PHOENIX -- Arizona political leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, agreed that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama made a good choice for a running mate in veteran Delaware Sen. Joe Biden.

While Democrats cited Biden's expertise in foreign policy and on other issues, Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen was glad Biden got the call because he didn't want Hillary Clinton to be on the Democratic ticket with Obama.

"That was the best pick that they could have put together, so we are happy that turned out not to be the ticket," Pullen said.

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said the Obama-Biden ticket will not appeal to all Democrats, in Arizona and elsewhere.

"If you are a left-of-center person in Arizona, they may be the ticket that you want to support," Kyl said. "But, if you're more of a center or right-of-center person, their very liberal voting record, I think, wouild not commend itself to you."

Kyl said he doubted Obama's selection of Biden will have much effect on McCain's choice of a running mate on the Republican ticket.

"I'm sure that he's done is to winnow it down to just a couple of people would be my guess," the senator said. "But I don't think that John's decision will be unduly influenced by the selection of Joe Biden."

McCain will choose a running mate who has heavy experience on issues where he is light, Kyl said.

Former Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Warner, who is a delegate to the Democratic convention, would have liked Hillary Clinton on the ticket, but urged fellow Democrats to get behind Obama.

"A vote for McCain is essentially a Roe vs. Wade overturning vote," said Warner, referring to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling which legalized abortion. Warner appeared on the Jay Lawrence Show on News/Talk 92-3 KTAR.

Another delegate to the Democratic convention, former Congressman Sam Coppersmith, was undaunted by McCain's immediate response to Biden's selection, pointing out that Biden had said earlier in the campaign that Obama was not ready to be president.

"Imagine if Barack Obama had chosen Hillary Clinton -- she's said a lot worse things about Obama than did Joe Biden," Coppersmith said.

Immigrants' rights activist Elias Bermudez, a McCain supporter, said he does not think Obama and Biden have a strong knowledge of border issues.

"I have always appreciated and respected the opinions of Senator Biden, but, as far as Arizonans are concerned, I don't think he's going to swing a border state in favor of Obama," he said.

Bermudez said the Democrats "have two candidates who are from the Midwest and Northeast where the problems of the border are very far away."

He said, "I think illegal immigration is a big problem in our state and in our nation, and I don't know if [the Democrats] are going to care to do anything about it if they win the presidency."