United States Senator Joseph Biden, the veteran foreign policy expert who has been picked by Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama [Images] as his running mate, is also known for his occasional gaffes.

Joe Biden is Obama's running mate

In 2006, some sections of the Indian-American community took offence to his remarks that "you cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent."

However, Biden later said his comments were taken out of context.

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"I was making the point that up until now in my state, we've had a strong Indian community made up of leading scientists and researchers and engineers," Biden had said.

Lately, he said, "We're having middle-class people move to Delaware, take over Dunkin' Donuts, take over businesses, just like other immigrant groups have, and I was saying that ... they're growing, it's moving."

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More recently, Biden was quoted by New York Observer as describing Obama as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."

He later apologised for the remark, which was considered by some as racist, and said it was taken out of context.

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Last year Biden had said Obama was 'not yet ready for the presidency', a remark which may now be seized upon by the rival John McCain [Images] camp.