Biden pick draws Democratic praise, GOP criticism

WASHINGTON — Democrats coalesced around Barack Obama's selection of Joe Biden as his running mate on Saturday while Republicans quickly seized on the Delaware senator's past criticism of the presidential candidate's inexperience.

Former rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, an also-ran in Obama's search for a vice presidential choice, called Biden "an exceptionally strong, experienced leader and devoted public servant." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the Obama-Biden ticket will bring the change the country needs, including a filibuster-proof Senate majority.

The campaign of Republican rival John McCain wasted no time, immediately producing an ad featuring Biden's previous praise for McCain and comments critical of Obama from an ABC News interview last year. Biden had said he stood by an earlier statement that Obama wasn't yet ready to be president and "the presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training."

"There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama's lack of experience than Joe Biden," McCain campaign spokesman Ben Porritt said in a statement. "Biden has denounced Barack Obama's poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing — that Barack Obama is not ready to be president."

Some of Biden's Republican colleagues in the Senate praised the Delaware Democrat, including Sens. Richard Lugar of Indiana and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., called Biden "the right partner for Barack Obama" and the decision "good news for Obama and America."

Obama and Biden were set to meet for an afternoon rally in Springfield, Ill., in front of the old state Capitol where the Illinois senator kicked off his presidential campaign nearly 20 months ago.

The Obama campaign sent a text message announcing his choice to supporters' phones and e-mail addresses about 3 a.m. EDT, the latest innovation by a tech-savvy operation that has deftly used the Web as a fundraising and organizing tool. The rollout was diminished somewhat when word of Obama's choice began leaking out to news media shortly before 1 a.m. EDT.

Obama and his famously disciplined team managed to keep Biden's selection a secret for several days, leading to a frenzy of speculation that mounted throughout the week. Two of those thought to be on the short list — Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh — indicated Friday night that Obama had chosen someone else.