Biden Defends Obama On Committee Attack

South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint sent Obama a letter asking why, as chairman of a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee, the candidate hasn't held any hearings on Afghanistan. It was an attack used by Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary.

However, there's an easy response: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joe Biden has said he wants all hearings on Afghanistan to be held at the full committee level. In case he's forgotten that, Biden reminds DeMint in a letter of his own:

As you are aware, under my chairmanship the Foreign Relations Committee has addressed most Afghanistan issues at the full committee level. I believe that this is the best way of ensuring the most comprehensive examination of the complex issues involved, and of ensuring the highest-level Administration participation. ...

Sen. Obama has displayed great leadership on this issue: he called nearly a year ago for the deployment of at least two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan -- it has since become the accepted position of a wide range of U.S. military officials, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I look forward to working closely with him, and with you, on any future Afghanistan hearings that might be held in our committee."

In a speech Wednesday, Biden praised Obama's spine and criticized McCain's knowledge of history.

Comments

[heather11483]

Go Joe!

Stop trotting out Bayh and Nunn and pick him as VP, Barack.

PLZ.

[Independent voter]

Agree.

[Norsky]

You have to love McCain. Here is a guy that has been collecting the check but was gone for 60% of the votes in the Senate, and he attacks Obama? Wow.

[ApolloniaCreed]

I think the (R)s must be afraid of someone like Biden being on the ticket... I keep hearing the talking point "if Obama pick someone with foreign policy credentials he is admitting he has none" - that's foolish talk!!!! Coinsidentally they have been throwing out names they think are acceptable like Tim Kaine. They don't want to see someone like Biden on the ticket. He would give them pure-d-hayle!

[GuiltyByStander]

Agreed. The Repubs would also be admitting that foreign policy is the central issue in the next term. Until it's cleaned up, nothing else can happen.

[shel3364]

way to handle 'em, Joe.

[Raymondf]

Hey Biden I understand you made a C in history.

[Hatchibakku99]

Assuming that you have Republican leanings -- have you checked out McCain's scholastic accomplishments? Not a pretty sight.

[YankeeCanuck]

I assume you mean in a college course. That was probably before you were born. Since then, Biden has acquired a vast knowledge of history-- much of it on the front line. He's a professor of constitutional law.
What have YOU got?

[Raymondf]

What a dufus.

[YankeeCanuck]

If that's the best you can come up with, take a look in the mirror.

[michaelgp72]

Please, no more mirrors, Raymond has already broke a hundred!

[JonStewart4President]

And yet you spelled the word "doofus," wrong. Interesting.

[GordonBombay]

I would pay money to see Biden out-debate­/evicerate McCain on foreign policy. Obama/Biden.

[LizM]

I think you may be on to something very...sha­ll we say...spec­ial!

Assuming that Obama selects Biden as his Vice President with Special Portfolio on Iraq, in waiting, then I think the debates should be mixed up a bit. How about a debate between the Dem presidential candidate and Rep running mate, and vice versa?

A nationally televised debate between McCain and Biden would be pay-per-view material, without a doubt. Oh man, I get anticipatory shivers up and down my spine just thinking about it! Though, the broadcast would have to come with some sort of warning that not all viewers may be able to handle the complete and graphic devastation of the presumptive Republican nominee for President.

[Freesia2]

What an interesting idea.

And if I could add, what I would like to see is Obama and running mate on stage at the same time as McCain and running mate. See how they work team against team. You could really check out the dynamics of how the two team mates work with each other, and how they maneuver as a pair against the opposition.

Of course the dream situation is the running mates in question would be Joe Biden and Mitt Romney. It would play like GI Joe takes on the Ken barbie doll. :-)

[xoxox]

rollingdivision, wow... I guess you still don't get it. Go back and read the responses to your various posts. until you figure it out. I'm sick of this Republican dittohead lie.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Everybody was kung-fu fighting..­...

[muddle]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0807/Biden_Obama_stole_my_ideas.html Read what Joe Biden said about Obama's non-interest in Afghanistan when Joe was running for president.

This is retold, with new info, at Political Punch, the ABC newsblog. http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/07/thanks-for-noth.html Obama fans will not like this.

[BowZam03]

Every time I read or listen to Joe Biden, I wonder how he didn't get further in the Primary. According to his website, he has now traveled to Iraq EIGHT TIMES since the start of the war. He could talk circles around anyone in regards to the entire region.

What I admire about Obama is that he admits when he doesn't know something and surrounds himself with top experts in each field who are willing to debate their beliefs based on facts. That is a true leader.

No one can expect a President to know absolutely everything, but we need a strong, INTELLIGENT leader who can gather information from a variety of sources and then make the best decision.

Every time I hear McCain criticize Obama for not going to Iraq to talk to Gen. Petraus, I just think, how myopic to base your policy on one person's opinion who is only in charge of Iraq, when Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and Iran need to be considered in the big picture.

Joe Biden gets it.

Obama/Biden '08!

[michaelgp72]

Yeap Yeap !!!

[coolkraft]

love ya joe...keep up those attacks...­you go Joe

[Sixtwo]

What attack? I suppose the Senator from South Carolina was asked the question by a constituent because had the Senator been listening, he would have been aware of Obama's answer when Hillary raised the issue. I have a question: What has the Administration been doing while things have been heating up in Afghan? The Repubs are now getting on Obama's bandwagon relative to what we should have been doing in Afgan a long time ago--A SOUND STRATEGY!

[mydoglucky]

Go! Joe! GO! I love that guy......

[utd]

Enough with the veep comments already. O can't enslave the white race with his Mooslum buddies if he takes Joe for VP.

[dayala]

I always enjoyed watching Biden in the debates, he knew how to get his point across in no uncertain terms, no uh's, ah's sputtering or stuttering like Obama does. I especially got a good ROFL when he called out Rudy Guiliani and said 'the only words in his vocabulary are a noun,a verb and 9/11".

go Joe GO!