Obama Picks Biden

Update 5
Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) is the Democratic vice presidential nominee, and the liberal blogosphere is gnashing its collective teeth over analysis penned by Ron Fournier, Associated Press Washington bureau chief. That column begins, "The candidate of change went with the status quo."

The McCain campaign already has a commercial based upon Biden's assertion that Obama wasn't "ready" to be president. To their credit, the campaign retained Biden's corollary comment: "I think he can be ready... but ... the Presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training." (tip)

Biden, 65, has served in the Senate for 30 years; he was elected to represent Delaware in 1972 at the age of 29. His foreign policy credentials provide considerable heft for the ticket. This choice suggests Obama places more emphasis on foreign than domestic policy; perhaps the slight reduction in gasoline prices leads the campaign to think Americans are more concerned about Iraq than our bank accounts.

However, Biden is known for straying from message and took heat during the 2007 primary race when he characterized Sen. Barack Obama's candidacy thusly: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy, I mean, that's a storybook, man." He also ran for the presidency in 1988, a candidacy marred by a plagiarism charge.

Biden's son will be deployed to Iraq in October. During the Democratic primary race, Biden proposed partitioning Iraq. Biden voted for the Iraq War resolution of 2002, a vote he has subsequently publicly regretted. He opposed the troop surge.

Unlike Obama, Biden voted "no" in July on the FISA bill (Political Establishment Expands White House Wiretapping Powers, Retroactively Codifies Warrantless Wiretaps) which passed the Senate 69-28-3.

Biden, who is the fourth most senior Democrat in the Senate, holds one of this year's 33 up every-six-years seats. Delaware state law allows him to stay on the ballot, even if he is the vice presidential candidate. If he were to win both races, he would take the oath of office and then resign, according to the WaPo. Gov Ruth Ann Minner (D) would then appoint a replacement.

This is the same situation faced by 2000 Vice Presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT). In 2006, Lieberman lost the nomination and retained his seat by running as an independent. On Wednesday, Lieberman announced that he will deliver a major address at the Republican national convention.

Did the Wall Street Journal have a crystal ball in May when it pitted Lieberman and Biden on the direction of today's Democratic Party?

Watch Biden talk about moving forward in iraq.

Excised From Versions 1-4:
I'm still waiting for my email. [It was mailed at 04:54:40 -0400 (EDT)]

Around the web:

• Profile, Sen. Joseph Biden, Deborah White, US Liberal Politics
• Biden on Civil Liberties, Tom Head, Civil Liberty at About.com
• Biden's YouTube Debate Commercial, Kathy Gill, US Politics
• Obama Picks Sen. Joe Biden, The Atlantic
• Wait Til America Gets to Know JILL BIDEN, The Washington Note
• The Biden Disaster -- Joe Biden as Obama's VP?, The StrataSphere
• The Ticket: Obama-Biden, Politico
• Obama Chooses Biden as Running Mate, New York Times
• Obama Leaves Texters at the Altar, Runs Off With Dinosaur Press, Wired, Threat Level
• Analysis: Biden pick shows lack of confidence, AP Analysis, Ron Fournier
• Joe Biden on Iraq & the Middle East, Pierre Tristam, Middle East News & Issues at About.com
• Obama's VP Pick: Joe Big-Mouth Biden, Justin Quinn, Conservative Politics at About.com
• Obama's small change, Melissa McEwan at London Guardian
• Is Joe Biden a Women's Issues Advocate? Clarence Thomas Hearings May Be Indicative, Linda Lowen, Women's Guide at About.com
• Joe Biden on Energy and the Environment, Larry West, Environment Guide at About.com

Posted: 22.41 Pacific, 22 August
Update 1, 23.20 Pacific, 22 August. Added photo and most of the above profile.
Update 2, 23.48 Pacific, 22 August. Added "around the web"; paragraph on Lieberman
Update 3, 12.06 Pacific, 23 August. Added links: StrataSphere, Politico, NYT, Wired, AP
Update 4, 07.17 Pacific, 23 August: Added links, time stamp of Obama email -- and text in a comment, McCain commercial
Update 5, added criticism of AP report, moved comment on email/text