Tommy Chong, a TalkLeft favorite, had this to say to the Washington Post about Joe Biden:

"Check out the people you're voting for.... "For instance, Joseph Biden comes off as a liberal Democrat, but he's the one who authored the bill that put me in jail. He wrote the law against shipping drug paraphernalia through the mail - which could be anything from a pipe to a clip or cigarette papers."

[Hat tip to Celeb Stoner.]

Conservative reporter Stacy McCain, recalls Hunter S. Thompsons's words on McGovern's selection of Tom Eagleton from Fear and Loathing:

I am not going to live blog it but I may add some thoughts if something interesting happens. Here is a thread for you to share your thoughts on the Springfield appearance.

This is a thread about the Springfield appearance only so keep it on topic please.

3:10 pm EDT -Pretty typical event. Not particularly interesting or exciting. The event seems flat to me. Obama's intro is kind of weak to boot. Not great so far. Maybe when Biden gets his chance to praise Obama the excitement level will go up.

More...

Personally, I am not a fan of Joe Biden's policies, especially on foreign policy. But, the most important function of a Vice Presidential pick is to help the Presidential nominee win. Under that standard, given the Obama Rules (no Clinton or Clark), Biden was his best option.

Below, I criticize the rollout of Biden. But I do not criticize the choice from a political standpoint, given Obama's stubborn refusal to pick the person who would have helped him the most politically, Hillary Clinton.

Once the Not Hillary decision was made (and once Obama ran for the hills on McCain's Hanoi Hilton defense to everything), Joe Biden made the most sense. He does not help much, but he helps. And that is better than hurting - as a Bayh, Kaine or Sebelius would have done.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

I think these ads are generally pretty weak tea, but here is McCain's first ad using Biden's "previous statements" about Obama and McCain:

It is an obvious shot of course and there is more of that to come. But it really does not mean that much because Biden can make some new video now blasting McCain and praising Obama. Of course, that is why the Hillary Hating "she can't be VP because she said bad things about Obama" argument was so ridiculous. But logic never had anything to do with it.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Hillary's response:

In naming my colleague and friend Senator Joe Biden to be the Vice Presidential nominee, Senator Obama has continued in the best traditions for the Vice Presidency by selecting an exceptionally strong, experienced leader and devoted public servant. Senator Biden will be a purposeful and dynamic Vice President who will help Senator Obama both win the Presidency and govern this great country.

Kos says:

This has been the best veep rollout EVER. . . . [I]s there a better example than this that old media is getting left out in the cold?

Of course, CNN broke the story last night, so, so much for that. But let's stop for a second and think about this - the story breaks in the middle of the night Friday (I found out 30 minutes ago) and the news "frenzy," such at is, begins on a Saturday morning. Hell of a rollout. Not.

Think what you want about Biden, and I think that given Obama's stubborn and wrongheaded unwillingness to pick Hillary Clinton and put a lock on the election, Biden was the best choice politically that Obama was willing to make (imagine the political disaster if he had picked Sebelius). But the rollout of Biden was disastrously bad, unless the idea is to make sure as few people know as possible. Half of the country will not know until Monday when the Convention starts. Obama should have announced Biden last Monday. An F for the Obama campaign on the mechanics of the rollout.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

The Associated Press' analysis of Sen. Barack Obama's pick of Joe Biden to be his VP: It shows a lack of confidence on Obama's part:

The candidate of change went with the status quo. In picking Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate, Barack Obama sought to shore up his weakness — inexperience in office and on foreign policy — rather than underscore his strength as a new-generation candidate defying political conventions.

The AP lists the non-status quo choices available to Obama, all of whom got glossed over. [More...]

CNN just read a statement from John McCain. Completely predictable. He points out that Joe Biden said Barack Obama is not qualified to be President. I guess we can expect that video to be replayed ad nauseum.

Joe Biden to the New Hampshire Leader in 2007:

Biden was generally critical of the far left wing of his party and of the strategies the frontrunners are using to win the nomination.

He said Democrats would do better if they stopped dividing the electorate by playing to their base and instead brought people together. He criticized the left wing of his party for demonizing the rich and Republicans.

“Rich folks are as patriotic as poor folks, but we don’t talk that way,” he said.

Biden also talked about his electoral strategy:[More...]

Bump and Update: CNN confirms at 12:43 am ET that it is Joe Biden. So the world didn't find out by text message after all. The mainstream media learned it from highly placed sources. Nothing new here.

It's a love-fest on CNN. Their reporters are probably all hoping for the first one-on-one interview. I'm sure the law enforcement community is also clapping. What a disappointing choice.

(B.B.King, The Thrill is Gone)

Looks like it's a done deal. CNN confirms it's not Kaine, Bayh or Clinton. The Secret Service has been dispatched to Casa Biden and a Netjets plane left Chicago Midway for Delaware.

The text message will go out tomorrow morning. As I wrote here:

For all the change that Obama promised to bring to politics in Washington, how's Obama going to explain driving up with Joe Biden in his father's Oldsmobile?

Big Tent Democrat called it correctly. Is anyone besides me extremely unhappy with Joe Biden, the ultimate crime warrior, on the ticket?

One of my favorite Joe Biden gaffes below:

Well, for one thing, it would explain burying it on a Friday/Saturday. Talk about a snorefest.

Here is some silly stuff to make you think it could be Bayh - First this site was redirecting to Obama home site until a few minutes ago. Then this.

I say it is Biden and that since Obama will not pick Hillary and Clark is under the bus, imo, then Biden is his next best choice POLITICALLY.

This is yet another Open Thread because Jeralyn went out to dinner and I am sedated now. You're on your own until Jeralyn or Chris come back. So behave.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

So says one of the musicians that plays with him.

No word yet what night or what event. Will he be the intro at Obama's acceptance speech?

More music: Lifetime Networks and Rock the Vote will feature Ashanti at an Every Woman Counts event Tuesday night at the Cowboy Lounge.

The big Rock the Vote ballot bash is Monday night, followed by a private party. FALL OUT BOY, N*E*R*D and Jakob Dylan will headline the main event at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, while the official afterparty will feature D.J. Nick Cannon.