Biden's father, Joseph R. Biden Sr., who died in 2002 at age 86, was born in Baltimore and moved to Wilmington, Del., as a boy. Genealogical records show that the younger Biden's great-great-grandparents married in Baltimore in 1852, and published reports indicate that his great-grandfather was a Chesapeake Bay waterman.
Biden has looked to Maryland for fundraising help. Lawyer and Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos, a regular contributor to Democrats, is among his top donors, the Web site Politico reported.
Like Maryland, Delaware is expected to land in the Democratic column this year, but with only three electoral votes, the state carries scant national significance.
But his selection nonetheless offers some strategic help, O'Malley said.
Because of Delaware's size and proximity, "it's almost like he's the third senator in Pennsylvania, which is a swing state," O'Malley said. "Also, he is Roman Catholic, and that is a critical bloc of voters in a national election."
He is also regarded as an aggressive campaigner with an ability to deliver sharp attacks.
Brushing aside concerns about Biden's well-known propensity for speechifying, O'Malley said, "I think his eloquence and his quick wit enable him to be a very effective counterpuncher to the anonymous 527s and the mudslinging that John McCain is going to encourage his allies to engage in."
Biden has been a national figure for decades, and his associates include a number of Marylanders.
State Democratic Party Chairman Michael E. Cryor was a deputy campaign manager during Biden's brief run for the White House in 1988, which collapsed amid charges that he had plagiarized a speech.
"Folks I worked with became players," said Cryor, who said the calls he was fielding yesterday indicated significant enthusiasm for the ticket.
"He brings something to the ticket that people want to see," Cryor said. "I think the party need not run away from the idea that Biden counters the message of change."
Baltimore Sun reporter Paul West contributed to this article.
