When Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the Presidency in February of last year on the steps of the Old Illinois State Capitol, I was the last person who thought he would be back today as the presumptive nominee and Delaware Senator Joe Biden at his side as a Vice-Presidential pick.

I figured the Hillary Clinton juggernaut would have claimed victory or Democrats would have give John Edwards a shot.  I mean let’s face it, Barack’s a nice guy, but President?  Whatever. But somehow that guy who is my older sister’s neighbor in Hyde Park got the nod. I will give him credit for doing it the old fashioned way, being more organized than his opponents.

Now with Biden at his side, the presumptive nominee moves into new territory as well as new challenges. Although Biden helps with foreign policy and experience credentials, Barack is really going to need him to drive home a message that can connect with working class white voters.

Expect the two to tie John McCain to George W. Bush at every opportune moment while driving a message that the guy with a funny sounding name and conspiracy theories about his place of birth is really one of us.

They had more than 15,000 (predominately white) people show up today.  Not bad, but they’ll get bigger props if they can do it in other places.

During his afternoon speech Biden repeatedly hit on themes that his working class story while different from Barack’s shared a common theme; rising up from small roots, facing challenges and achieving the American dream.

Can Biden do it?  We’ll see.  The two are on their way to Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Montana and Colorado.

Barack Obama has picked Delaware Senator Joe Biden to be his running mate. 

Here’s U.S. senator Dick lugar’s reaction, “I congratulate Senator Barack Obama on his selection of my friend, Senator Joe Biden, to be his vice-presidential running mate. I have enjoyed for many years the opportunity to work with Joe Biden to bring strong bipartisan support to United States foreign policy.

“I share the disappointment of many Hoosiers that my partner in the Senate, Evan Bayh, was not selected on this occasion, but I believe he will continue to have widespread support for higher office during many years ahead.”

Lugar made his statement while en route to Tbilisi, Georgia.

I’m off to cover the event.  It will be a long, fun day, for a politcal junkie like me.

Barack Obama’s text message finally came through at 3:08 this morning. (Just after the nightly news on the West Coast wrapped up.)

Obama has selected Joe Biden to be his VP.

We now return to our regular political programming.

One credible cable news network is reporting that Evan Bayh and Tim Kaine are out of the VP stakes and the text message announcement will come tomorrow at 10am.

Radio talk show host Alan Colmes is tracking a plane from Midway airport in Chicago to New Castle, Deleware.  (Joe Biden lives there.)

I am in Springfield, IL (my other home) tonight washing clothes and getting ready to go the Obama rally tomorrow.

This now officially ridiculous.

I’m not trying to rain on anyone’s parade, but let’s not make too much of the mysterious Obama goings-on that may or may not be happening in Indianapolis on Saturday.

Could it be the Democratic presidential candidate coming here to tap U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh as his running mate?

Absolutely. And I hope that’s the case. In fact, the past two nights, I’ve been jolted out of sleep by all-too-realistic dreams that Bayh will be the pick.

However, in case it’s escaped your notice, Indiana is conveniently located between Illinois, Obama’s home state where he’s having a big rally at noon on Saturday, and Ohio, arguably the swingiest state in the nation.

So, while it’s all well and good to imagine that this will be the unveiling of Obama-Bayh ‘08, it could just be one of many campaign stops in states where Obama is spending beaucoup bucks trying to pick up electoral votes.