Is Joe Biden dragging Obama down?

With a new 'super PAC' ad that mocks Joe Biden for all manner of verbal slips, its almost as if Republicans are mirroring the way Democrats attacked Sarah Palin in 2008.

Is Joe Biden going to be a particular target for Republicans in the months leading up to the November presidential election? It sure looks that way at the moment.

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Peter Grier is The Christian Science Monitor's Washington editor. In this capacity, he helps direct coverage for the paper on most news events in the nation's capital.

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Already this week, Team Romney has accused Mr. Biden of injecting race into the campaign, because he told a largely black audience that the GOP would put yall back in chains. And on Friday, the "super PAC" American Crossroads is releasing an ad that mocks Biden for all manner of verbal slips, from the chains remark to his assertion that jobs is a three-letter word.

Some people say Joe Biden should be dropped from Obamas ticket, but we say Joe should stay, says the narrator in a sarcastically earnest tone. Joe Biden, Americas greatest vice president, when we need him most.

Take the No. 2 person on a national ticket, highlight their gaffes and inapt word choices, and splash that against a background of photos in which they look goofy. Hmm. Its almost as if Republicans are mirroring the way Democrats attacked Sarah Palin in 2008.

Conservative! s are gle! eful about this turn of events. Over at RedState, editor Erick Erickson judges the American Crossroads ad a home run.

This is staggeringly awesome. Go give them some cash so they can get that ad up everywhere, Mr. Erickson writes.

At HotAir, conservative Ed Morrissey mulls over a report that Hillary Rodham Clinton was asked to replace Biden on the ticket. He finds that questionable and then raises what he calls the rhetorical question thats been on everyones minds this week. Or at least the mind of everyone whos enthusiastic about the addition of Rep. Paul Ryan to Mitt Romneys ticket.

Can you imagine the Ryan-Biden debate coming up? Unfortunately for the White House, everyone can imagine what the outcome will be, at least, he writes.

Therein may be the impetus of the current bash-Biden boomlet. Four years ago when the talkative then-senator was plucked from the Foreign Relations Committee to run as VP, many Democrats were worried about his tendency to produce gaffes in bunches, like grapes. But then John McCain tapped Ms. Palin, and the rest is history. The media focused on Palins perceived faults. Biden looked statesmanlike by comparison.

Aaron Blake makes this point o! n The Washington Posts political blog The Fix today.

In large part thanks to Palin, the debate over Bidens utility on the Democratic ticket is four years late, writes Mr. Blake.

In 2012, Representative Ryan promises to be a different sort of veep opponent. His plan for Medicare might poll poorly, but nobodys charging that Ryan is inarticulate. Next to him Biden appears older (because he is), chattier (he is that also), and perhaps more prone to say stuff he wouldnt if he thought about it just a second longer.

But heres another question: Does that matter? Bidens not going anywhere. In the modern era, sitting VPs just dont get replaced. In part, thats because such a heave-ho would make the incumbent US chief executive look desperate. In part, its because VP candidates just dont have that much effect on a tickets chances.

Seen in that context, Republican attacks on Biden may just be attempts to sow dissension in the opposition ranks.


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