AP: Obama picks Biden as veep

AP is reporting that Sen. Barack Obama will announce on Saturday morning that Delaware Sen. Joe Biden will join him on the Democratic presidential ticket, according to an anonymous source within the campaign.

From the AP story:

Barack Obama selected Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware late Friday night to be his vice presidential running mate, according to a Democratic official, balancing his ticket with an older congressional veteran well-versed in foreign policy and defense issues.

Biden, 65, has twice sought the White House, and is a Catholic with blue-collar roots, a generally liberal voting record and a reputation as a long-winded orator.

Across more than 30 years in the Senate, he has served at various times not only as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee but also as head of the Judiciary Committee, with its jurisdiction over anti-crime legislation, Supreme Court nominees and Constitutional issues.

The Biden selection is likely the worst kept secret in American politics this month — at least until Sen. John McCain confirms pundit prognostications that ex-Gov. Mitt Romney will join the GOP presidential bid. The normally verbose Biden has kept a low profile the last few days as the political gossip mill worked itself into a frenzy.

Obama dropped several hints over the last few days indicating that his running mate would be experienced in domestic and foreign policy and would challenge his thinking. None of the vice presidential short-listers — Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Rep. Chet Edwards of Texas and Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh — were believed to carry that combination of experience and moxie. Biden, whose name emerged only recently as a possible veep, became the instant favorite among the political chattering classes.

Biden will address Democratic National Convention delegates on Aug. 27.

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