As Obama often said about Hillary, Joe Biden would have been on anyone's shortlist.

Foreign affairs experience off the charts. An alternately affable and acid-tongued personality — long the Democrats' Sunday talk show answer to one John McCain. White. Catholic. A senior citizen. Roots in Scranton — ground zero of swingable Pennsylvania. The only middle-class senator in America.

Obama has picked an undeniably qualified governing partner who also happens to be the best political trench-fighter in the party.

He's got well publicized baggage but, hey, who in this race doesn't?

This was the best of the safe picks.