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A few weeks before President-elect Barack Obama named Hillary Clinton to be his secretary of state, a Washington insider was overheard saying, "I'll bet Joe Biden will be disappointed if Hillary gets the job.''

When Barack Obama tapped Biden to be his running mate, he chose him because he projected congressional and especially foreign policy experience. Biden was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, widely traveled and highly knowledgeable about foreign issues.

Many assumed Obama would not only rely on Biden's foreign policy experience, but occasionally dispatch him overseas on special missions.

But that was pre-Hillary. And given Hillary's strong personality and high profile, there's not much room anymore for Biden to be a player in that realm.

Besides, Bill Clinton has already offered his services. In an interview this week, Bill said his role, as Hillary's husband, will be to advise her and, if asked by Obama, to take on special overseas missions. Some think Bill is angling to be a special envoy to the turbulent Middle East, similar to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's role there.

But where does that leave Biden? When a reporter recently asked him what his new role would be, he did not reply. He has previously said he will be the president's chief adviser. But is that enough? Besides, Obama will be surrounded by advisers in the West Wing.

During the campaign, Biden stressed what he would most definitely not be. He was referring to Dick Cheney, who turned the vice presidency into an imperious office that helped orchestrate the Iraq war and devised plans for imprisoning alleged terrorists without trial at Guantanamo and elsewhere. Biden believes Cheney has grossly overstepped constitutional boundaries.

Of course, the vice presidency has always been a somewhat ill-defined job. Months before John McCain tapped Sarah Palin to be his running mate, the Alaska governor was asked about the job. In Palinesque style, she replied:

"As for the vice president talk all the time, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what the vice president does every day."

Later, when Palin was the candidate, a third-grader also asked what vice presidents do. Palin said vice presidents are "in charge of the Senate &ellipses; and make a lot of good policy&ellipses;."

Well, not exactly. The Constitution stipulates that vice presidents preside over the Senate, vote if there's a tie vote, and succeed the president if the chief executive dies or becomes incapacitated.

Some former vice presidents have found the job to be excruciatingly dull. John Nance Garner, a blunt-speaking Texan who served two terms as Franklin D. Roosevelt's vice president, famously said the vice presidency "is not worth a pitcher of warm spit."

Still another vice president -- perhaps one who attended too many funerals for foreign heads of state -- said the job boiled down to this: "You die, I fly."

Meanwhile, Biden is keeping an uncharacteristic low profile. An energetic man given to verbal gaffes and long-winded speeches, he's spoken little since the election.

Instead, he's been on Obama's transition team and serves as backdrop, appearing on stage when Obama announces new cabinet appointees.

Tall, gray-haired and distinguished-looking, Biden's presence beside the youthful-looking Obama sets a solid tone. It also suggests that Biden has been a major player in selecting cabinet members -- which is said to be true.

But it is not Biden's nature to remain backdrop forever. Al Gore used the vice presidency to devise money-saving programs for government efficiency. Dick Cheney, regrettably, used the job to orchestrate a war.

It's time for Biden to sit down with Obama (and perhaps he has) to decide what Biden's special role will be. Biden is a talented man and should not go to waste.

Rosemary Roberts writes a Friday column. E-mail: rmroberts@triad.rr.com