ALTHOUGH the decision was leaked earlier than the Obama campaign committee had planned, they did a pretty good job of keeping the decision to choose Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware as Barack Obama's vice presidential running mate. Those who had signed up for the unprecedented announcement by SMS received their jingle at about 3 A.M. Washington time. The selection of Biden had been predicted for some time even though a few other names were bandied about, as well. In the past, presidential candidates chose their running mates as a means of appealing to a certain constituency, be it an age group or a particular section of the country. Obama, however, has followed the lead of President George W Bush by choosing a running mate that he hopes will fill out his admittedly thin resume on the national and international stage. Biden is, no matter how you cut it, a Washington insider, who, at the age of 65, has spent most of his adult life as a senator from the nearby state of Delaware. He gained national prominence as head of the Judiciary Committee during the very contentious Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Robert H. Bork, a rabid conservative, and Clarence Thomas, who was accused of sexually harassing Anita Hill, a legal clerk. Most recently, he has served on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and after voting for the Iraq War became a constant critic of it and the Bush Administration's foreign policy as a whole. His foreign policy experience is expected to be a big plus for Obama, who has little to show in that area. Biden also brings a compelling personal story to the campaign. He lost his first wife and son in a car accident many years ago and today he makes the daily commute to Washington by train from his home in Delaware. Biden has also run for the Democratic nomination a couple of times, most recently this year when he attacked Obama early in the campaign for his lack of experience. His quotes to that effect have already been bundled in a McCain TV campaign ad. With the Democratic Convention opening on Monday, Obama's announcement was timed to give momentum to the attention that event will attract. It is a good choice. Now, we will await McCain's decision on his choice. __
