3am text a nod to Clinton attack

AMERICAN presidential hopeful Barack Obama texted supporters shortly after 3am on Saturday to announce Senator Joe Biden of Delaware as his vice presidential candidate — in time for the Democratic party’s national convention which begins in Denver today.

It is speculated the 3am timing was meant to evoke memories of an attack ad run by Hillary Clinton, questioning whether Obama would be ready to lead in the event of a 3am phone call to the Oval Office.

Biden himself got the call from Obama last Thursday — in a dentist’s office while accompanying his wife as she was getting a root canal.

Obama overlooked his old rival Clinton and more youthful charismatic options in favour of a 65-year-old Irish-American political veteran noted for liberal views and political gaffes.

And, less than 10 hours after the news broke, both men appeared on stage together at a rally of 20,000 people in Springfield, Illinois.

In his speech Sen Biden immediately indicated what he would bring to the campaign with his working class credentials and popularity among groups who previously supported Clinton.

“I come from a very different place [from Sen Obama] but we share a common story… I was raised as an Irish Catholic in Scranton, Pennsylvania with a father who suffered in tough economic times.

“[I will stand firm for] the cops and firefighters, the teachers and the line workers. The folks who are a measure that the American dream endures,” he said.

Importantly, he is also highly respected in the area of international affairs and chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, buffering contentions a McCain presidency would be better equipped to handle conflicts abroad.

Biden and John McCain are long-time friends who spoke on the phone after the announcement.

This did not prevent Biden from making an immediate attack on McCain, labelling him a man unable to break from the policies of President George W Bush.

After the Democratic Party concludes its four-day convention on Thursday the attention will turn on St Paul, Minnesota, where the Republicans will gather on September 1.

Later tonight Sen Obama’s wife Michelle will be the key-note speaker in Denver along with Nancy Pelosi, speaker at the US House of Representatives.