Obama introduces Biden as his running mate

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Democratic U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama introduced Joe Biden as his running mate Saturday, calling Biden a man of integrity.

Speaking to supporters gathered in Springfield, Ill., Obama called Biden a "man with a distinguished record and a fundamental decency."

"For decades, he has brought change to Washington, but Washington hasn't changed him," Obama said of the Delaware senator.

Obama also described Biden was a "leader who is ready to step in and be president."

Biden, in turn, said he learned from campaigning and debating against Obama in the primaries that the Illinois senator "has steel in his spine."

Aside from Saturday's event, the candidates won't make any joint appearances until next week's Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Unlike Obama, Biden, 65, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he initially supported the Iraq invasion, voting to authorize the war. But eventually he became a strong critic of President George Bush's Iraq position, The New York Times reported.

Biden is also Catholic, although he favors abortion rights. Up for re-election this year, he would likely run for both positions, the Times said.

The campaign of presumptive Republican presidential nominee, John McCain was quick to react to the news.

"There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama's lack of experience than Joe Biden," said a statement from McCain campaign spokesman Ben Porritt, CNN reported.

The statement went on to say Biden "has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing -- that Barack Obama is not ready to be president."