Sen. Joe Biden says he would support a Kerry-McCain ticket

Hardball with Chris Matthews
Joe Marquette / AP

Sen. Joe Biden says he would support a Kerry-McCain ticket
Supports Kerry's claim that foreign leaders want a change in America
Senate Foreign Relations Committee co-chairman, Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del.

March 16, 2004Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) tells MSNBC's Chris Matthews he would support a John Kerry-John McCain presidential ticket tonight on "Hardball with Chris Matthews" 7-8 p.m. (ET). Biden also stated that foreign leaders have also told him they would like to see a Kerry administration in the White House.

Following are excerpts from tonight's interview, which will telecast in its entirety on "Hardball with Chris Matthews," 7-8 p.m. (ET). A full show transcript will be available tomorrow at www.tv.msnbc.com.

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Let me ask you. Do you think McCain is seriously - and I mean this professionally - flirting with the idea of accepting a second place on the ticket with John Kerry, and creating a fusion ticket to run against the President.

SEN. JOE BIDEN: Well, let me make it clear, I am prejudiced here. I go back a long way with John McCain. When the President of the United States was trying to imply that he was unstable, I called him. He was out West, and I said where do you want me. He was in the middle of the Presidential campaign, and I wanted the Democrat to win, but I said, tell me John where you want me. I'll hold a press conference. I can make the case for you, overwhelmingly clear. And he's thanked me. And he's said, no no. I guess I would've hurt him more than I would've helped him. So that's where I come from, number one. Number two, I think that this is time for unity in this country, and maybe it is time to have a guy like John McCain - a Republican - on the ticket with a guy he does like. They do get along. And they don't have fundamental disagreements on major policies.

MATTHEWS: Would you support that ticket ... for President?

BIDEN: I would. Yeah. If John Kerry said that's who he wanted, and McCain - I'd encourage McCain to say yes. I doubt whether John would do it. I doubt whether John McCain would do it. But, you know, we need some unity here, man. The red states and the blue states - we got to have something to coalesce around here.

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BIDEN (discussing Kerry's campaign for President): "I have had world leaders, heads of state, make it pretty clear to me that they're hopeful that there is a change in the Administration."