The Dynamic Duo vs. Obama the Superstar

There are some fairly big differences between the Republican and Democratic campaigns for the most prestigious office in the world. Some have to do with policy, others with the character of the two campaigns. On one side the ticket is represented by a celebrity politician and his hilarious sidekick, while the other side is represented by a team.

That there is an obsession over Obama, at the expense of his running mate, becomes apparent when one takes a quick glance at the Democratic platform. In it, Obama is mentioned over a hundred times while Joe Biden receives one (1!) mention. Does Joe Biden have anything to contribute to the ticket? Or is he just there because President Obama couldn’t get anyone else to replace him?

The platform also makes sure to mention Osama Bin Laden four times, which happens to be one more than it mentions unemployment. Do you remember when President Obama delivered the news about OBL’s killing? His speech contained a plethora of references to himself and the decisions he took, and not nearly enough attention was paid to everyone else.

Meanwhile the candidates representing the Republican Party in this election almost appear to be on the same level. During a tour in Wisconsin, before Paul Ryan was announced by the Romney-campaign, he joined Mitt Romney for a tour in Wisconsin. At the beginning of the tour Paul Ryan simply said a few words and introduced Mitt Romney before slipping off stage. Now, Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney almost seem to be finishing each other’s sentences while on the trail.

One gets a sense that Mitt Romney not only respects, but also genuinely likes, Paul Ryan. Whether Barack Obama likes Joe Biden is still an open question.