Biden visits Cheney, calls foreign leaders
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dick Cheney, considered one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history, welcomed Vice President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday for a tour of his new home to be.
Biden with his wife Jill met Cheney and his wife Lynne at Washington's Naval Observatory, which serves as the official vice presidential residence, for about 50 minutes. President George W. Bush greeted his successor President-elect Barack Obama at the White House on Monday.
Under a cold, dark mist, the two couples greeted each other with warmly on the house's wrap-around porch and Cheney congratulated Biden on his victory.
"The Bidens thank the Cheneys for welcoming them into their home and for their gracious hospitality," said his spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander. Before entering, Biden told reporters he had only previously been on the main floor of the house, which is located about two miles from the White House.
"The Cheneys enjoyed giving the Bidens a tour of the residence and wished them well as they make it their home in January," said Cheney spokeswoman Megan Mitchell.
As a senator from Delaware, Biden previously commuted daily the 80 minutes from his Wilmington home rather than buying or renting a place in Washington like many other lawmakers.
A Democratic official said earlier Biden has selected former Al Gore aide Ron Klain to be his chief of staff.
Biden also spent part of this week returning congratulatory calls from foreign leaders including Afghan President Hamid Karzai and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, a spokesman for the transition said. (Reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky in Washington and Steve Holland in Chicago; Editing by Bill Trott)
