Politics / Barack Obama 5 Things Revealed by Biden Pick Obama ready for a tough campaign, aware of own policy weaknesses By Drew Nelles, Newser Staff Posted Aug 23, 2008 8:26 PM CDT Copied Barack Obama walks with vice presidential candidate Joe Biden at a rally in front of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill. Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008. (AP Photo) Presidential running mates rarely decide an election, but a candidate's VP choice can reveal his plans, Politico reports. Here's what Joe Biden shows about Barack Obama: Obama is ready for battle: “Biden is a brawler—and the Obama camp is eager to unleash him.” Surprise! Obama is more traditional than his image: “Two male career politicians from the Senate is hardly transformational.” Obama needs Biden’s foreign-policy experience. Obama worries about blue collar votes more than Southern states: Polls indicate that working class whites still distrust him, so he’s playing up Biden’s salt-of-the-earth roots. Obama would rather win than hold a grudge: During the primaries, Biden was an outspoken critic of Obama’s inexperience. (More Barack Obama stories.) Report an error