Obama does get me hoping again, sometimes when I can barely dare to do so. The following glimpses from his campaign insiders - related by Howard Fineman - stand to make me electrified.

“If I had to bet my life on it, I’d bet it is Joe[.]”

Nothing in this race’s next phase could make me happier.

“Joe won’t be afraid to get in McCain’s face, which is what Obama needs,” said one non-contender source.

Absolutely. Just look at this strongly voiced article on the opinions of the left. People want blood in the sand, and Obama can’t be the one to go on the attack.

Biden seems to live for the attack.

And a source personally close to Obama simply said “Biden makes the most sense.”

And to answer the question you must be asking yourself, no, I am not that quoted source. I just say what they said, all the time.

As if reinforcing this, Obama cited Joe today in a speech he gave to the VFW. It not only underscores the importance Biden has had in this campaign - it was an emphasis of the Senator’s awesome foreign policy experience.

Biden is perfect. Now it remains to be seen if we can hope for perfection.