Aug. 23, 2008
Obama Picks Joe Biden As Running Mate
35-Year Senate Veteran From Delaware Brings Foreign Policy Experience To Ticket As Democrat's Choice For V.P.
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Play CBS Video Video Obama Selects V.P. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama recently unveiled his new vice presidential running mate, veteran Sen. Joe Biden, who has served in the Senate for over 35 years. Dean Reynolds reports.
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Video Obama-Biden Ticket Debut "CBS News RAW:" Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama appeared for the first time with his newly selected vice presidential nominee Joe Bidden at an event in Springfield, Ill.
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Video Inside Look At Joe Biden Kimberly Dozier examines the personal and political like of Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Bidden, who overcame a family tragedy in order to achieve a successful career in the Senate.
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Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., introduces his vice presidential running mate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., in Springfield, Ill., Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
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In 35 years in the Senate, Joe Biden has served at various times not only as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee but also as head of the Judiciary Committee. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
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Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and his wife, Jill, prepare to depart their home, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008, in Greenville, Del., to join Sen. Barack Obama for a rally in Illinois. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
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In-Depth Joe Biden Learn more about Barack Obama's vice presidential pick.
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Photo Essay Barack Obama A look at the life and meteoric rise of the president-elect.
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.
In selecting Biden, Obama passed over several other potential running mates, none more prominent than Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, his tenacious rival in dozens of primaries and caucuses.
“This is not exactly a 'safe' selection for Obama,” said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. “With over 30 years of baggage accumulated in the U.S. Senate, Biden is not the kind of running mate you would think of for someone who has campaigned on a pledge to change the way politics is done in Washington."
"But it does signal that Obama may be more of a realist than his rhetoric suggests," Ververs added, "and shows that the ‘change’ candidate has decided that a wealth of ‘experience’ may be important to an administration after all.”
Around 3:00 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday morning, a few hours after media outlets first reported the choice, the Obama campaign sent a text message and e-mail to supporters making it official.
"Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be our VP nominee," said the text message. "Watch the first Obama-Biden rally live at 3pm ET on www.BarackObama.com. Spread the word!"
The debut for the newly-minted ticket will take place outside the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., while hundreds of miles to the west, carpenters, electricians, sound stage gurus and others transformed the Pepsi Center in Denver into a made-for-television convention venue.
Tucked away in one corner were thousands of lightweight rolled cardboard tubes, ready-made handles for signs bearing the names of the Democratic ticket - once the identity of Obama's running mate was known.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
"In naming my colleague and friend Sen. Joe Biden to be the vice presidential nominee, Sen. Obama has continued in the best traditions for the vice presidency by selecting an exceptionally strong, experienced leader and devoted public servant," Clinton said in a statement. "Sen. Biden will be a purposeful and dynamic vice president who will help Sen. Obama both win the presidency and govern this great country."
Biden slowly emerged as Obama's choice across a long day and night of political suspense as other contenders gradually fell away.
First, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine let it be known that he had been ruled out. Then came word that Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana had also been passed over.
Several aides to Clinton said the Obama campaign had never requested financial or other records from her.
Other finalists in the veep sweepstakes were Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Texas Rep. Chet Edwards.
Obama called Biden on Thursday evening to offer him the job. Michelle Obama called his wife, Jill, this morning.
Among those on the short list, Biden brought the most experience in defense or foreign policy - areas in which Obama is rated relatively poorly in the polls compared with McCain.
While the war in Iraq has been supplanted as the campaign's top issue by the economy in recent months, the recent Russian invasion of Georgia has returned foreign policy to the forefront.
"The top advisers around Senator Obama over the last two weeks said to him, look, we need to add heft to this ticket," reported CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer on CBS' The Early Show Saturday morning. "Every poll shows people like you but they do note you don't have experience. Biden adds heft to the ticket."
In addition to foreign policy experience, Biden, a native of Scranton, Pa., has working-class roots that could benefit Obama, who lost the blue-collar vote to Clinton during their competition for the presidential nomination.
Biden was first elected to the Senate in 1972 at the age of 29.
(AP Photo/Greg Gibson)
Biden voted to authorize the war, but long ago became one of the Senate's surest critics of the conflict.
Obama worked to keep his choice secret, although he addressed the issue broadly during the day in an interview.
"Obviously, the most important question is: Is this person ready to be president?" Obama told CBS' The Early Show. Second, he said, was: "Can this person help me govern? Are they going to be an effective partner in creating the kind of economic opportunity here at home and guiding us through some dangerous waters internationally?"
And, he added: "I want somebody who is going to be able to challenge my thinking and not simply be a 'yes-person' when it comes to policymaking."
Biden spent Friday at his home in Delaware with friends and family. The normally loquacious lawmaker maintained a low profile as associates said they believed - but did not know - he would be tapped. They added they had been asked to stand by in case their help was needed.
No sooner had word spread of his selection than the campaign of presumptive GOP nominee John McCain unleashed its first attack. Spokesman Ben Porritt said in a statement that Biden had "denounced Barack Obama's poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing - that Barack Obama is not ready to be president."
Early Saturday morning, McCain's campaign released an advertisement showing Biden being asked, during a Democratic primary debate, if he stands by an earlier statement that he does not believe Obama is ready to be president.
“I think that I stand by the statement," Biden is shown saying. He also says in the spot that he "would be honored to run with or against John McCain, because I think the country would be better off."
Biden dropped out of the 2008 race for the Democratic presidential nomination after a poor finish in the Iowa caucuses, but not before he talked dismissively of joining someone else's ticket.
"I am not running for vice president," he said in a Fox interview. "I would not accept it if anyone offered it to me. The fact of the matter is I'd rather stay as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee than be vice president."
It was his second try for the White House. The first ended badly in 1988 when he was caught lifting lines from a speech by British Labor Party leader Neil Kinnock.
Biden is seeking a new Senate term in the fall. There was no immediate word whether he intended to change plans as he reaches for national office.
Background On Biden
(AP Photo)
BORN: Nov. 20, 1942 in Scranton, Pa. Age 65.
EXPERIENCE: U.S. senator, 1972-present; New Castle County Council, 1970-72; sought presidential nomination, 1988, 2008.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in history and political science, University of Delaware, 1965; law degree, Syracuse University, 1968.
FAMILY: Married Neilia Hunter in 1966; three children, Beau, Hunter, and Naomi. His wife and daughter Naomi died in a car crash in 1972. Married Jill Jacobs in 1977; one daughter, Ashley. Beau Biden is now Delaware's attorney general.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Add a Comment See all 1690 Comments
- Biden is a great guy and all. Obama states that Biden is his "mentor." This just proves that Obama doesn''t have what it takes to lead this great nation. McCain doesn''t need a mentor, he''s ready to lead.
- Reply to this comment
- Barack or Biden have not explained where they will get money for any of their free programs (welfare), without raising raxes!!! ----------------
Posted by KMCCLIMENT at 07:34 PM : Aug 23, 2008.
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Freeze the bank accounts of BUSH/CHENEY and their corrupt cronies, you''ll find enough stolen/plundered taxpayer money there to last for the next 50 years. - Reply to this comment
- dont screw dhis up a second time...be on the right side for once at least once in your miserable life! ---Posted by coryellco at 05:01 AM : Aug 24, 20.
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The only ones screwed up is you and people of your ilk. While demonizing whole regions and countries for so many years, now you say that you care about their freedoms.
Go sell your lies and BS somewhere else, moron. The only motive for being in those countries is oil and shovelling taxpayer billions to corrupt Bush/Cheney groupies. - Reply to this comment
- yea carter thought that way about iran before he ignored them and then the shaw got overthrown and they lost their freedom....
Posted by coryellco at 05:01 AM : Aug 24, 2008
A popular uprising is incongruous with the suggestion that the resulting status quo ends up with the people enjoying less freedom. Obviously, if the people weren''t happy with the new order, they could simply stage another uprising. Would you say that''s what happened in the U.S. after the Revolutionary War, that we lost our freedom, and are just too lazy to do anything about it? - Reply to this comment
- FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM IS THE PROBLEM,,,
DEMONIC-RAT HUSSEIN IS NOT THE SOLUTION,,,
EXPOSE HUSSEIN
http://www.exposeobama.com/obamaislam.html
www.obamatruth.org
www.stop-obama.org
A Video Portrait Of Barack Hussein Obama
http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/video.aspx?RsrcID=2036
The Barack Obama Test
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/02/the_barack_obama_test.html
Obama-Odinga-Rezko-Ayers-Auchi-Saddam Hussein
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIe4d9Nmg9k
Raila Odinga was also financially backed by Muammar al-Gaddafi. Raila Odinga is Obama''s cousin:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/717...
Why does Raila Odinga use Obama''s exact same campaign slogan: CHANGE....Vote for CHANGE: Look at his website:
http://www.raila07.com/
IMPEACH HUSSEIN NOW,,,
SIGN THE PETITION
Impeach, expel Barack Obama
http://obamaimpeachment.org
HUSSEIN IS NO COMMANDER IN CHIEF,,, lol
McCain Tops Obama in Commander-in-Chief Test; Stays Competitive on Iraq
Poll Finds 72 Percent of Americans Say McCain Would be Good Commander-in-Chief
http://abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/Politics/Story?id=5370538&page=1
Obama: Commander-in-(mis)chief?
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/imperium/2008/07/200872011345855233.html - Reply to this comment
- Well, for starters they can stop spending a few billion in year in Iraq, a needless war that benefits no one but *** Cheney.
You could build a lot of roads and bridges for a few hundred billion dollars. Creates jobs and benefits all Americans, not just Exxon Mobile...
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Posted by boatdocster at 11:33 PM : Aug 23, 2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- yea carter thought that way about iran before he ignored them and then the shaw got overthrown and they lost their freedom....if freedom would have been supported back then we would not have to be in iraq yall also said the surge would not work....how could yall be so wrong on so many things yet think your always right.....give freedom a chance for a second time...dont screw dhis up a second time...be on the right side for once at least once in your miserable life! - Reply to this comment
- This was a good pick for Obama.
With Obama''''s vision and Biden''''s good relationships with other congressmen, maybe something can actually get done in Washington.
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Posted by dinslc at 01:13 AM : Aug 24, 2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- get real do you even keep tract of what goes in nthe beltway....drain the political swamp vote out all the lont timers and send a msg to congress - Reply to this comment
- This was a good pick for Obama.
With Obama''s vision and Biden''s good relationships with other congressmen, maybe something can actually get done in Washington. - Reply to this comment
- HUSSEINs VICE PRESIDENT,,,
hmmmm will it be a TYPICAL WHITE PERSON???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8gnmUyminI
hmmmm will it be one that is clinging to his gun and religion???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNoJ0q6HrK8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmv5NZ4zcdc&feature=related
hmmmm will it be one that wants americans to learn spanish???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZprtPat1Vk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W7srmHLclw
hmmmm will it be a RACIST like himSelf, hating whitey and jews???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfC4OOm1aoM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI77cU3jsFs&feature=related
RACIST HUSSEIN PICKS,,, RACIST BIDEN AS VP,,, shocker,,,
Obama''''s Racist Vice President Biden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlxXNyIuyTM
BIDEN SAYS NOW,,, HE IS HAPPY TO BE VICE PRESIDENT TO HUSSEIN,,,
"I mean, you''ve got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice looking guy."
: SENATOR JOE BIDEN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxWSVXZVR4c
BIDEN SAYS HUSSEIN NOT READY,,,
BIDEN SAYS HE IS READY TO RUN WITH OR AGAINST MCCAIN,,,
BIDEN SAYS COUNTRY BETTER OFF WITH MCCAIN,,, THAN HUSSEIN,,,
Joe Biden On Barack Obama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVUPqoowf8 - Reply to this comment
- I guess Obama needs those three extra votes Biden brings to the party.
- Reply to this comment
- NAIVE HUSSEIN SEES AMERICA AS EVIL,,,
and you want to make him PRESIDENT OF THE USA???
Saddleback Church Civil Forum - Obama & McCain 8 of 17
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqsH13unGbM&feature=related
Abortion, evil, Obama and McCain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0eVomjmCGI - Reply to this comment
- It''s really ironic. For the last few months the Clinton whinners have been berating Obama for his lack of experience.
Then, when he picks a person with over 30 years of Government service and experience as his VEEP choice, they whine it was not Hillary (the junior senator with almost the same government service as Obama, not even 10 years).
But for some unknown reason, if Hillary had won the primary then her same level of experience would have been "Ready on Day One!" and OK.
Talk about a double standard. - Reply to this comment
- But Barack will wave his magic larry sinclair fairy wand and snort some fairy dust and make it aight!
Posted by KMCCLIMENT at 07:32 PM : Aug 23, 2008
Well, for starters they can stop spending a few billion in year in Iraq, a needless war that benefits no one but *** Cheney.
You could build a lot of roads and bridges for a few hundred billion dollars. Creates jobs and benefits all Americans, not just Exxon Mobile... - Reply to this comment
- Never before in American history has a candidate received 1800 delegates and been ignored by a political party.
JUST SAY NO DEAL
www.justsaynodeal.com
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Posted by MCVet1 at 09:36 PM : Aug 23, 2008
+ report abuse
YOU REALLY NEED TO GET A LIFE AND MOVE ON, SHE LOST GET OVER IT. SHE GOT 1800 DELEGETS OBAMA GOT THE 2225 THAT HE NEEDED TO GET THE NOMINATION IF SHE DOES SUSPEND HER CAMPAIGN AND RUNS AND WINS, OBAMA SUPPORTS CAN AGURE USING THE SAME TACTIC YOU ARE USING. BOTTOM LINE HILLARY SUPPORTS NEED TO STOP ACTING LIKE BRATTS WHO DIDNT GET THERE WAY SO NOW THEY CRY ABOUT IT. IT WAS A RACE AND SHE LOST PERIOD - Reply to this comment
- Never before in American history has a candidate received 1800 delegates and been ignored by a political party.
JUST SAY NO DEAL
www.justsaynodeal.com
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Posted by MCVet1 at 09:36 PM : Aug 23, 2008
+ report abuse
YOU REALLY NEED TO GET A LIFE AND MOVE ON, SHE LOST GET OVER IT. SHE GOT 1800 DELEGETS OBAMA GOT THE 2225 THAT HE NEEDED TO GET THE NOMINATION IF SHE DOES SUSPEND HER CAMPAIGN AND RUNS AND WINS, OBAMA SUPPORTS CAN AGURE USING THE SAME TACTIC YOU ARE USING. BOTTOM LINE HILLARY SUPPORTS NEED TO STOP ACTING LIKE BRATTS WHO DIDNT GET THERE WAY SO NOW THEY CRY ABOUT IT. IT WAS A RACE AND SHE LOST PERIOD - Reply to this comment
- Boy, old Joe sure needs to get rid of that bad combover! Geezus...
- Reply to this comment
- The DNC or the Obscamma campaign musta paid poor old Biden a bundle to accept. Since he''s already a two time loser, it won''t hurt his career to lose again.
None of the others were willing to risk their careers being attached to Obscamma''s scams! - Reply to this comment
- Certainly not McCain....you''''d think being able to see what Bush''''s policies have done to destroy this country''''s economy that a Rational person would make sure that they don''''t follow the same mistakes. McCain say Full speed ahead.
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Posted by melchg at 08:36 PM : Aug 23, 2008
Well now, seems Mr. McCain is not in the employment business. Although I expect his wife employs a BUNCH!
So now answer MY QUESTION? Who''s going to pay your wages and give you a job? Some poor person? - Reply to this comment
- Posted by MCVet1 at 09:38 PM
DONT BE A SORE LOSER MAN!!! HILLARY LOSE THE PRIMARY!!! GET OVER IT...HILLARY HAS!!!
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Posted by chitown639 at 09:55 PM : Aug 23, 2008
Nahhhhh, Both Hillary and Bill told Obscamma to eat ***** and die! And then left the little prank to the repubicans to feast on! ROFL! - Reply to this comment
- Posted by MCVet1 at 09:38 PM
DONT BE A SORE LOSER MAN!!! HILLARY LOSE THE PRIMARY!!! GET OVER IT...HILLARY HAS!!! - Reply to this comment
The road ahead in Afghanistan, and the crucial decision Obama faces.
