Sen. Lugar praises Biden choice

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Sen. Richard Lugar, the senior Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, congratulated Barack Obama for his choice of running mate Saturday.

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., is chairman of the committee. Lugar did say he was disappointed Evan Bayh, who also represents Indiana in the Senate, did not get the nod, Gannett News Service reported.

"I congratulate Sen. Barack Obama on his selection of my friend," Lugar said of Biden. "I have enjoyed for many years the opportunity to work with Joe Biden to bring strong bipartisan support for United States

foreign policy."

Bayh, who also served as governor of Indiana, is believed to have been a leading candidate for vice president.

Gannett said a number of calculations may have gone into Obama's decision to bypass him, including his vote for a federal ban on so-called partial-birth abortion. A big one may have been the possibility that his Senate seat would have ended up going to a Republican.

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