Vilsack: Biden pick is a 'bookend' to his own political career

DENVER -- Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack said that despite the months he spent hoping that this week in Colorado he would become the Democratic presidential nominee he hasn't thought once about the fact it is obviously not going to happen.

In an interview outside of Iowa's delegation breakfast, he said that instead he was reminiscing on his political career as a whole. In 1986 he and his wife Christie began traveling around Iowa as youth coordinators for Joe Biden's 1988 presidential run. It was during that campaign that Biden quoted a phrase saying when people don't get involved in politics then the ones who do will be less qualified.

"It was the thought in my mind when I first ran for office," said Vilsack, discussing how he ran for mayor of Mount Pleasant after the mayor had been shot dead. "So in a way the fact that Biden will be on this ticket is the perfect bookmark for my own political career."

After serving as mayor, Vilsack became a state senator and then in 1998 became governor. He served as governor for eight years before exploring a presidential run. In fact, just days after Iowa voters picked his successor he became the first major Democratic presidential candidate to announce his candidacy. Citing fundraising troubles he left the campaign in March 2007 and endorsed Hillary Clinton. He was named her campaign's national co-chair.

He said that when a roll call vote will be held Wednesday night he plans to vote for Clinton on the first vote and then unanimously vote along with Iowa for Obama. He has a vote at the convention because he is a Clinton delegate, but is not a superdelegate.