Is Biden 'out' in 2012?

Let me serve up a tasty bit of speculation about the Democratic ticket for 2012 - Joe Biden will not be part of President Obama's re-election effort. As reported here, the President believes that he will be voted in for a second term and told that to a room filled with deep-pocketed donors.

Notice that he did not say "Joe and I will get re-elected... "

Although we both call Delaware home, Joe Biden and I do not speak, have not ever spoken and I am certainly not privy to President Obama's 2012 strategy sessions, but I can read a tea leaf or two.

Today's bulk email from the "Obama 2012" people was pitching the President's new campaign merchandise, specifically, this car magnet.

There is no mention of Joe Biden, not on the magnet or in the pitch letter.  So I visited the site and went through all of the merchandise offered for sale to the faithful. There were hats, buttons, water bottles, tote bags, myriad pins, and an apron that says "Fired Up" - perfect for that backyard barbeque.

Again... the word BIDEN does not appear anywhere on this apron. (Are you concerned yet, Joe?) The only swag with Biden's name on it seemed dated and could be leftovers from the previous campaign... items with no mention of 2012 on them - just "Obama-Biden" as seen on this bumper sticker:

In the classic campaign button department, Joe appears, but he's been pushed off to his own button!

Of course there are buttons for the 2012 campaign, but guess who's NOT on them?

The site also sells are cat and dog collars proclaiming "Barack's Best Friend" (nothing for Joe!)

Rumors are not just part of politics, they are a food group! So I am serving up this rumor... or educated speculation that unless Obama's poll numbers start improving, a change in the Democrat's line up for 2012 is coming and that change is spelled B-I-D-E-N.

But what do you do with loyal old Joe? Well, since Hillary Clinton has already said that she is not interested in staying on as Secretary of State. . . Perhaps offering that post to Joe would be considered a polite way to push out the one-man-gaffe machine that is our Vice President.

Then we face the question - Who would replace Biden and join Obama on the 2012 ticket? There are a number of possibilities and it all comes down to the question of which person would be best able to bring back 2008 voters who are unhappy with the President. Right now, I feel that NY Gov Andrew Cuomo has the inside track. (He also has a last name with same number of letters as Biden... so the merchandise would still have that balanced appearance.)

Write it down... September 17th - Opelka predicts, Democratic ticket for 2012 - Obama/Cuomo.

SIDEBAR - Looking at all of the merchandise for sale on the Obama 2012 website, it is comforting to see that many of the items (mostly shirts and hats) clearly state "Made In The USA."

However, we must assume that any items not carrying that statement must have come from elsewhere...Things like the car magnet, bumper stickers, campaign buttons, state lapel pins, water bottle, coffee tumbler, fired-up apron, dog and cat leashes, the "onesie" and even the First Family Photo button (see below). That can't be making all those union people happy.