US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has introduced veteran Senator Joe Biden as his running mate at a rally in Springfield, Illinois.
Mr Obama hailed Mr Biden as a "man with a distinguished record and a fundamental decency".
Mr Obama's confirmed his choice of running mate overnight on his website and with a text message after the news began to leak to the media.
The two men are making their first appearance following the announcement.
Mr Obama outlined Mr Biden's accomplishments in the Senate, his blue-collar roots and - above all - his Obama picks Biden as running-mate ...
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"He's an expert on foreign policy whose heart and values are rooted firmly in the middle class," Mr Obama said.
He also emphasised Mr Biden's drive for change, despite his 30 years spent in the Capitol.
"For decades, he has brought change to Washington, but Washington hasn't changed him," Mr Obama said.
He recounted the personal tragedy that struck Mr Biden more than 30 years ago, within days of his election to the Senate, when his first wife and their daughter were killed in a car accident.
After being introduced, a shirt-sleeved Mr Biden ran onto the stage and was embraced by Mr Obama to cheers from the crowd.
Veteran politician
Mr Biden, a 65-year-old veteran lawmaker, is highly respected on foreign policy and is a six-term senator who serves on the powerful Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
He has represented the state of Delaware in the US Senate since 1972.
The Democratic campaign will be hoping his presence will reassure voters who are concerned about Barack Obama's relative inexperience, particularly in the international arena, says the BBC's Rachel Harvey at the rally.
And, crucially, Senator Biden also appeals to working class Americans and hails from Pennsylvania, a key swing state in this election, our correspondent adds.
Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's camp called the choice of Mr Biden an admission by Barack Obama that he was not ready to be president.
John McCain has reportedly not yet settled on a running mate.
(BBC)
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