"Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be our VP nominee.  Watch the first Obama-Biden rally live at 3 pm ET on www.BarackObama.com"

A few quick thoughts, then back to bed:  

*This is a very strong choice, Biden provides tremendous experience including on foreign policy, where he is one of the nation's leading experts (he's chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee)

*Biden also served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee during the Robert Bork confirmation hearings

*Biden believes the government should stay neutral on abortion ("I do not believe that the government should be involved in making judgments on whether a woman can, or should have an abortion, or - if she chooses to do so - in paying for that abortion.")

*Biden supports federal funding for embryonic stem cell research - one of my most important issues

*Biden is excellent on energy and environmental issues, believing we must take action on global warming, opposing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and strongly supporting renewable power and energy efficiency.  Biden has said, "If I could wave a wand, and the Lord said I could solve one problem, I would solve the energy crisis."

*Biden is a "lunch bucket" Democrat, an Irish Catholic originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania.