(1) Few people have ever got excited by Joe Biden as a candidate at the national level, and there have been several chances over a long period including more than one run at the Presidency. I doubt he is likely to arouse much enthusiasm now, especially since he dilutes the whole ‘change’ thing.

(2) It seems extraordinary that Obama would choose one of the few people in American public life with an even better documented history of inventing his life story than Obama has himself. Along with the way Obama has been dissing the Clintons (e.g. by hiring Patti Solis Doyle), it begins to look as though he is a risk-seeker who prefers living dangerously.

(3) This VP choice leaves John McCain with some time and an extremely wide range of options, e.g. to choose a woman. In this sense Biden is now, for a couple of weeks at least, a sitting duck.

I have no idea whether McCain will handle this big opportunity successfully. He seems to do best when dealt a losing hand.