Where’s Joe Biden?

Not recalling any recent campaign stop that featured the two candidates on the Democratic ticket, I did a search for where Sen. Joe Biden has been lately. He’s a longtime, hard-working member of Congress who is used to the rigors of campaigning. But there’s been scant news about him.

Here’s the rundown as I could piece it together: 

“In Rust Belt, Biden rips McCain, but is anyone listening?” – Houston Chronicle. That came up in a Google search, though trying to connect to the story was a futile exercise. It’s not available. Or ‘no such article exists’ is the actual message the link pulls up.

But he has been busy out on the campaign trail.

Biden has been in Ohio, one of the most important swing states. It was at the end of the toughest week for the financial system since the Depression.

Vice presidential candidate Joe Biden ended his two-day bus tour through Ohio here last night after a full day of touting Barack Obama’s economic plan for middle-class families mixed with some tough criticism of Sen. John McCain’s ideas on the economy.

Biden has been in southern Virginia.

Joe Biden attended an annual outdoor Virginia fish fry this afternoon, where he addressed union members from the United Mining Workers of America.

Calling John McCain a great soldier but not a wise leader, Biden warned rural gunowners that Republicans would use the Second Amendment to scare voters out of choosing a Democratic ticket.

“I guarantee you, Barack Obama ain’t taking my shotguns, so don’t buy that malarkey. Don’t buy that malarkey. They’re going to start peddling that to you. I got two, if he tries to fool with my Beretta, he’s got a problem. I like that little over and under, you know? I’m not bad with it.”

Biden is working hard for Obama.

In his first visit to Southwest Virginia, Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden, speaking at the United Mine Workers’ annual fish fry here on Saturday, was quick to tout his ties to coal.

“I hope you won’t hold it against me, but I am a hard-coal miner, anthracite coal, Scranton, Pa.,” Biden said. “It’s nice to be back in coal country. … It’s a different accent [in Southwest Virginia] … but it’s the same deal. We were taught that our faith and our family was the only really important thing, and our faith and our family informed everything we did.”

But he hasn’t appeared lately with the candidate, Barack Obama.

In the meantime, the two candidates on the Republican ticket are turning their campaign into a roadshow.

Barnstorming through battleground states together, John McCain and Sarah Palin have developed a buddy act that brings an energy and focus not present when McCain campaigns alone. Before he added Palin to a ticket encumbered with the now-unpopular Republican brand, McCain’s events were sparsely attended and sometimes listless. That has all changed.

McCain’s team has the running mates appear together far more often than is the norm, forfeiting the mathematical advantage of covering two states at a time in order to keep them side by side, resulting in seemingly quadruple the effect, excitement and resonance.

This Time, not exactly a Republican cheerleader. But this is also undeniably a new dynamic. Time reports it with color and animation…which the campaign has seized, for the moment.

Both McCain and Palin brag about the other one’s accomplishments and seem increasingly comfortable engaging in banter. Their crusty warhorse/feisty newcomer interplay, complete with exaggerated facial expressions and playful physicality, have created an unforeseen alchemy (a grander, graver version of Regis and Kelly). The old senator and young governor stay unswervingly on message, delivering both the positive and negative storylines that are key for any successful campaign.

Soon, the candidates will square off individually for the presidential and vice-presidential debates. In the meantime, will Biden campaign with Obama? Both strategies have merit….cover more territory by splitting up, versus winning over crowds as a personable roadshow. The way they’re going about their strategy right now tells a lot about the two campaigns.