The Biden Inoculation: What's Going On?

So now that Joe Biden said it, the question is "Why the Hell Did He SAY THIS?"

"Mark my words," the Democratic vice presidential nominee warned at the second of his two Seattle fundraisers Sunday. "It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking.

..."And he's gonna need help. And the kind of help he's gonna need is, he's gonna need you - not financially to help him - we're gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it's not gonna be apparent initially, it's not gonna be apparent that we're right."

This technique is called "the inoculation." It's a well-worn cliche; you set up the circumstances under which your guy may do a Full Reverse On Promises, and (later) point to the statement as a 'fair warning.'

So what does Biden anticipate?

"I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate," Biden said to Emerald City supporters, mentioning the Middle East and Russia as possibilities

"...the next president, is gonna be left with the most significant task. It's like cleaning the Augean stables, man. This is more than just, this is more than – think about it, literally, think about it – this is more than just a capital crisis, this is more than just markets. This is a systemic problem we have with this economy."

OK--so it could be something requiring the use of military force (anathema to the CodePinkos) or it could be something requiring a Gummint takeover of everything financial (anathema to almost everyone else except the True Believer Socialists.)

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We're assuming that this IS an inoculation, of course. Biden's been known to run his flap without much aforethought.

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But if he's basing his statement on something that he knows about which is not commonly-known, then there's another question: Why Give John McCain an Advantage? For the "candidate of change" is certainly NOT the person who is perceived as the 'steady old hand, practiced in the arts of governance and leadership.'

Given Joe Biden's proclivities to run his mouth before engaging his brain, this is either just another gaffe (but of larger import than most), or.....or.....or.....it's a slip which is extremely significant.