Biden is Democratic favorite for Obama's No. 2

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-08-21 09:15

Obama could have been describing Biden when he said in a speech Tuesday that he wants his running mate to be "somebody who is mad right now" about the state of the economy, an independent who will speak out when he's wrong and help him through major issues.

During the Democratic primary when he also ran for the presidential nomination, Biden often made the most memorable impression in debates even though he was barely registering in the polls. He got big laughs for accusing Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani for mentioning three things in every sentence - "a noun, a verb, and 9/11" - and also leveled barbs at Obama.

He said he didn't think Obama was ready to be president yet, saying it's "not something that lends itself to on-the-job training." He offended some blacks when on the first day as an official presidential candidate he tried to compliment Obama as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean." He dropped out of the race after a poor showing in Iowa.

Republicans would be sure to revive Biden's criticisms of Obama and already envision a line of attack that says Obama is so inexperienced he needs a running mate who has been in Washington longer than McCain.

Biden is famous for being able to talk at length - sometimes a mind-numbing length - on any topic, but he has enhanced his standing in the vice presidential race by avoiding discussion of it.

Obama's running mate contenders have been instructed to be mum - a trait that is not considered Biden's strong suit. But he has played by Obama's rules, denying that he was being vetted when he most likely was. He bluntly acknowledged he'd take the job if asked, while jokingly warning Obama might not want him.

"I made it clear to him and everybody else, I never worked for anybody in my life," he told reporters last month. "I got here when I was 29. I never had a boss. I don't know how I'd handle it."

He gave nothing away Wednesday, as reporters staked out his home in anticipation of the pick. The senator took a load of brush in the bed of a white Ford pickup truck to the dump. He returned about 2 1/2 hours later, saying he was going to be working on his property throughout the day and would have no further comment.

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