frequently exasperated trying to lead his own party, complaining, "I sit here all day trying to persuade people to do the things they ought to have the sense enough to do without my persuading them.… That's all the power of the President amounts to."

In fact, many of our most inspiring leaders, such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Harry Truman, were neither top generals nor governors but battled-tested leaders in the jobs of selling a vision and influencing others in the U.S. Senate. Biden's domestic and global policy expertise, gained from his 36 years in the Senate, give him legitimate authority. In successfully chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee and of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he demonstrated effective problem-solving and developed strong domestic and foreign policy expertise. Biden played a major role in influencing President Bill Clinton's most effective military interventions in the Balkans and forged strong bonds with Republicans Richard Lugar and John McCain on bipartisan foreign policy in the Middle East.