Biden a man of quick wit, depth and gaffes

If Joe Biden becomes vice president, expect to hear variations of this from his boss every now and then: What Joe meant to say was ...

The Delaware senator has played to type in the campaign. He was charming when it most counted, in his debate with Sarah Palin. He was an agile advocate of policy on the stump, with a grounding in foreign and domestic affairs honed over more than three decades in politics.

With a sharp tongue, he took the fight to Republican presidential nominee John McCain, as vice presidential picks are often expected to …