Sen. Joe Biden best qualified to be president

I would certainly vote for Biden over Rodham.

Just curious, McG. Is "Rodham" the new way conservatives plan to refer to Hillary Clinton, or was that just a quick whim?

I've heard tales of her calling herself that in lieu of Clinton if she is elected.

I just wonder if those tales aren't so much tales as campaign tactics. Since Bill Clinton seems to be pretty popular right now, calling Hillary by her maiden name might serve to separate her in a way from her husband.

Does it matter?

He was one of the first politicians I know of who subscribed to Peter Galbraith's plan for three semi-autonomous regions in Iraq. Since then Kay Bailey Hutchinsen (R) of Texas has favored the plan. Unfortunately, it's very unpopular elsewhere in Washington and given short shrift by the so called Iraq study group.

Interesting.

Back to Biden. I think Joe Biden ought to give it a go. When I hear him on TV, he comes across very well, and he sounds and looks like a good candidate.

I saw him on TV sometime back when they were discussing the newly confirmed John Bolton at the UN. "As soon as the interim appointment period is over, out he goes," Biden said, punctuating his point with the familiar "thumb over the shoulder" gesture. And of course, that is what happened-this is well before the election. It was a nice touch, and brought a little color to the interview.

As for the plagiarism issue, I think they will try to use that against him, but I don't think it will stick much. The issue is clouded by the fact that at one time back then I think Biden denied the speech was plagiarized. Even so, I don't think the voters will care very much, due to the fact that few Americans even knew who Neil Kinnock was back then, let alone now.

Even more important, I think the electorate is sick of the "you-have-to-hate-this-guy-because-he-did-this-back-then" type of campaign. The voters are looking for a change, and will be wanting some ideas and an impressive messenger for those ideas.

At this early date, the polls are all about name recognition, so I wouldn't worry too much about Biden's poll standing.

I think he ought to give it a go. I liked him in the last race, too, but I liked Dean better.

i have always liked Joe Biden, I would even vote for him over Hillary and I like Hillary.

My 2008 predicition however is that both parties will end up running horse **** candidates and I will stay home for the first time.

I have completely lost faith in the American political system, but the deems have two years to force a change in Washington and get me to change my mind. We'll swee.

Biden Vows to Fight Any Iraq Troop Boost
Biden Vows to Fight Any Iraq Troop Boost
By Anne Flaherty
The Associated Press
Tuesday 26 December 2006

Washington - Sen. Joseph Biden, the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he will fight President Bush if the administration decides to send more U.S. troops to Iraq.

Biden, who has his eye on the Democratic presidential nomination, also warned that if congressional Republicans do not join him in speaking out against Bush that they - not Democrats - will suffer in the 2008 elections.

"I just think it's the absolute wrong strategy," Biden said Tuesday of an increase in troops.

Bush is scrubbing his options in Iraq, after Republicans lost control of Congress in the Nov. 7 elections and an independent bipartisan panel determined Bush's plan was dangerously off track. The Iraq Study Group, led by former Secretary of State James A. Baker III and former Democratic Rep. Lee Hamilton, concluded that the U.S. could pull combat troops out of Iraq by early next year. The few troops left behind would be tasked with advising Iraqi units.

While administration officials say all options remain on the table pending Bush's final decision to be announced next month, a surge of up to 30,000 troops is widely considered a favored option by Bush.

Biden said he is interested in the study group's findings and wants to hold a series of hearings on Iraq beginning Jan. 9. Biden said he has asked Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to testify and she has agreed; the timing of Rice's testimony, however, is not decided. Rice said she would come to Capitol Hill after Bush announces his new plan in Iraq.

In a conference call with reporters, Biden said the purpose of the hearings would be to generate a bipartisan consensus among lawmakers on Iraq and pressure the president to abandon any talk of surging U.S. forces into Baghdad.

"Even with the surge of troops, in a city of 6 million people you're talking about a ratio that would still be roughly above one to 100," Biden said. "It's bound to draw down support that we need in other parts of Iraq, including Anbar province."

Biden, taking advantage of the quiet holiday week to generate media attention by holding a telephone press conference and appearing on CBS' "The Early Show," said he thinks Republicans will have more to lose in 2008 than Democrats if the violence in Iraq continues and U.S. troops remain committed in such large numbers. There are currently an estimated 140,000 troops in Iraq.

"I think we'll only have to accept responsibility for the war if we remain silent," said Biden, who has spoken candidly of his desire to run for president and has made repeated visits in the past year to early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire.

Biden said he delivered this message in a recent meeting at the White House, where he told Bush: "Mr. President this is your war."

bm

I will never lie to you.

I'll say this for Biden, though he is a constant blowhard who displays a great infatuation with the sound of his own voice, his taste in the speeches he chooses to plagarize and present, whole hog, as his own is unusually good. He used only the best material of Neil Kinnoc, the former leader of the British labor party - during a previous presidential campaign..

That was pointed out in a post on the previous page, George.

In a lengthy thread, I can understand that people don't go to all the back pages before posting, but in a thread that's on the second page?

Anyway, does anybody seriously think that is going to amount to a hill of beans now?

No. Despite having the ability to make concise points and garner support; his new post will likely avail him the opportunity to make a bigger ass of himself than ever before (see the confirmation hearings for a reference point). I fully expect his love of his own voice to alienate and thoroughly bore the majority of the voting public... without any need to empty the skeletons from the closet.

I guess we'll see. If he's going for president, he by now likely has coaches for this sort of thing.

I remember in the first couple of debates when Bush was going for the Republican nomination, Bush had a pronounced sneer on his face. In later debates, that sneer disappeared. Coaching.

The guess here is that the coaches he probably has already hired will curtail Biden's propensity to speak way too long in committee.

White House to Joe Biden: Hold Your Horses
White House to Joe Biden: Hold Your Horses on Rejecting Iraq Troop Surge
By E&P Staff
Published: December 27, 2006

At today's press gaggle in Crawford, Texas, Scott Stanzel, pinch-hitting for White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, described the president's reaction to the death of Gerald R. Ford and his upcoming meetings to discuss his next moves in Iraq.

Stanzel said the government would shut down for a full day next week, as traditional, when a former president dies. Asked about the president's reaction to Sen. Joseph Biden's outright rejection of Bush's rumored plan to escalate the conflict in Iraq by sending 30,000 or more new troops there, Stanzel replied, "Well, I hope that Senator Biden would wait to hear what the President has to say before announcing what he's opposed to. President Bush will talk soon to our troops, to the American people and to the Iraqi people about the new way forward in Iraq that will lead to a democratic and unified country that can sustain, govern, and defend itself.

"So the President has been listening to a lot of different people, whether it's on Capitol Hill, whether it's members of the Iraq Study Group, whether it's talking with the Iraqis directly, and he appreciates the input. But certainly in terms of Senator Biden, we would hope that he, too, would also wait to hear what the President has to say before announcing his opposition."

I think "Hildabeast" remains at the top of the list.