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Washington - Barack Obama says he represents a new kind of post-partisan politics 鈥� but he鈥檚 made what appears to be a traditional choice for running mate.

Advisers often urge presidential candidates to plug holes in their own resumes with their vice-presidential picks, and that鈥檚 what Senator Obama may have done in opting for Sen. Joseph Biden (D) of Delaware. Senator Biden is many things Obama is not: experienced (35 years in the Senate), a foreign policy expert, and Catholic, for instance.

Perhaps most importantly, he鈥檚 nobody鈥檚 idea of effete. With a blue-collar background and tough campaign style, Biden could counter GOP efforts to frame Obama himself as an elitist.

鈥淏iden fills gaps many people see in Obama鈥檚 credentials,鈥� says Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

The reverse is also true: Obama鈥檚 strengths are Biden鈥檚 weaknesses. Biden has twice run for president himself, including this cycle, to widespread disinterest on the part of national voters. And where Obama鈥檚 rhetoric soars, Biden鈥檚 mouth can get him in trouble.

Gaffes, misstatements, and even plagiarism have dogged Biden鈥檚 presidential campaigns. His garrulity is such that in congressional hearings he鈥檚 been known to ask questions of committee witnesses that are longer than their answers.

Even now Republican opposition researchers surely are poring over videotape of Biden talking, and talking, and then talking some more, in hopes of finding potentially controversial snippets.

鈥淭hat is his Achilles heel,鈥� says Professor Jillson.

Biden is a native of Scranton, Pa. His father had been born into wealth but spent it, and young Joe鈥檚 childhood was one of straitened circumstances.

As a young attorney, he was a political prodigy, earning election to the US Senate at age 29. Tragedy struck before he could take office, as his wife and young daughter died in an automobile accident. The grieving Biden was sworn in after reaching the constitutionally-mandated age for Senate service of 30.

He is currently serving his sixth term in the Senate and is chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations. From 1987 until 1995 he was chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

In 2002 Biden voted to authorize the war in Iraq but has since become a vocal critic of the conflict. Previously he also backed a proposal to pacify Iraq by splitting it along ethnic lines.

In choosing Biden as his running mate, Barack Obama passed over a number of other serious candidates, none more prominent than Obama's main rival in the Democratic primaries, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

Senator Clinton's aides said their boss had never undergone the vetting required of most vice-presidential candidates and it remained unclear whether she had even been under seious consideration. On Aug. 23, she said she was pleased with Obama鈥檚 choice, and called Biden 鈥渁n exceptionally strong, experienced leader and devoted public servant鈥�.

The campaign of Obama's GOP rival, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, portrayed Biden as a Washington insider, saying the choice was the status-quo pick by a candidate who has insisted he represents change.

Before he dropped out of the presidential race, Biden was a harsh critic of Obama鈥檚 lack of experience, said McCain spokesman Ben Porritt.

鈥淏iden has denounced Barack Obama鈥檚 poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing 鈥� that Barack Obama is not ready to be president,鈥� said Mr. Porritt.

Republicans are sure to exploit such past statements. For example: In fall 2007, regarding Obama鈥檚 credentials, he said the presidency is 鈥渘ot something that lends itself to on-the-job training.鈥�

In addition, the GOP is sure to remind voters that in 1988 Biden withdrew from his first presidential race amidst accusations that he had plagiarized passages in a campaign speech from former British Labor Party leader Neil Kinnock.

Given his running-mate options, Barack Obama made the second-best choice with Biden, says political historian Allan Lichtman of American University in Washington. Hillary Clinton would have been the best pick in Lichtman鈥檚 judgment.

Unlike Clinton, Biden has no national following and does not generate campaign electricity. But Lichtman says Biden鈥檚 years of Washington service mean he is qualified actually to serve as vice president 鈥� and to step into the presidency if required to do so.

鈥淗e is a meat and potatoes Democrat with appeal to white working-class voters,鈥� says Lichtman.

Obama announced his vice presidential pick two days before the beginning of the Democratic convention in Denver. The official word came in a 3 a.m. EDT text message from the Obama campaign to the phones and computers of supporters.

Though word of the selection had leaked out several hours prior, Biden鈥檚 selection was successfully kept secret by the campaign for several days. Other vice-presidential finalists included Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh.