Deborah Leavy: Bullish on Biden

THERE were things I didn't like about Sen. Joe Biden when I worked with him and his staff on the Senate Judiciary Committee when Biden was the chairman.

I thought he compromised too easily and was too deferential to the committee's Republicans.

But the qualities I didn't much appreciate then may be just what is necessary now if Barack Obama is to reach out and win over the voters he needs to prevail in this election.

The choice of Biden for the second slot on the Democratic ticket has been greeted with much praise, including from several GOP senators. Even Fox News admitted Biden is "solid and serious," and "a real political scrapper who knows how to throw a punch."

Dems in southeastern Pennsylvania are particularly happy because Biden is so popular here, especially in the suburbs considered crucial to a Democratic victory, in Pennsylvania and the nation. Biden has worked hard enough for the region to be called our third senator. Gov. Rendell, who helped Hillary Clinton beat Obama in Pennsylvania, likes Biden and will no doubt work harder for the ticket now that Biden's on it.

In Iowa, Biden was an effective campaigner stymied by lack of money. He connected with people in small-town America, but was crushed by the historic nature of the race. Many were disappointed when he had to drop out.

The kid from Scranton grew up in a family struggling to make ends meet. He can empathize with the white working-class voters who Obama has yet to convince. In his first speech as Obama's choice, Biden said, "Your kitchen table is like mine. You sit there at night . . . after you put the kids to bed, and you talk about . . . how to pay the bills . . . That's not a worry John McCain has . . . He'll have to figure out which of the seven tables to sit at."

That's the kind of red meat Biden can deliver. He'll turn the focus back where it should be, on bread-and-butter issues, rather than on GOP attack ads.

Biden is well-known and respected on the world stage. He's trusted in the Jewish community, which can help win over some who mistrust Obama. And with a son getting ready to ship out to Iraq with his National Guard unit, Biden should have enough credibility to make inroads with military families.

Biden also has a solid record in support of issues of special concern to women and families. Clinton supporters should note that at 65, Biden won't be a vice president busy planning his own administration, leaving the door open for her to run again.

And there's no one better than Biden, who presided over the hearings that led to the rejection of Judge Bork, to make the case that the nomination of Supreme Court justices will determine the future of our country.

THERE'S NO doubt McCain will nominate justices who not only would overturn Roe v. Wade, but fundamentally change our system of checks and balances by denying Congress the power to legislate national health and safety protections like those for the workplace while greatly expanding the powers of the executive, including giving the president the power to ignore laws passed by Congress.

Of course, no candidate, including Biden, is without a downside. He's famously gaffe-prone and bound to slip up, but he also has a laser-sharp wit. He's the guy who flattened then-GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani of New York in a debate by reducing him to "a noun, a verb and 9/11."

I hope Biden will see that his old friend McCain has become a noun, a verb and a POW.

Some wonder how a campaign for change can include someone who's been in Washington for 36 years, even longer than McCain. But Biden has never moved to Washington, and with his nightly commute home on Amtrak, has avoided socializing with lobbyists after hours, when many questionable deals are done.

No, Biden's Washington experience is a plus, not a minus. In Biden, Barack Obama will have a partner who knows the ways of Washington well enough to find the last few votes that may be needed to implement Obama's agenda.

Some Republicans have said that in choosing Biden, Obama is showing how weak his experience is. I agree that his choice says a lot about Obama. But I think it shows that his ego doesn't overwhelm his judgment, and that's good for the country.

Does having a 65-year- old on the ticket blunt the age issue dogging McCain? I don't think so.

The vibrant senator who ran on stage to embrace Obama is a bundle of energy, highlighting the flaws of a sometimes slow and forgetful McCain.

As an Obama opponent in the primary season, Biden had some critical things to say about him, and McCain wasted no time in running an ad to remind us. Yes, Biden has strong opinions. But Obama, unlike President Bush, doesn't intend to surround himself just with people who agree with him. He wants to listen to all arguments, and with Biden, he'll hear them.

There's an awful lot that goes into choosing a vice president. It's an opportunity to see how a candidate makes decisions. I think Obama passed this test with flying colors. O and Joe make a winning ticket. *

Deborah Leavy is a regular contributor to the op-ed page and an associate member of the Daily News editorial board. E-mail her at deborah.opinion@gmail.com.