Today on Meet The Press Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) said that he would run with Obama if he was asked, but also said that he doesn’t want the Obama campaign to ask. “Unlike most other people, I’m being straight with you. If asked, I will do it. I’ve made it clear I do not want to be asked,” Biden said.

However, if Obama asked, he would accept, “If the presidential nominee thought I could help him win, am I going to say to the first African-American candidate about to make history in the world that, “No, I will not help you out like you want me to”? Of course, I’m–I’ll say yes.”

In other words, Biden is saying that he doesn’t want the job, but if he was asked, he would accept out of a sense of duty to his party and country. With the exception of Dick Cheney, the Vice Presidency has historically been a fairly powerless position. I think that Biden wants a cabinet post in a potential Obama administration, because this is where he could best influence policy, and it seems pretty obvious that Biden wants to be Secretary of State.

Although he doesn’t want the job, Biden’s appearance on Meet The Press today demonstrated why he would be a great running mate. He took apart Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) who apparently didn’t know how far off the coast his own party is proposing to drill for oil.

Biden is knowledgeable, experienced, and tenacious. Reports have had both Biden and Chris Dodd on Obama’s top 20 potential running mates list, but with the recent revelations that Dodd got a special mortgage from Countrywide, and Biden’s lack of interest, it seems that we can cross their names off the list. No matter what he decides, Obama can’t go wrong with putting Joe Biden in any position.

Watch Biden on Meet The Press right here.