Magazzu: 'It is like having somebody from South Jersey running for Vice President'

Cumberland County Democratic Chairman and Freeholder Director Lou Magazzu said that Barack Obama’s choice of Joe Biden as his running mate will add five or six points to Obama’s vote in South Jersey.

Cumberland sits just across the Delaware River from Biden’s home state of Delaware.

“I think it’s an amazing day,” said Magazzu, who’s in Chicago on business and for a moment considered making the three-and-a-half hour drive to Springfield to watch Obama and Biden this afternoon.

Magazzu first met Biden 10 years ago on an Amtrak train to Washington, DC. Over the years, the two have developed a relationship, with Biden even crossing the river to raise money for Magazzu’s party.

“It is like having somebody from South Jersey running for Vice President.”

Magazzu said he wished he could have supported Biden for president, but backed Clinton to demonstrate unification with local party leaders.

Still, despite the bump Magazzu predicts in South Jersey, he believes Obama locked this state up anyway. And while Biden will no doubt help in other states, like Pennsylvania, Magazzu said the choice shows that Obama is making the decision based on how he’ll govern, not how he’ll win the election.

“Someone could make the analysis on the political point that [Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh or Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine] would have made more sense, but on governing, there’s no better choice than Joe Biden.”