The Obama-Biden Team Takes its First Campaign Swing

Corey Dade reports from Battle Creek, Mich., on the presidential race. Maybe the folksiness of Sen. Joe Biden is rubbing off on Sen. Barack Obama because as they campaigned together this weekend for the first time, the Democratic presidential nominee is sounding more ordinary. The newly formed Democratic ticket barnstormed the Midwest on a tour that bore the homespun charm and candor for which Obama’s running mate is well known. With each stop, he appeared more comfortable playing off Biden and ditching his oratorical flourishes for a simpler, unvarnished delivery. From his home state of Pennsylvania on Friday to Michigan on Sunday night, Biden, the “scrappy kid from Scranton,” and Obama introduced themselves as everyday guys who understand the hardships brought to the region by the weak economy. Whenever he could, Biden, who represents Delaware, warmed up audiences with his robust sense of humor, as he did Saturday evening at a rally in a high school football ... (link)