Joe Biden's constituents say he is as comfortable on the plant floor as the Senate floor. Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Joe Biden's been called "a rare mix" among politicians. The Democratic senator from Delaware has worked for decades in Washington, but he's never lived there. He's a foreign policy expert, whose heart and values are firmly rooted in the middle class, and he's someone who has stared down dictators and spoken up for the little guy.

When Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama announced in Springfield, Ill., that he'd selected Biden to join him on the Democratic ticket, he called him "a rare mix" who has "brought change to Washington, but Washington hasn't changed him."

Sam Lathem of Bear, Del., knows Joe. And most residents of the First State feel as if they do, too.

Despite its small size, Delaware is home to two large UAW-represented auto plants: Chrysler's Newark Assembly and GM's Wilmington Assembly facilities.

"Delaware's a small state, so you might run into him at the grocery store or in a restaurant. If you called the state and just asked for ‘Joe,' you'd probably get him," said Lathem, a 39-year UAW Local 1183 member who retired in 2004 from Chrysler LLC's Newark (Del.) Assembly plant.

Calling him a great labor man, Lathem said Biden is "the real thing" who understands manufacturing and its role in building a strong economy.

"As they say in politics, he's ‘danced with the one that brung him.' The UAW goes way back with Joe. He's not a wealthy senator like most of them. He's one of us, and he really gets it," Lathem said.

In Denver at the Democratic National Convention, Lathem saw Biden at a delegate breakfast.

"It was the first time we'd all seen him since the announcement of him being on the ticket," said Lathem, also president of the Delaware AFL-CIO. "We were crying, and it was a bit overwhelming for those of us there."

"But you know, even when he's ‘Mr. Vice President,' he'll still be just Joe to us," Lathem added.

Al Parton worked with Biden in the 1970s during the U.S. government bailout of the Chrysler Corp. with the UAW and then-chairman Lee Iacocca. "Joe was real involved in that, and he never gave up," Parton said.

Parton, a 36-year member and Local 1183 retiree out of Newark Assembly who lives in Middletown, Del., added: "Joe's an honest man, very up front, and he represents Delaware well."

The 65-year-old Biden has been in the Senate since 1973, when at 29 he launched an improbable bid and unseated a two-term Republican.

"He's a labor man, a good family man," said Parton, who chairs the UAW Region 8 Retirees Chapter. "Sen. Obama made a good choice."

In Springfield, Biden said Republican presidential nominee John McCain is "genuinely a friend of mine" and has "served our country with extraordinary courage."

But he also said the "harsh truth" is that McCain's policies have been too close to those of President Bush.

"You can't change America when you know your first four years as president will look exactly like the last eight years of George Bush's presidency," Biden said, adding:

"These times call for a total change in Washington's world view. These times require more than a good soldier. They require a wise leader."

Lathem, Parton and most of Delaware already know what Joe can do.

Now it's the rest of the nation's turn.

"Joe reaches out to blue-collar workers in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania. He comes from Scranton (Pa.), and he's a real family man. He cares about things like health care for all and a decent wage. All those things are important to Joe as well as you and me," Lathem said.

Jennifer John

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