Biden Praises Obama's Spine, Tells McCain To Study History

Sen. Joseph Biden started his speech to the Center for U.S. Global Engagement on Tuesday with the caveat that he is not an Obama insider. But he certainly played the part.

Saying that he knew the Illinois Democrat well from their time together on the campaign trail, Biden said of Obama, he "has the judgment, he has the intellect, which no one doubts, and I guarantee you he has the steel in his spine to lead this country of ours out of the deep hole we have dug ourselves into."

His Obama testimony now complete, Biden-the-surrogate turned to the other task at hand: ripping apart the foreign policy of Sen. John McCain. At times, his critique was scathing, accusing the presumptive Republican nominee of lacking the basic gravitas and intellectual capacity to navigate the choppy international waters.

"President Bush and Sen. McCain lump all the threats together," said Biden. "Al Qaeda, the Shia militia, listen to them speak. Listen to my friend Joe Lieberman, and he really is a friend, listen to them speak. Find me a distinction that they make. As a consequence of this profound confusion they make profound mistakes. The idea that al Qaeda will cooperate with the philistine, a guy who in fact used to run the country in Iraq, the guy who did away with the caliphate... is completely contrary to anything that the now-dead leader of Iraq had in mind. It's dangerous. How can we run a sound foreign policy without understanding these decisions? How can we talk about a Shiite-dominated nation cooperating with a Sunni dominated Wahabi sect of Islam as if they had anything in common? Yet listen to my friends, listen to the president, listen to Joe Lieberman, listen to John McCain. Ladies and gentlemen, if they can't define the enemy we are fighting it is very difficult to define whether we have won or lost."

It was a vintage Biden performance, with theatrical and abrupt changes in tone tempered by equally dramatic pauses. Defying the conventional wisdom that foreign policy critiques must come in digestible sound bites, he walked the crowd (already well-versed in Middle East affairs) through what he presented as the major fallacies in the McCain doctrine. Much time was spent on Iran.

"I find it fascinating, the twisted logic of my friends on the other side talking about how this allows Iran to fight a proxy war against us in Iraq," Biden roared. "Huh? Guess what. What more would Iran like than the continuation of a 140,000 to 160,000 Americans in Iraq, bogged down in Iraq, no end in sight. Tell me how much Ahmadinejad would like to inherit a fractured Iraq. Study history. The premises upon which they rationalize I find breathtaking. The idea that John [McCain] and Joe [Lieberman] are going to eliminate any vestige of Iranian influence in Iraq, bless me father for I have sinned. Are they unaware of a border that has existed there for millennium? Are they unaware of the fact that our guy, Maliki is inviting Ahmadinejad to Baghdad and kissing him on both cheeks, literally not figuratively. Are they unaware of the fact that this government in Iraq feels compelled to visit Tehran to explain what it is that they are attempting to do with a long-term security agreement?"

Biden did not address, directly, rumors of his high place on Barack Obama's short list of vice presidential candidates, choosing instead to make light of being flanked on the Washington Post's rankings by two women: Hillary Clinton and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. And he started the speech off with an ode to his own White House run, openly wondering how he, "the most qualified man to be president," could end up in the role of campaign surrogate.

"I don't know what I'm doing here," he told the crowd.

Comments

[shedances]

Biden, too, was my first choice over either Obama or Clinton. Nevertheless, I am supporting Obama now & would love to see Joe Biden play a major role in a future Obama presidency. He would serve our country very well, particularly in the international arena (where we need a lot of image restoration among our world neighbors, due to Bush's flawed foreign policies).

K

[AbbieXHoffman]

I wa a Biden fan since Anita Hill hearings and then for POTUS from day one. Then I went to HRC and now BO.

His passion is the kind of kick in the pants the arrogant repubs who have been running us into the ground need. It would be a perfect complement to BO, who is tempered and thoughtful, to have a passionate intelligent, experienced global thinker as Sec of State.

Love him!

[dumboldfarmer]

Joe Biden knows foreign policy. He also has much experience in the Senate. He would be an excellent choice for V.P.

Most of all, I like the way Joe Biden speaks out against the usual b.s. that flies around.

[Trogenhorse]

Love Biden if Obama hadn't been my first choice and went all the way, Biden was my second. He is the BEST surrogate Obama has. Notice how he shuts down Liberman, Graham, and McSame with out perspiration?

[LisainNYC]

I like Joe Biden.

[TheRationalLeft]

If Joe Biden is not in any of Obama's high positions in his administration, it will be a travesty. He should be either VP or Sec. of State.

http://rationalleft.com/

[indepvoter]

I am in total agreement with every good word and compliment that has been paid Statesman Biden. As a volunteer in his campaign and having the opportunity to meet him personally on several occasions, the possibility of his receiving the VP spot is an answer to my prayers. IMHO there is no finer gentleman in our government . He is a wonderful family man, a devout Catholic, and his wisdom is unsurpassed. Realizing there is no perfection in any of us-Joseph R. Biden, Jr. comes very close.
My prayers will continue to be with the Obama/?Biden campaign.

P.W.M., SC

P.S. To the person who used SOB re; Sen. Biden, please don't use that-even in jest-he adores his mother! Thanks!

[caywen]

Biden, unlike some, knows the difference between the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia.

[luckynewman13]

He's a crass SOB...

and I love every word that comes out of his mouth

[justaskinman]

Biden is like a politician drawn by John Kricfalusi [REN AND STIMPY]...

The William Shatner-like cadence, the teeth, the stagey use of his intellect and red-faced righteous indignation. Democrats like him, at least those of European descent, are rare birds indeed.

Biden's kind of black when you think about it. If Clinton was black because of his compassion and the fact that the Man was always trying to bring him down, Biden's black because he's a bad ass who just doesn't give a sh-t.

What's this nonsense about 'what happened in 1988? He failed to credit the source of a speech on one of five occasions.­.. on the other four he credited the source. My god, the scandal! Far worse than rape jokes, ditching your disabled wife for a PYT heiress, or the fact that he didn't fight for the MLK Holiday in Arizona.

[lainey]

Senator Biden is an extremely intelligent man and has the guts to take on anyone. Go, Joe, go...

[ComnCents]

If Webb is not available, I would like to see Joe on the ticket.

Joe has some baggage but it is an attaché case compared to McCain's steamer trunks that will sink their boat.

[jp5472]

..and Joe's baggage is really not baggage. He credited the originator of six speeches he gave except for one, all speeches by Neil Kinnock, then-leader of the British Labour Party. From Wikipedia: The one where he failed to make mention of the originator was caught on video. In the video Biden is filmed repeating a stump speech by Kinnock, with only minor modifications. “Why is it that Joe Biden is the first in his family ever to go a university? Why is it that my wife . . . is the first in her family to ever go to college? Is it because our fathers and mothers were not bright? . . . Is it because they didn't work hard? My ancestors who worked in the coal mines of northeast Pennsylvania and would come after 12 hours and play football for four hours? It's because they didn't have a platform on which to stand.” After Biden withdrew from the race it was learned that he had correctly credited Kinnock on other occasions. He failed to do so, however, in the Iowa speech that was recorded and distributed to reporters (with a parallel video of Kinnock) by aides to Michael Dukakis, the eventual nominee. Dukakis fired John Sasso, his campaign manager and long-time Chief of Staff, but Biden's campaign could not recover.[2­2][23]

Because of the two minute attention span of the average media report and listener, he has a career blemish for 20 years caused by, of all people, that brilliant

[jp5472]

(seems the rest was cut off...250 word count?) Because of the two minute attention span of the average media report and listener, he has a career blemish for 20 years caused by, of all people, that "brilliant statesman", Michael Dukakis.

[Philm35]

I love the idea of an Obama-Biden ticket. Joe's candor and forcefulness would nicely offset Barack's overly careful rhetoric.

[beboy]

Time for another history lesson, Joe. Tell us a little bit about what you did during the1988 presidential race.

[jp5472]

Sad post - no intelligent argument. What the 1988 presidential race and what Senator Biden is saying today have no more to do with Iraq than what Senator McCain had to do with with The Keating Five, which came to fruition in 1989, has to do with Iraq/Iran today. Let's stick to the facts about Iraq and Iran - facts that continuously escape Bush, McCain, Leiberman, et al.

[LucieLee]

Biden is terrific!! he really knows his stuff, and makes you think about what the heck is going on out there in the world. He makes it simple to understand how truly in trouble this country would be with a McCain regime at the helm! No doubt about it!! Sen. Biden would make a great Sec. of State....i­f not a running mate. Any spot in an Obama administration would only be a positive.

[WarDog]

Go study your history you are way to Dumb Downed to post here

[TheMastadon]

What history are you talking about tough guy? With a name like war dog I think we all know what you stand for.

[amantell]

It's a shame that Biden didn't do well in the primaries. He was the most qualified candidate by a wide margin, and seemed to have been ignored by the media because he lacked celebrity relative to Hillary and Obama. Having said that, while I think the right candidate won, the country could do a lot worse than having Biden in a role within Obama's cabinet, or as a running mate. In addition to being highly knowledgeable and having good ideas, he seems genuinely interested in the country's welfare.

[UncommonSenz]

I've always liked Biden, he's the one that should have the "straight talk express" moniker.

I am all for Obama, but Biden probably has the best record of being on the right side of issues out there (and being able to explain them clearly).

[ILibertine]

Uh, how can I be expected to understand all of this? The fella's talking for longer than a TV commercial and I can't text message all of this in some meaningful fashion, like "Kewl, Biden rocks".

'Bout time someone brought up history and nuance.

Yes, I think Secretary of State would be best use of his skills as well.

[Freesia2]

lol "Kewl, Biden rocks". And he's got "moJoe".

Out of curiosity, if he were used for Secretary of State, who would you then like to see as VP? I had had in mind Jim Webb as alternate, but he's taken himself out of the running.

[ILibertine]

Although Millertime makes a good case for VP as powerful with respect to Cheyney, that requires that the Decider can be manipulated and, in a more traditional role as VP, it seems Biden's abilities might be better realized diplomatically.

I don't think any senator or representative is going to be palatable with the public - as if they have a voice. Ideally, perhaps someone of relatively humble nature with a firm understanding of economics, a taste for altruism and the ability to engage corporate America in needed transformations. Warren Buffett?

[3fingerbrown]

Yeah, he'd be wasted as VP. State would suit him perfectly, assuming that a President Obama would understand the importance of letting diplomats, not political hacks, handle diplomacy. Of Bush's many offenses against good government, the marginalization of the State Dept. and the diplomatic corps was among the most egregious. To clean up the shambles of U.S. foreign relations we'll need a Secretary of Biden's skill and stature, and a president who knows how to get the hell out of the way and let the professionals do their jobs. Statesmanship is a subtle art, not a blunt weapon. Biden knows this; Bush and his goons never will.

[MourningDude]

History is most often twisted and turned and manipulated to fit ones own preconceived notions. Case in point...

Dianne Feinstein October 10, 2002 Floor statement on Iraq Resolution

"I serve as the Senior Senator from California, representing 35 million people. That is a formidable task. People have weighed in by the tens of thousands. If I were just to cast a representative vote based on those who have voiced their opinions with my office - and with no other factors - I would have to vote against this resolution.

But as a member of the Intelligence Committee, as someone who HAS READ AND DISCUSSED AND STUDIED THE HISTORY OF IRAQ, THE RECORD OF OBFUSCATION AND THE TERROR SADDAM HAS SOWN, one comes to the conclusion that he remains a consequential threat."

So according to Feinstein, she was a student of Iraq history and Saddam's history, and her studies proved to her that Iraq was a serious threat. She cites her position on the Intel committee to bolster her argument, since she would be assumed to have restricted information.

Now of course, you have libs lining up to talk about how Iraq history proves exactly the opposite, and that he was not and could not be a threat.

So, Biden throwing out "history" without bothering to explain what he's referring to is utterly meaningless. The fact that so many libs are so willing to accept his meaningless overtures unquestioned only shows how gullible and credulous they are.

[jp5472]

You dispelled your own argument when you included the date of her remarks, a period when known falsified intelligence was being spread by an administration to rally for war. Too bad you have failed to read or accept that Saddam was not a threat to us or our allies in report after report that has been released for at least the last year. It is 2008, not 2002. You are citing pre-war hysteria that was a product of the political climate (and insidious lies) of the time. "The terror Saddam has sown"? Please, if our job was to remove "rogue dictators" from around the world, how come we never did it just 90 miles from our own shores?

Joe Biden is talking the history that should have been studied (and obviously has not been studied by McCain) - in a region that has had continued conflict back to 5300 BC. At the very least, perhaps someone should have cracked a book open and studied what's been happening there amongst factions since the Ottoman Empire (1533-1918) or the subsequent British rule, even up until 2003 (when anyone tried planning what would happen once the dictator was removed) . These factions have been at each others throats since recorded history in the region (7000 years). There is only a country known as Iraq due to land carved out of the Ottoman Empire by the French and British in the Sykes-Picot Agreement. That agreement has been a disaster. So is today's effort.

[ILibertine]

MourningDude - back at'cha: JP (below) has addressed this very well, including the Sykes-Pinchot agreement that was the result of a lot of galavanting around by Lawrence of Arabia & etc. and mis-informed power plays over who controlled newly important oil land in the aftermath of WW1 and as a route to India for the British Empire.

A long time ago, Biden brought up dividing Iraq into regions corresponding with their religious persuasions, i.e. Kurd, Sunni, Shiite; that might have worked better in lieu of the creation of Iraq. Perhaps Biden's fault is assuming that one understands the expanse of history, that should be one's basis for critique.

Insofar as the Feinstein bit, JP got it right as well. Many got hustled onto the go-to-war train by virtue of deceit and the general momentum of the time in the patriotic aftermath of 9/11 - a time when would-be rulers have always sought their carte blanche. That's why I respect Robert Byrd and the others who were able to see clearly through the fog.