Who's Gonna Be VP?

(Newser) - Barack Obama’s choice of Joe Biden as a running mate looks like fairly simple calculus, notes Massimo Calabres in Time : his strengths bolster Obama’s weak points. Biden has logged six terms in the Senate; he’s a foreign-policy expert; and he’s a Catholic popular with blue-collar white voters. Perhaps most importantly, he’s a political firebrand. More »

(Newser) - Blunt, tough and seasoned, Obama veepstakes winner Joe Biden has a history of surviving both personal tragedy and political disappointment. Delaware's News-Journal details the story of the state's favorite son, who became modern history's youngest senator when elected at 29. His wife and baby daughter died in a car crash before he had even been sworn in. More »

(AP) - Barack Obama's choice for a running mate was texted and emailed to supporters shortly after 3am this morning, though word had leaked out to reporters a couple of hours earlier that he'd chosen Sen. Joe Biden, a veteran lawmaker from Delaware. The text message: "Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be our VP nominee. Watch the first Obama-Biden rally live at 3pm ET on http://www.BarackObama.com. Spread the word!" More »

(AP) - 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 and defense issues. Biden, who has twice sought the White House, is a Catholic with a generally liberal voting record and a reputation as a long-winded orator. More »

(Newser) - John McCain’s been making the Republican base mighty uneasy with hints of a pro-choice running mate, the Wall Street Journal reports. Though McCain touts his “proud pro-life record,” pro-choice potentials Tom Ridge and Joe Lieberman have been on the receiving end of McCain's praise recently, a move that had conservative Laura Ingraham "literally imploring" McCain to uphold his "great pro-life record." More »

(Newser) - Barack Obama's VP announcement is imminent, and the buzz about Joe Biden seems to be getting louder. David Brooks, for one, hopes it's true. The Times columnist writes that Biden's blue-collar Democratic roots, along with his honesty, loyalty, and experience put him far above the other rumored short-listers. More »

(Newser) - As the political world waits with bated breath for Barack Obama to name his running mate, a new name has entered the mix, and it's one no one has been talking about: Chet Edwards. The little-known Texas congressman is part of a tiny group of contenders who provided background documents to the campaign, the AP reports. Obama plans to appear with his choice, whoever it is, tomorrow at 2. More »

(Newser) - Barack Obama says he's made his pick for vice president, but that all he's saying, USA Today reports. He won't even divulge whether his prospective running mate knows, or when the big announcement will come. "That's all you're going to get out of me," said Obama. Talking heads, meanwhile, continue to point to the top candidates as Joe Biden, Evan Bayh, Tim Kaine, and Kathleen Sebelius. Stay tuned tomorrow. More »

(Newser) - Joe Biden’s son will