Durbin Says Biden Pros Outweigh Cons

Senior Illinois Senator Feels Presumptive VP Nominee Can Be Bridge To Clinton Camp

by Kirk Victor

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008


Probably no senator is closer to Barack Obama than Richard Durbin, his fellow Illinoisan. So it's no surprise that as the Democratic presidential nominee closed in on his choice of a running mate, he conferred with Durbin, who had encouraged Obama to jump into the presidential race and was his first Senate colleague to endorse him.

Durbin, the majority whip--the No. 2 Democratic floor leader--says he chatted with Obama about three weeks ago and went over the strengths and weaknesses of the VP candidates. The lawmaker says he was pleased when Obama chose Joseph Biden.

Durbin, 63, knows Biden well, having served with him on the Judiciary Committee as it dealt with a slew of contentious issues. He's clearly a fan. When pressed on whether the 65-year-old Delaware senator, who has chaired both the Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees, could settle comfortably into the No. 2 slot behind a youthful, 47-year-old chief executive, Durbin said he had no doubt that that question was resolved in the vetting process.

"I am certain it was discussed between Barack and Joe, because it really is a question as to whether someone who has been an independent agent as a senator for so many decades can now work with or for a president," he said. "He'll be someone deeply involved in the decision-making and in making certain that the policies are successful. I don't think Joe would have taken it any other way."

Durbin also said that Biden is positioned to help woo disaffected supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's bid. "I watched Joe carefully and he made a conscious effort not to endorse until Hillary Clinton had withdrawn," Durbin said. "I thought at the time if Joe Biden were considering the vice presidency, it was a wise move. It left him in a position of being a bridge to the Clinton people who might not otherwise come around."

Durbin downplays the risk of Biden's tendency to go off-message and commit embarrassing gaffes. "Joe appreciates his weakness of being too loquacious," Durbin said. "He knows what's at stake here. Every single one of us in political life has said one word too many or one sentence too many. I think you are going to find that Joe Biden is much more of an asset than any liability that a few gaffes might make."

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