Obama Chooses Sen. Biden as Running Mate

The U.S. Democratic Party`s presidential nominee Barack Obama has chosen Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate before the party`s national convention, which begins Monday in Denver.

Biden is a foreign policy expert who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The Republican Party will announce its nominee John McCain’s running mate by the end of this week and hold its convention Sept. 1-4.

The nomination of vice presidential candidates ushers the 70-day countdown until the election Nov. 4, after the primaries that began Jan. 3 in Iowa.

The latest polls showed the two contenders in a close race, but with Obama having a slight edge.

In a Washington Post-ABC News poll Saturday, Obama led McCain 49 percent versus 45 percent among registered voters.

After naming Biden as his running mate Saturday, Obama held their first joint rally in Illinois in the afternoon.

The 65-year-old Biden, a senator for 36 years, is a seasoned expert in diplomacy and defense. He has been involved in issues related to the Korean Peninsula several times.

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