More Joe

Josh Marshall is convinced that while Biden's a loose cannon, at least he'll shoot back at the GOP on foreign policy and national security.

When Biden takes aim at Republicans on foreign policy, he exudes a strong sense of authority on the topic that tends to shrivel his target into a cartoonish figure rather quickly. Exhibit number one of this trait is Biden's now-infamous "noun, verb, 9/11" claim about Rudy Giuliani. Another choice example of this is here.

Biden, ultimately, shares and embodies one of the core convictions driving Obama's campaign: That Democrats can win an argument about national security with Republicans, and shouldn't run from a fight on the topic or concede any sort of presumed GOP superiority on it.

Biden's charisma and authority on the subject add a ton of firepower to Obama's arsenal in this regard, allowing Biden to act as an extremely credible voice to deliver the message that the GOP approach to foreign policy in the 21st Century has been a sad, sick joke. One has to pity the poor chump who will be facing Biden across the Veep debate table in a few weeks.

If we see more of the blistering firebrand Biden that flat-out decimated Rudy Giuliani, it'll be wonderful for Obama. But if we see "foot in mouth" Biden or "clean and articulate" Biden, it'll be a depleted uranium millstone around the Democrats' necks.

And in the wings this week in Denver, Hillary Clinton waits.