Biden the Longest-Serving Legislator Ever on a National Ticket

Here's a fun little fact -- at no time in the 232 year history of the Republic have we ever had a major party nominee for President or Vice President who has served longer in Congress than Joe Biden.

Considering Senate service alone, and Biden is a clear winner. This Wikipedia list of the longest serving Senators and House members begins at 36 years, the milestone Biden is now approaching. No Senator on the list has run on a national ticket, and were Biden to return to the Senate in January, he would be the 14th longest serving Senator ever. In the current Congress, Biden ranks just behind Ted Stevens in seniority. His selection after 36 years is roughly analogous to Robert Byrd or Strom Thurmond being named VP in the early '90s. That's how long Joe Biden has been a part of Washington.

Considering combined House and Senate service, only Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky, Harry Truman's Vice President, served 36 years. Since Congressional terms started later in that era, Biden is the longest-serving at the time of his selection.

Partisans on different sides can choose to see this different ways. Obama supporters will laud Biden's experience, though Hillary Clinton, whose experience they scoffed at, is a piker compared to Biden. Biden was first elected senator from Delaware on the McGovern ticket.

Either way, Obama's selection of someone on the same category as Ted Stevens, Daniel Inouye, Ted Kennedy, and Robert Byrd is historically unprecedented. This is change?