Michael Cryor, chair of the Maryland Democratic Party, praised presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s choice of Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) as a running mate.

Cryor, who worked on Biden’s first presidential campaign in 1988, called the selection “smart and strategic.”

“He is extremely capable on matters of foreign policy and international affairs, and his ability to frame the complex issues facing America in simple terms is a gift,” said Cryor in a statement. “As importantly, he will be helpful to the campaign's effort to win the adjacent states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.”