The Tick Tock of the Biden Pick

Reporting by TIME's Jay Newton-Small:

Obama met with Biden to discuss the vice presidency at least once in the last month. He made his decision in the last week and informed the three other finalists (Sebellius, Kaine and Bayh) from a bus in Virginia on Thursday. He also called Biden who accepted on the spot. The war in Georgia did not influence his decision, though he considered Biden's foreign policy strength a plus along with the facts that he has a record of reaching across the aisle and he never forgot where he comes from.

When asked about the lateness of the roll out David Plouffe said they had always planned on this timing. "Obviously he had the vacation in Hawaii," Plouffe said. "And with the convention coming up it seemed like a natural time to do it."

When asked about holding the event on a Saturday Plouffe said: "It's a beautiful crowd. I think everyone in America will know who he picked."