Beau Biden Will Not Accept Senate Appointment

[Ichingcarpenter]

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden will not accept an appointment to the Senate to replace his father, according to knowledgeable state sources, a decision that scrambles the race to to replace the vice president-elect in the Senate next year.

Beau Biden, the eldest son of Joe Biden, removed himself from consideration even as he prepares to deploy for a year-long tour of duty in Iraq. (Biden is a member of the Delaware National Guard and is currently training in Texas before being deployed to the Middle East.)

What Beau Biden's decision means for the Delaware political landscape is still anyone's guess. Given his military commitment, there seemed to be no way that he could be appointed to the seat in early 2009 anyway, and his decision to pro-actively remove himself from consideration simply affirms that reality.

Biden's decision does not rule out the possibility that he would run for the remaining four years on his father's Senate term in a 2010 special election. And, the specter of Biden -- the son of the vice president returning from his military service to assume the Senate seat -- complicates the decision that will be made by either outgoing Gov. Ruth Ann Minner or incoming Gov. Jack Markell (both Democrats) about who to appoint to the two-year vacancy.

If Biden resigns before Markell is sworn-in as Delaware's next governor on Jan. 20, then Minner, who is term limited out of office on that same day, would likely make the appointment. If Biden waits to resign until Markell's official swearing-in (or if the swearing-in is moved up to accommodate Delawareans who want to attend both ceremonies) then it would be Markell who would make the appointment. (ABC News laid out all of the potential scenarios in a piece penned the day after the election.)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/11/beau_biden_will_not_accept_app.html

[Barack_America]

1. *cough*Plouffe*cough*

He's got to do something, whether it be Senate or heading the DNC.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Could Markell appoint Minner?

Would Gov. Minner be a good seat warmer for Beau Biden?

[gauguin57]

3. Check out this great background on Ruth Ann Minner ... and this is just the "early life" stuff.

There's more on her accomplishments at

http://governor.delaware.gov/biography.shtml

But check out this lady ... she's a survivor! When I was in Delaware recently, an Obama supporter I was chatting with told me to look up Minner's bio if I wanted to hear a great story... and I did! To wit ...

"... Born in Slaughter Neck, Delaware, Ruth Ann Minner left school at age 16 to help her family work their farm. She later married Frank Ingram, who died suddenly when she was 32 years old. As head of the household with three sons to raise, she returned to school to earn her General Educational Development (GED) diploma, while working two jobs and providing for her family. She later married Roger Minner, who died of lung cancer in 1991.

"Beginning her political career in 1974, Gov. Minner served four terms in the state House of Representatives (1974-1982), and served three terms in the state Senate (1982-1993). She served as Delaware’s Lieutenant Governor from 1993 until 2001. Gov. Minner became the 72nd governor and the first female governor of the state of Delaware on January 3, 2001.

"Gov. Minner lives on a farm near Milford and enjoys spending time with her three sons and their wives, her seven grandchildren, and her great-granddaughter, great-grandson, and two step-great-grandsons."

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. VERY impressive

she would make a good Senator, imho.