McCain better fit for California than Obama/Biden, GOP says

California Republicans painted an east/west divide Saturday in comparing the presumptive Democratic presidential ticket of U.S. Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden to that of presumptive Republican nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

"I think it's important for California to realize that we have two eastern senators on one ticket, and then you have Senator McCain, who is often referred to as California's third senator," said Bill Jones, chair of the state's delegation to the GOP convention and a former California Secretary of State, in a Saturday afternoon conference call with reporters.

"On the policy issues that matter to California, like energy, national security and economic growth, Senator McCain has the character, leadership and experience we need," Jones said.

On the call, Jones and California Republican Party chair Ron Nehring both made note of how Biden had said Obama lacked the experience to be president during the Democratic presidential primary campaign.

"I'd be very curious to know whether Joe Biden still holds that view," Nehring said. "He said we certainly don't need a president who needs on-the-job training, and we would agree with that."

Many observers said Obama picked Biden to help balance the ticket in areas where Obama was perceived as weak, such as foreign policy experience.

But Jones drew a contrast between that and in 2000, when then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush selected former U.S. Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney as his running mate for what many observers said were the same reasons.

"I don't believe Dick Cheney ever said about George W. Bush what Joe Biden has said about Barack Obama," Jones said. "It's highly unusual for a running mate to be that critical of the candidate he's with on a topic like that."

McCain, whose own convention begins in St. Paul, Minn., a week from Monday, is expected to introduce his vice presidential candidate late next week.