Joe Biden, the Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate, has at least one poker fan in his family.  Hunter Biden, son of Joe Biden, has announced that he will be participating in lobbying on behalf of Internet gaming interests, a welcome announcement that is coming on the heels of Barney Frank getting set to move proposed online casino regulation through the Financial Services Committee.  Hunter’s law firm, Oldaker, Biden and Belair, has been filling out papers that register them as hired lobbyists for PartyGaming, which is based out of Gibraltar, and the company’s owner Russ DeLeon.

Legitimate businesses such as PartyGaming are being forced to hire lobbyists like Biden in an attempt to combat the heavy lobbying being done by anti-gambling and special interest groups such as Focus on the Family.  Biden’s choice to lobby on behalf of Internet gaming interests is sure to stir up a nest of hornets in the radical religious right groups, and long winded speeches that talk about the sins of gambling that is filled with inaccurate information are sure to plague everyone following the proceedings.  Focus on the Family’s James Dobson has already been inciting his members to pester their Congressmen against causes of freedom, such as having the right to choose, whether it is gambling online or anything else.

People are sure to question and speculate about why the younger Biden has decided to do this.  His firm will be accepting money to represent a ‘billionaire’s interests’, but Biden is, in reality, representing an American’s right to choose.  One advantage he has is that he will not have to manufacture evidence or quote statistics that do not exist in order to get himself heard.  With all of the studies done on gambling, its effects, and a person’s right to choose, Biden should have no problem making and presenting a compelling case for legalization and regulation.  As a matter of fact, most of the criticisms that have been made about online gaming have actually helped the regulation cause instead of an all out ban.

There is the possibility that the McCain camp may decide to make an issue about Hunter Biden’s new job as a lobbyist and that all forms of lobbying are anti-productive and bad for the average American citizens.  If they decide to do that, then they will have to include any lobby group the McCain camp also supports.  Plus, McCain making an issue out of online gaming could very well turn gamblers, libertarians and anyone else devoted to preserving the freedom to choose against him and his running mate Sarah Palin, assuring the Democrats a win in November or at least a very tight race.