Should have sealed it with the female vote, but she lost her dignity in the last few weeks of the race. Shame. She's a smart cookie.
US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has chosen his Senate colleague, Joseph Biden, as his vice presidential running mate, CNN television reported today. The network cited unnamed Democratic Party sources, but did not offer any details.
Senator Biden, 65, emerged on top after Senator Obama, according to unidentified sources, broke the news to two other contenders - Indiana Senator Evan Bayh and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine - that they were no longer under consideration.
The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Biden would bring decades of national security experience on board, having first been elected to Congress at the age of 29 in 1972.
On the campaign stump this week, Senator Obama has singled out Senator Biden for praise over his response to the crisis in Georgia and proposals to extend more US economic aid to Afghanistan.
Earlier, ABC News said a detail of Secret Service agents had been sent to assume Senator Biden's protection in preparation for his possible new role as an official candidate for high office.
The choice of running mate is largely symbolic but is seen as politically vital. Senator Obama needed to choose a vice-presidential candidate who can complement him in areas where his campaign is lacking, which means choosing a mate with appeal in those states - largely filled with white, working class voters - which he struggled to win in the marathon primary nominating contest earlier this year.
He could have also sought a candidate with strong foreign and defence experience to combat his Republican rival John McCain's advantage in that area. A candidate who rated well with women would also have been handy, given Senator Obama's defeat of Hillary Clinton in the primaries.
The contenders in descending order of media buzz were Delaware Senator Biden, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine.
Clinton supporters not giving up
Right up until the VP announcement, supporters of Senator Clinton hadn't given up their hopes on her getting the nod from Senator Obama in a so-called "unity ticket" bringing together the party's previously warring factions.
But Senator Clinton has appeared to count herself out. She is now being watched attentively for any signs of unhappiness as she prepares to speak in Denver on Wednesday.
"I am not in that arena. This is his decision and I respect him to make it however he thinks is best for him and the country," the New York senator and former first lady said.
Senator Clinton, who has campaigned this week in Florida on Senator Obama's behalf, denied that she had been less than wholehearted in her support of the new Democratic champion.
"I think it's a fair assessment that I've done more than anybody else in my position," she said.
Senator Obama's campaign meanwhile hurled new blows against his multiple-home-owning Republican rival John McCain, branding him aloof from US economic woes, in the run-up to next week's Democratic convention.
McCain announcement next week
Republican candidate John McCain will announce his running mate next week. His leading contenders are said to include former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.
The New York Times said General David Petraeus, the commander of US forces in Iraq, had been floated as a "wild-card choice" to join the ticket of the Vietnam War veteran senator.
