By Susan Heathfield

In the only decision on which I’ll probably ever agree with Sen. Barack Obama,  Foxnews,  Breitbart, and About.com’s U.S.Politics, report that Sen. Joe Biden (D-Delaware) is Mr. Obama’s chosen running mate. (See U.S. Liberals' Deborah White's excellent, thoughtful profile of Mr. Biden.)

Mr. Biden, who has served for over 30 years in the U.S. Senate, has been both chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and head of the Judiciary Committee that oversees anti-crime legislation, Supreme Court nominees and other Constitutional issues. He has definitely warmed his Senate seat and brings the appropriate mix of experience and credentials to the Obama campaign. One might ask, so I’ll get the question on the table and over with early, what Mr. Obama brings to the table and why these roles are not reversed.

Mr. Biden brings – dare I say the word? – gravitas - to what has otherwise been a lightweight campaign waged by a seriously inexperienced contender. Hmmm, he also brings the second largest ego, following only Mr. Obama’s, according to comments on AJStrata’s blog. Some political bloggers are questioning Mr. Obama’s choice of running mate, but as I write this at 2 a.m., given the choices he was considering, Mr. Obama made the right selection. If his goal is to get elected – and I’m convinced that is his major goal - Joe Biden is the man who might attract some of the McCain crowd.

Conservative talk show hosts, including Rush Limbaugh, have been chortling this week over Mr. Obama’s failure to consider Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as a potential vice presidential running mate. They are calling it the “big snub.” But, I think Mr. Obama - oh, no, I am agreeing with Mr. Obama again – made the right call.

Despite Ms. Rodham Clinton’s many supporters, the baggage she would have brought to the ticket reigns supreme. History is not kind to a first lady who was involved in repeated scandals, accused of lying to the American people, and who is widely believed to have orchestrated repeated cover-ups of and smear campaigns about women involved in her husband’s affairs. (It’s a pity that history appears to be more kind to Bill Clinton.) Plus, her presence would have guaranteed that Mr. Obama would have to be contending with Bill, and all of his baggage, for the forseeable future.  I, for one, would not wish that even upon Mr. Obama.

Once again, though, Mr. Obama’s promised “change” misses the mark. Despite my approval, given the choices he was considering, Mr. Obama has gone with a mainstream older, white male with absolutely no experience leading or managing anything except government – a charge that applies equivalently to Mr. Obama. Mr. Biden is the Washington that Mr. Obama claims to want to change. There is a reason why the American public has only rarely chosen senators as presidents. Mitt, where are you when we need you?

Photo added following the official announcement in Springfield, IL on Saturday afternoon.

Copyright Getty Images / Scott Olson

This week's previous posts: Read to Lead - Not, Finish What You Start, Good Will Voting, Wishful Thinking, Cold War, Great Power, Say Anything, Georgia, Looking Abroad.