Obama picks Biden as running mate

Updated at 1:50 a.m. PDT to reflect official announcement.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has selected Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, one of the longest-serving members of the Senate, as his vice presidential running mate.

Delaware Sen. Joe Biden is touted as bringing foreign policy experience to the Obama ticket.

(Credit: U.S. Senate site for Joe Biden)

"Barack has chosen Joe Biden to be his running mate," Obama's official Web site announced early Saturday. "Joe Biden brings extensive foreign policy experience, an impressive record of collaborating across party lines, and a direct approach to getting the job done."

Obama was expected to break the news of his selection via text messages and e-mails to supporters on Saturday. While supporters who signed up for the announcement still received them, the Associated Press reported the selection of Biden late Friday. ABC News reported that the U.S. Secret Service had sent a protective detail for Biden to his residence late Friday and that family members appeared to be gathering there.

Biden, 65, is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and considered one of the leading Democrats on foreign affairs issues--an area in which Obama has been criticized as lacking experience. Although he voted for the Iraq war in 2002, Biden has since become a vocal critic of U.S. involvement.

Twice a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, Biden has acknowledged a tendency to talk too much. Earlier this year, while announcing his own candidacy for the White House, Biden referred to Obama as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. "

Biden later apologized for the remark, telling The Daily Show's Jon Stewart that he was attempting to be "complimentary. This is an incredible guy, c'mon! He's a phenomenon."

However, a spokesman for Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain pointed out late Friday that Biden had previously criticized Obama's lack of foreign policy experience.

"There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama's lack of experience than Joe Biden," McCain spokesman Ben Porritt said in a statement. "Biden has 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."

Watch CBS Videos Online
CBSNews video: Obama selects V.P.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has unveiled his
vice presidential running mate, veteran Sen. Joe Biden, who has
served in the Senate for over 35 years. Dean Reynolds reports.

"This is not exactly a 'safe' selection for Obama. 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," said Vaughn Ververs, CBSNews.com senior political editor. " But it does signal that Obama may be more of a realist than his rhetoric suggests and shows that the 'change' candidate has decided that a wealth of 'experience' may be important to an administration after all." (See Verver's analysis of the Obama/Biden ticket.)

Biden also ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988, but withdrew after rival Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis distributed a videotape that showed Biden had plagiarized parts of his speeches.

First elected to the Senate in 1972, Biden is one of the youngest senators elected. Biden, who was 29 at the time of his election--younger than the legal age of 30 to serve as a senator--was of legal age when he was sworn in.

Other reported contenders for the ticket included Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

McCain, who has yet to announce vice presidential nominee, is widely expected to name a running mate on August 29--his 72nd birthday. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney are reported to be his front-runners.

See also: Memeorandum for more coverage of the Biden selection

[pubmat]

This is disgusting. What the hell does this have to do with tech, or the normal stuff CNET covers Mr Musil? I hope you guys arent trying to thrust your political views on me because I'm not interested in your politics. There are plenty of political websites, so keep to what you guys know.
And I'm REALLY interested to see if you bestow the same loving attention to McCain when he announces his running mate as you have to Obama. Somehow I doubt it.

[Lantern42]

If you've been paying attention to tech issues in politics, you should know that Net Neutrality is an issue of growing concern. Obama and Biden both support Net Neutrality laws. McCain does not.

This isn't an opinion article. If you have no interest in reading it on Cnet, don't click the link.

[Jon Skillings]

A key part of what determined that CNET News would write this particular story is the text-message aspect - a tech-related twist on presidential campaign politics. We'll have a follow-up story later today with more tech-centric details on the texting of the announcement.

CNET News will provide coverage of both the Democratic and Republican conventions over the next two weeks, with a main focus on technology-related topics, from the IT infrastructure at the conventions to the tech policy issues addressed by the candidates.

Jon Skillings
Managing editor
CNET News

[DarkHawke]

@Jon Skillings: I'm with pubmat on this one. This isn't the sort of thing I go to CNET to read about. And the alleged "tech-related twist" is an inadequate justification. If you want to report on the candidates' actual positions on tech issues, that's all well and good. Using text-messaging, an obvious publicity ploy/pander by the Obama campaign, as an in to adding political news to CNET that in reality has nothing to do with tech is a poor decision on your part, which I hope will not be repeated.

[Mr. Dee]

What a terrible mistake. Isn't Biden the same guy who put his foot in his mouth by making a rather unflattering unconcious racial complement about Obama? Barack should have done the right thing, bridge the divide in the party and select Hillary who I am sure has a good Security/Foreign Policy background that could have helped Obama well in the future. Right now, I am just not sure he can even win with this weird choice. Obama could have also set a precedent by selecting Hillary as the first female vice president breaking down barriers and proving to people that gender is not the key to a great presidency, but knowledge, vigour and committment to the job.

[Penguinisto]

Dude - would you want Monica Lewinsky's government-mooching ex-boyfriend's wife as a VP (let alone president)?

[ferretboy88]

This website sucks now. I want tech instead of politics. Biden is a horrible VP. The guy has a big mouth and voted for the Iraq war.

[lanboyx]

I agree with pubmat and ferretboy88 on the idea that putting up the political trash on this site is way out of line.

Did you get the jolt up your leg like lib suck-up Chris Matthews when you hear Obama speak. He is a sickening and so is this.

I'll wait to see if you give McCain the same treatment, and don't try to justify this because he used email, text, and his website to make the announcement. This is a very thin pretext.

Stick with what you know, or pretend to know which is tech and leave the stench of politics out of here please.

[ab832]

Come on Cnet! Stop reporting all of this Obama crap like every other news outlet in the country! Like everyone else said I guarantee you will not give McCain any attention when he makes his VP announcement. If I wanted to hear about Obama's every freaking move I would turn on my television to CNN but I come to Cnet for TECHNOLOGY NEWS!

[koolgiy]

Well for one, McCain's announcement isn't for another week or so - so before you go slamming Cnet for being left-winged, chill out, and go watch some b.s. McCain town hall meetings.

[tomtomtom]

It is funny at this time to pick him when his last name can modified to be someone else US would not like to see. ie Bi_ - _ _den

[ajkalan]

Oh, great. I can't wait to see those inevitable Osama/Binladen bumper stickers.

[illithar]

My this certainly generated a lot of anger....I suggest people get out more.

[pubmat]

lanboyx, and ab832...well said. I thought that CNET was one of the few places where I could get away from the repulsively fawning media coverage of Obama and his every move. Very sad to see that my favorite tech site has abandoned their design for politics.

[Arrgster]

For me the worst thing about this is biden is a RIAA fan boy. I think Obama will lose a lot of the college kids because biden has been supporting the RIAA. The RIAA has been suing college kids all over the country for unproven copyright infringement. Think of it this way. How can I support a guy who would ruin a kids life for having a copy of britney spears latest crap song on their computer, because his girlfriend accidentally ripped a cd without him knowing it.

It's no joke! I didn't get sued (yet) but that happened to me. One of my friends put her britney Cd in my Mac and let it rip to my harddrive, I didn't realize it until several weeks later. Now if the RIAA had found that I would be getting sued and my life would be over. Don't worry RIAA I deleted the music (mostly because it sucked) but the point is biden supports this so I can't support him.

[germany 88]

C-Net shows its ran by a bunch of old left wing hippies!!!!!! Why is this story on here??? This is the last time Ill ever visit C-Net. I hope you Barack Osama fan boys at c-net realise the only change youll have is the change left in your pocket IF he wins. But people with a brain know this was a bad choice.

[jag0]

Well the Cnet HQ is in San Francisco...what do you expect?

[Benf]

Every news service in the country is telling us about Biden, we cant escape it, were saturated by this news whether we want to hear it or not, I have a problem with CNET reviewing CAR"S but now your into politics? you still have the best Tech site on the net but you guys are slipping fast, I'm already looking for an alternitive.

[jonkung_dotmac]

Just because Fox News is lame and Bill O'Reilly is still figuring out how to make fire with two sticks doesn't mean you gotta get all hot and bothered every time you stray from your promised land and see an Obama piece every now and then.

And remember, CNET is pretty much a global community now, and the rest of the world likes Obama.

Chill out people, if you don't want to read the articles than don't click on them.

[nosh1208]

I've been a democrat all my life, and this will be the first time I would be voting Republican. Technically speaking, Obama reminds me of a power supply...He blows alot of hot air.

[AppleSuxLeo]

And I picked...a big black booger out of my nose !

[Gasmeister]

Why on earth should the choice of The Messiah be pertainent to CNet? Why must enearly every media outlet shill for this unqualified political neophyte? If we actually had an honest, unboiased truthful media in this country he would be where he deserves to be, sucking his thumb and teething on his figurative political balnket instead of having been elevated to demi-god status by a wholly liberally slanted media system. Good job in drinking th eCoolAid, CNet

[Kwasiowusu]

Isn't CNET owned by CBS, the eimployers of esrtwhile "Captain Ahab" Dan Rather, who tried to peddle patently fake, made up documents in the 2004 elections in order to help Hanoi John Kerry win the elections, onloy to have the whole sordid plot backfire on CBS and dan rather big time, when Bush clobbered Kerry in the elections?
CNET is merely carrying on the good old tradition at CBS, of being the propaganda department of the Democratic Party.
Expect plenty more sickeningly worshipful pieces of Da Messiah on CNET in the run up to the November elections, as the mainstream media fall over themsrlves to show who can be a bigger worshiper of The One.
My number one reason never to vote for Obamessiah is the pathertic way the MSM is in the can for this empty suit.

[Kwasiowusu]

Joe Biden on The One: "I don't believe Barak is ready. The Presidency is not something that lends itself to on the job training."
.nuff said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVUPqoowf8

[ferretboy88]

Biden is a jerk just like all of his buddies. Say one thing then do a 180.

[ajkalan]

You know what the worst part of the presidential season. It's not the ads, not the campaign lies, and not even the political "pundits" on TV. No, the worst part is reading the comments sections of any news story even remotely related to politics. Mention one of the candidates, and you invariably draw a horde of mouth-breathers illiterately parroting some talking point they heard on Fox or DailyKos. "BARK HUSAIN OSAMA IS A MUSLIN," "MCCAIN MORE LIKE MCBUSH LOL," "CNET IS A LIBRUL." Seriously, try a little harder.

Mike Gravel '08!

[ajkalan]

Yes, I know, it's hypocritical of me to post in a comments section to say this, while simultaneously butchering the first sentence of the post. Oops.

[GuyBlaise]

Definitely Senator Obama needs someone with great experience like Joe Biden. As the pygmies of the equatorial forest of Congo say,"The old elephant knows where to find water."
http://guyblaise.com/

[tenbosch]

Dear News.com Editors,

Straight to the point: Please, please, please don't start adding political news to this website. I guarantee that it will not improve site visitation as you may think (and/or see it) will. I promise you'll get more political viewers, but your technical viewers who would prefer to see technology news will drop in droves. If I want to read political messages, I'll go to one of the big news networks (including CBS News). Or, I could go to DIGG.Com and read about how much Obama rules and McCain sucks... Afterall, if anyone wants to read about how awesome the iPhone is or how much Microsoft sux, or how Linux will rule the world, or how great Obama is, or see the latest comic on XKCD, or see ads about hot girls in geeky t-shirts or how global warming is going to kill us all, all you need to do is go to DIGG.Com. Or if news.com starts publishing more political news on a technology news website, you'll be just like digg. Which means you get taken over by biased views and you only get one type of customer.