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With the Democratic National Convention in full swing this week, People has a cool interview with Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden, along with their lovely spouses, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden. Here’s the beginning …

Q: This is the first mate you’ve chosen since Michelle.

Barack Obama: That’s a good point.

Michelle Obama: Barack is looking for people who will challenge him, who will tell him no.

Barack Obama: That’s exactly what you need [in a vice-president].

Michelle Obama: That’s why he married me. (Laughs.) So I’d tell Sen. Biden, don’t pull any punches.

Q: Now, if Sen. Biden starts yelling at you about picking up your socks …

Barack Obama: Then we’re in trouble. Don’t do that, Joe.

Joe Biden: Don’t worry.

Q: How did you pop the question?

Barack Obama: I called his office and they had to hunt him down. When I finally got him, he said he was at the dentist’s. I realized later that he was being a doting husband, looking after [Jill Biden] during a root canal.

Q: How did Sen. Biden tell the family?

Jill Biden: My granddaughter, Maisy, turned 8 and we were having a little birthday party for her. We had just finished blowing out the candles and were cutting the cake. Joe said to everybody, ‘Hey, I have something that I’d like to announce.’ And he said, ‘Barack called me and asked me to be vice-president.’ Everybody – I get so emotional when I think about it – everybody clapped and started hugging.

 
Joe Biden: Every single birthday, all of our kids and grandkids – no matter where they are – they come home to our house. We have this big, old farm table [in the kitchen], and that’s where we were. Maisy was totally unfazed. She said, ‘Pop, can I have some more ice cream cake?’

Q: Sen. Biden, are you ready to hit the basketball court with Barack?

Joe Biden: Hell yeah, man.

Jill Biden: He plays with the grandkids; we have a basketball hoop. He can train with Maisy.

Joe Biden: I can’t keep up with Maisy! The one thing I want my kids to remember about me is that I was an athlete. The hell with the rest of this stuff.

Continue reading this interview here