So big news broke yesterday that Barack Obama has made up his mind on his VP choice. The rumors are that he’s going to campaign with the lucky guy or gal on Saturday. And… he’s supposed to announce his big pick via text message to those who bothered to sign up for it some time before then. For the record, I’m not on his text message send list.
When Obama was asked the follow up question about who he actually picked, he refused to answer keeping the collective nation on the proverbial edge of our seat.
The big question is why? Why taunt us, Senator Obama? Why let it get out you’ve made your pick if you’re not ready to spill it? Why not just go ahead and tell us? We’ve been waiting a while to hear after all.
And really is it going to be such a big surprise? Are you really going to pull a Hillary Clinton out of your hat? Or even more shocking someone like an Al Gore?
Not bloody likely from what I hear. The common wisdom is that it will likely be Joe Biden and if not him then Tim Kaine or Evan Bayh or maybe the female governor of Kansas whose name I’m too lazy to google this early in the AM.
So, we know who all the most likely players are. Can’t we just get this over with? I think by being coy and making us wait it out that Barack Obama risks coming off as self-important and in love with his own celebrity. That’s not exactly a good image for him at the moment his opponent is busy accusing him of just exactly that.
If Obama is going to make us wait, then by all means it better be worth waiting for. To make it really worth the wait, he ought to go with a real big surprise like a Clinton, Gore or a GOP type like Chuck Hagel. Failing that, I think we’re all going to be wondering why the big wait to announce someone like Joe Biden.
If he does go the expected route with his pick, there’s still a way he can make the wait worth it. A stunt with a big reveal! After all, Democrats are often accused of being in bed with Hollywood. I say exploit that connection!
Let’s say the pick is Joe Biden. The Obama Campaign should arrange for him to sky dive into Saturday’s campaign event to join Barack Obama on the stump. The parachute could read Obama/Biden ‘08 or perhaps “McCain Sucks” if they want to get really aggressive. Better yet, the parachute could be on fire!!
The text message would be released just as Biden’s feet touch the ground and he pulls off his goggles to show his face. It would be awesome and unconventional to say the least. A little over the top? Yes, but watercooler? Absolutely. It’d have everyone talking and spread across the Internet virally so fast it would make John McCain’s head spin.
Then and only then would the waiting make sense and be truly worth it.
As Tom Petty often sings “the waiting is the hardest part”. Make it worth it, Senator Obama!
