N.H. Biden supporters knew yesterday

MANCHESTER -- Three prominent New Hampshire supporters of Joe Biden in this year's presidential primary were in on the biggest secret in American politics on Friday.

Biden's state chairman Jim Ryan got word from Delaware via a text message at 6 a.m. nearly a full day before the world knew.

"It was the biggest secret I had in my life," said Ryan, who is also a state representative from Franklin. That said, Ryan did tell a small amount of Biden's New Hampshire staff. He also told his wife and his oldest daughter.

"I told her that maybe she can get excited in the backyard, but she can't go to Hannaford and sing 'I know something you don't know.'"

Biden's deputy state director Heidi Mitchell got the news while working in her office.

"My first reaction was of total excitement, but I knew I couldn't do anything about it," she said.

Evan Carlson, Biden's press secretary, said he was "delighted" to hear the news.

"I'm obviously delighted," Carlson said. "My opinion might I think Obama made a great choice."

Carlson added that he thinks Biden will help attract independent voters to the ticket and unite local Democrats.

"Some of these independent voters who like Joe will look at the pick and say Obama made an interesting choice," he said. "I think it will also help unite the party. I think a lot of Clinton supporters liked Joe and this will help the ticket."

But for Ryan it wasn't hard to keep a secret. What was hard is not jumping for joy.

"More than anything else I was so excited. He is absolutely the right pick," Ryan said.