Local, national reaction to Biden as Obama's VP

"In naming my colleague and friend Sen. Joe Biden to be the vice presidential nominee, Sen. Obama has continued in the best traditions for the vice presidency by selecting an exceptionally strong, experienced leader and devoted public servant. Sen. Biden will be a purposeful and dynamic vice president who will help Sen. Obama both win the presidency and govern this great country."

- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York

"There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama's lack of experience than Joe Biden. Biden has denounced Barack Obama's poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing — that Barack Obama is not ready to be president."

- Ben Porritt, spokesman for the John McCain campaign

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"I think Democrats are excited about Obama and excited about Biden and we feel like we have a ticket that contrasts with George Bush and John McCain. Biden voted for the war but then quickly became one of its most extreme critics. And I think Joe Biden knows how many houses he owns."

— Dwight Pelz, chairman of the Washington State Democratic Party and an Obama delegate

"Six months ago, Joe Biden said Barack Obama was not ready to be president. Biden was right then, he's right today and Washington voters will realize he's right by the November election... No vice presidential nominee can make up for Obama's lack of experience and judgment, especially one whose own words have documented the fact that Obama is not ready to be president."

— Luke Esser, chairman of the Washington State Republican Party

"The No. 1 thing he brings to the ticket is foreign-policy experience. He's been in the Senate for 30 years, chaired the Foreign Relations Committee and worked on these issues a long time. ... He travels extensively and has very close relationships with a lot of the key leaders, certainly in the whole Israel-Palestine area in the Middle East, as well as Pakistan and Europe."

— Congressman Adam Smith, co-chairman of Obama's Washington campaign committee

"I like Joe Biden. ... Many of us were hopeful that [Obama's] selection would be [Sen. Hillary] Clinton and that's disappointing, but again not surprising."

— Linda Mitchell, a Clinton delegate and chair of the National Women's Political Caucus in Washington state

"I've worked side by side with Joe for 16 years in the U.S. Senate and I've seen his dedication to America's families firsthand. Joe has always been willing to take on the tough fights and stand up for what is right even when it's not always the popular thing to do. Joe Biden spoke up for domestic violence protections for women when no one else was talking about it. He fought for the armor our troops need and deserve to do their jobs safely in Iraq. And he has stood with me time and again to protect our veterans, workers and children."

— statement of Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a Clinton super delegate

"I think compared to the others that we read were on Sen. Obama's list — Gov. [Tim] Kaine [of Virginia] and [Indiana Sen.] Evan Bayh — I think that Biden is probably better known nationally."

— Helen Howell, chair of the Obama delegation to the Democratic National Convention

"I think he's made a great pick with Joe Biden. It's not just foreign policy. He has expertise in matters of the judiciary, in his work for families."

- Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine

"We now have the ticket that's going to bring the change we've all been hoping for. I join all of the members of the Senate Democratic caucus in congratulating Joe Biden — a great friend, a great Democrat, and now our party's nominee for vice president."

— Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Seattle Times staff reporter Benjamin J. Romano contributed to this report.