Both presidential candidates announced their picks for Vice President this week. A closer look at the candidates for VP reveals stark differences worth paying attention to. Remember the veep is just one step away from the oval office. Here is how they compare in a nutshell.

Joe Biden, Barack Obama’s running mate and a Democrat, has been a senator since 1972 (36 years) and was first elected at age 29, making him the youngest person ever elected to the senate. He is chairman of the senate’s Foreign Relations Committee. His list of credits, issues and accomplishments is so long it takes up an entire website. He is from Delaware and is married with three children.

Sarah Palin, John McCain’s running mate and a Republican, has been governor of Alaska for almost two years. Before that she served as mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside of Anchorage. She has no national or international political experience and obtained her first passport in 2007. Her bio takes up a single web page, including pictures of her hunting (nice rack) and fishing. She is from Alaska and is married with five children.