Barack Obama’s once healthy lead in polls has sagged in recent weeks, seemingly the result of a number of converging trends and occurrences. Firstly, his rival John McCain’s hawkishness against Russia appeared validated by that country’s intervention in Georgia. Secondly, McCain’s prescription of off-shore drilling for oil as a panacea for high petrol prices resonated well with voters, many of whom have been hit hard by rising energy costs. Thirdly, Obama seemed to have lost his touch for translating policies into punchy slogans and media-friendly sound-bytes, a talent which had helped him secure the Democratic Party’s nomination during the gruelling primary process. Finally, media fatigue and a holiday in Hawaii diminished the spotlight on Obama for a few weeks. With the race effectively tied just over two months before the elections, Obama’s choice of running mate was suddenly imbued with particular significance.

The revelation on Saturday that Senator Joseph Biden would be Obama’s vice presidential nominee is surprising, though perhaps mostly for its conservativeness. Biden beat out several other reported contenders, including Indiana Senator Evan Bayh and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, in what was certainly a carefully calculated decision by Obama and his advisers. However, it is too early to know what kind of impact Biden will have as the vice presidential nominee. His personality, background and policies mean that he could prove either a boon or a liability for the Obama campaign.

Biden’s biggest assets are experience — he has served more than half his life in the Senate — and foreign policy expertise, both traits that Obama is widely perceived as lacking. Yet until this point, Obama has downplayed McCain’s years of experience, arguing that his own sound judgement is of greater value in a president, despite his greenness. Obama cites his opposition of, and McCain’s support for, the Iraq War as ample evidence. Obama has also claimed for many months that his personal experiences, living in Indonesia and visiting such places as Pakistan and Kenya, set him apart from other American politicians, and more than compensate for his lack of diplomatic expertise.

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