Bill Press: On Foreign Policy, Biden Rocks

[jillan]

One advantage of living in Washington is that, from time to time, you get to see our leaders up close.

Yesterday, for example, I attended a National Press Club luncheon with Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) as featured speaker. I came away more convinced than ever that he’s the most underrated of all the presidential candidates.

This guy knows his stuff — as he proved, again, answering questions at the luncheon.

What about Barack Obama’s idea to condition aid to Pakistan on how aggressively they pursue Osama bin Laden? That was part of the 9/11 law passed by the Senate last week — an amendment authored by Biden.

How to resolve the political deadlock in Iraq? Begin by enforcing the Iraqi Constitution, argues Biden, which allows for dividing Iraq into three semi-autonomous regions — something he proposed three years ago.

What to expect in September? The danger, Biden warns, is that no matter what Gen. David Petraeus says, we will continue to operate under the dangerous illusion that the war in Iraq can be won by military might alone.

Because there’s so much at stake, and so little room for error, Biden told his Press Club audience that he believes 2008 is the most important election in our lifetime. And he’s right.

I’m making no endorsement in the primary. But on foreign policy alone, there’s no one more ready to lead this nation than Joe Biden

http://pundits.thehill.com/2007/08/02/on-foreign-policy-biden-rocks/

[zabet]

1. Joe Biden rocks foreign policy!!! n/t

[Old and In the Way]

2. He'd make a good SoS, I think.

He turned a lot of voters off with the credit card bankruptcy bill....doubtful he'll get the momentum to grab the nomination.

[Jillian]

3. One of my favorite quotes from Biden

is that the next President better know more about foreign policy than their advisors.


About the bankruptcy bill - I have recently watched a video of Biden getting hounded by people about his vote.
It's late - another thread for another day.

[Like It Is]

4. The Bankruptcy Bill doesn't bother responsible people.

But it irks the shit out of deadbeats.

[Jillian]

5. Actually it effects everyone. When people claim bankruptcy,

the credit card companies lose money. So what do they do?
Raise their rates. I know. I was late on a payment and they
hit me with a $39. fee - aargh.

It's the credit card companies that are screwing us over, not the bankruptcy bill.
They are out to make as much money as possible. So if you claim bankruptcy, I pay for it.

[Like It Is]

17. I said the Bankruptcy Bill does not affect responsible people!

Not bankruptcy in it self.

[murbley40]

32. like it is:

explain, please.

[Like It Is]

56. Responsible people don't put themselves in deep debt.

They don't overextend their credit and they carry insurance to get themselves through disastrous situations. You just can't trust to luck and good health.

[Phredicles]

28. I hope you never have to deal with a lengthy, debilitating illness;

you might well find youself thrust into the ranks of the irresponsible deadbeats.

[NYCGirl]

33. Indeed. Half of US bankruptcies are caused by medical bills, and a

large percentage due to divorce or the death of a breadwinner.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0202-08.htm

[Hippo_Tron]

48. *crickets*

[Clark2008]

36. Deadbeats like the people who can't afford medical insurance

and then get sick and have no way to pay thousands of dollars?

The No. 1 reason why people declare bankruptcy in this country isn't credit card debt - it's medical debt.

I think you'd better rethink your "deadbeats" comment.

[Like It Is]

72. Let me ask you all. Does the Bankruptcy Bill stop you from filing?

If not, what's the problem?

[treestar]

77. Come on, it's not that simple

the reason we even have a bankruptcy law is that people can fall on hard times. Even if due to their own mistakes, there's no reason to be completely unmerciful.

[babylonsister]

6. I think an explanation of his involvement in the cc industry might

be in order; I'd like to know.

[Jillian]

7. ....working on it......

Hopefully the campaign is listening. But as we all know, Biden is his own man.
He doesn't run his campaign by talking points, or by people telling him what to say.

His campaign manager and other guy from the campaign are going to the Kos convention to represent Biden.
(Biden couldn't make it - out of town - book tour). I'm so glad. They will hear it, just like I do and every other Biden supporter that people are really pissed about his vote.

We will see what comes out of this weekend :) -

[Egnever]

10. I believe the state he represents

Has a heavy population of credit card company headquarters. They are a large portion of his constituency.

Not my favorite vote of his but It doesn't really bother me when taken in the context of all the good he has done IMHO. We all have warts thats one of his /shrug

[babylonsister]

12. Thanks. I'm not discounting anyone at this point, but I'm in the right place

to ask questions.

[Egnever]

14. You definately are!

Theres a great mix here of nutjobs and incredibly informed people.

[babylonsister]

16. Hey, who are you calling a nutjob?

I kid! Just hit my funny bone.

Welcome to DU, if you haven't been. You would be right about the mix. It can be intimidating or enligtening, depending on where you're at.

[Like It Is]

18. Biden is a Senator from Delaware, The Credit Card Industry is one of his constituents.

He must be fair to all his constituents.

[NYCGirl]

34. Yes, I understand that, which is why I've always given Biden a pass on that particular

issue. But your statement above about "deadbeats" is totally wrong.

[treestar]

78. MBNA moved to Delaware and provided many jobs

Of course by now, they're moving out, but never mind. :sarcasm:

Anyway, that could have something to do with it. You have to be elected by your state, after all.

[ProudDad]

8. He'd possibly make a decent

Secretary of State...


If he can throttle the standard U.S. impulses of war and plunder...

[Like It Is]

73. To Hell with S.O.S.

[wisteria]

9. Biden certainly does has more experience in foreign policy matters than any of the front runners.

Dodd does also. I think the media needs to be upfront with this information. The Iraq War and our national security are to important to mess around with.

[jillan]

11. Dodd would be a great POTUS, and I would have no problem

supporting him.

[Like It Is]

15. Dodd can't hold a candle to Biden on Foreign Relations.

We have to reclaim our place in the free world. Bush squandered it. Biden is the man.

[babylonsister]

21. Are you a Biden shill? Really, I'm curious. Thanks for sharing, I hope. nt

[Like It Is]

23. I'm a retired steelworker, I never met Biden.

But I seriously believe he is our best choice for President. I believe he would have no problem defeating the Republican or Independent Candidate if there is one. But I have no such confidence in Hillary, Obama, Edwards or Richardson. I think they are all vulnerable lightweights.

[murbley40]

74. Like it is

is not a shill,he just knows his candidate and stands firmly with him. Me too!!

[babylonsister]

13. So what do you think about Richardson? He's a diplomat, and that's

someone we need desperately.

[Like It Is]

19. Richardson is a little bit of everything.

But he bombed in all three debates. the reason he's polling as high as he is in some states is because he is getting the Hispanic vote, which is only natural.

[babylonsister]

20. He bombed, did he? Says who? nt

[Like It Is]

22. If you would have checked the post debate polls, you wouldn't ask.

I watched the debates also, and I concurred.

[babylonsister]

24. I really gotcha. So your fave is? nt

[Like It Is]

43. Biden, of course ! n/t

[jillan]

25. Richardson concerns me.

Why you ask? Or even if you didn't :P

First, I did a little research on his state, and education and the economy has gotten worse since he's been in charge.
Well - he's from NM, a border state you say. I'm from Az. Education is on the bottom but our economy is great.

And the other thing is his plan for Iraq. It just doesn't sit well with me.
We just leave? I am afraid what we would leave behind. I agree that we are targets over there.
I want us to leave, but we have to do a better job of leaving than we did in VN.
Our troops were targets as we were leaving.

That said, I am not a foreign relations expert by any means, but that is a debate that needs to take place....
and not just by the candidates.

I think that Richardson would be a perfect SOS because diplomacy is his strength. Or if Obama does get the nom, I think Richardson would be his perfect running mate. Wow - what a statement that would make in terms of equality.

[babylonsister]

26. Thank you, pirhana, for making your feelings known. They make

great sense at this point. And/but it's late! :hi: :thumbsup:

[Wetzelbill]

27. He has great knowledge, but you have to question his judgement

because he did vote for the Iraq War, not only that, Biden's criticism for the first few years was centered on the idea that we needed troops. Biden stuck to the notion that this was a war that should have been waged, in the first place, and that it could have been won. It couldn't have been won, not in the manner that we would consider "winning." It's been mission impossible from the beginning, and pacifying the country would have taken on a level of genocidal violence that, frankly, our country should never ever be associated with. The mess we're in is bad enough, if Biden had his way it wouldn't have been all that much better. It still would have been a black mark.

Also Biden, as smart as he is, is very indoctrined. These guys believe all that neo-liberal bullshit that amounts to raping and pillaging a country out of it's resources. It's not as blindly stupid as how the Neo-cons go about it, but Biden subscribes to similar beliefs.

He's good on lots of stuff, knowledgeable, smart, and well-researched, but he's definitely a status quo foreign policy type. And that isn't always the best thing. Moreover, he's rock solid on lots of international relations and foreign policy issues, but, again, his judgement is often questionable. And if he's so great on foreign policy, I have to question how he got so much wrong and Dennis Kucinich got so much right. So as knowledgeable as he is, you do have a guy in Kucinich, who has been more accurate and more right on the same topic than Biden ever was. And that troubles me.

[Like It Is]

29. Iraq was terribly mishandled by the existing POTUS.

The Iraq War was won in 5 weeks. But Bush and Rumsfeld had no plan for handling the occupation. They also never should have tried to Democratize the country. Biden's Plan for Iraq would have had a much better chance of working. See link.

http://www.planforiraq.com/

[Wetzelbill]

41. it was something that never should have been undertaken

regardless. Biden's plan may have had a better chance of working, but it still wouldn't have. You're still looking at privatizing an economy, federalizing the government, and trying to figure out what to do in mixed cities and mixed areas. What it does is, it requires forces to stay there until 2008, basically doing what they would be doing now. Getting shot at and trying to work in an impossible situation. Not only that, he wants 20,000 more in the region permanently. As long as they are there, U.S. soldiers will be getting killed.

When a plan relies on the strength of the federal government, as Biden's does, you're looking at something that is going to be hard-pressed to work, even if there are autonomous regions. He does have certain things in his favor, like the national conference for example, which most likely would definitely help. But, honestly, if it was implemented, you still wouldn't see troops out of Iraq for years. Biden's goals sound good, and he's a smart guy, but it's still something that wouldn't work.

However, all of that isn't even the point. The point isn't that Biden is well-versed on Iraq and knows a lot about the situation, or has come up with several decent ideas about what to do there. Everybody knows this administration mishandled Iraq, you might as well have told me the sky is blue. The point is, Biden absolutely misread the whole situation in the lead up to the war, and he still basically misreads it. We never should have been there, in the first place. There is no proper way to handle the occupation, because it wasn't going to work anyway. Biden still don't get that. The bottom line is, Biden is a smart guy, interesting to listen to, with wonderful foreign policy ideas and knowledge, but questionable judgement on all of that.

[Like It Is]

71. What is your plan ?

Anyone can criticize someone else's plan. But what is your's?

[flpoljunkie]

30. Of course, he does. Bill Press is an avowed supporter of Hillary Clinton.

[jillan]

31. You may want to read the oped again.

He said he has not choosen a candidate.

[flpoljunkie]

40. I heard him say it with my own ears. So, he's reneged. Very interesting.

And he's using Joe Biden to criticize Obama. He is so transparent.

[jillan]

42. Hey people change their minds....

Back in January, I was all about Obama.

It's early yet, and there may be alot of minds changed.

[Clark2008]

35. Wes Clark kicks Biden's ass on FP, Bill.

And, he's Southern, a retired general and attractive - all the things that could attract white males back to the party.

Too bad he's not running.

[Like It Is]

37. What does Southern have to do about it.

Bush is Southern also!

[Clark2008]

38. Bush is from Connecticut.

And, check your last few presidents, hon. Where were they all from (or pretending to be from)?

[Like It Is]

44. Prescott Bush was a Senator from Connecticut.

George Bush 41 was born there and moved to Texas. George W. Bush 43 hails from Texas.

[many a good man]

51. George W Bush 43 was born in New Haven CT n/t

[Like It Is]

67. And he was raised in Texas.

[jillan]

39. I hope that Wes Clark would be a part of the next Prez's cabinet.

I agree he is awesome.

[Like It Is]

45. Secretary of Defense maybe ? n/t

[calteacherguy]

60. You should know he disagrees with Biden's policy on Iraq, then. nt

[Like It Is]

68. So what, Biden would be the boss.

When Clark was a general he gave and took orders.

[Laurab]

46. K&R Because I like Biden

and lately, I've been liking him more. He has his flaws, but they all do - I really, really wish he was doing better in the polls. Chris Dodd, too - I feel like the media picked our three top candidates for us, and, although I'm leaning toward Obama, and really like Obama, I would love to see Biden and/or Dodd in the running as well.

[jillan]

47. The speech was just on C-Span and

I can see why Bill Press was impressed.

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[Like It Is]

49. Damn, I missed it. Maybe I'll catch it on YouTube. n/t

[jillan]

50. You've got to see this!

Hopefully that will play it again over the weekend.

He is so impressive. So smart, so sincere, and funny.

[whirlygigspin]

52. A Biden/ Kucinich ticket would be cool

I still think Joe Biden is America's best chance for taking care of the Iraq mess.

And that's what decides it for me. Period full stop.

I know Joe Biden is not perfect by any means, and that's a good thing...imperfect Presidents are kept on a shorter leash, witch would be a nice change from the out of control *Unitary Presidency of Messiah Bush and his cult of oil/ church from hell.


aside that, I just have no confidence that Hillary Obama or the others can win.

[whirlygigspin]

53. here's the cspan video link

rtsp://video.c-span.org/archive/c08/c08_080107_biden.rm?mode=compact

[Like It Is]

55. Thank You. I appreciate that. n/t

[Inuca]

54. Saw it last night too

VERY good, both the speech and Q&A. Available on CSPAN's site for those who are interested.

[calteacherguy]

57. Biden's idea that we can split Iraq into pieces with impunity is naive at best. nt

[jillan]

58. Biden's plan is based on the Iraqi constitution

It really drives me crazy when people try to start an argument on things
they are not familiar with. If you have been following what is going on Iraq, the country
is moving along those lines anyway.
I know I have had this conversation with you already, and that I gave you a link to understand his plan better.
Did you ever look at it?
http://planforiraq.com/download
if you don't want to read the whole thing, then read the last part.

What's Obama's plan? To leave and hope for the best?
Or more of this

Pakistani protesters burn a U.S. flag to condemn U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama's remarks, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday. Pakistan criticized Obama for saying that, if elected, he might order unilateral military strikes inside this Islamic nation to root out terrorists.

[calteacherguy]

59. It is not our place to redraw Iraq's borders like a 21st century colonial power.

"That would merely feed ethnic cleansing and likely lead to a wider, more intense conflict. The right approach is a coordinated diplomatic, legal, economic and security campaign drawing upon broader dialogue in the region and intensified political work inside Iraq."

http://securingamerica.com/node/1961

Biden is a politician looking for an easy solution that does not exist. Clark knows what he is talking about.

[Like It Is]

61. Joe Biden has more Foreign Relations experience than Clark could even dream about.

The Biden/Gelb Plan for Iraq is the only way out. If it fails, or if the Iraqis refuse to accept it, it's time for us to leave. If you want to remain you'll have to reinstate the draft. Are you ready for that?

[calteacherguy]

62. LOL. Clark has real world experience, of which Biden has none. nt

[Like It Is]

63. What the hell are you talking about? Describe Real World Experience. n/t

[jillan]

64. You couldn't be more wrong that that!

Biden has met with many, many world leaders.
Russia, Yugoslavia, Korea, Africa, the Middle East and more.
He has been involved internationally since the mid 70's.

I am not going to take anything away from Clark. I have the utmost respect for him.

But - - - it is not right to fabricate or make light of Biden's extensive foreign relations knowledge and ability.

It was Biden that urged Pres. Clinton to go into Bosnia.
Biden warned Bush Sr. about what was brewing in that region of the country after Tito died, about the genocide that was beginning, and urged him to pay more attention. But no, Bush Sr ignored it. And you know why?
Get this - because he said it is not the business of the US to get involved in a Secretarian civil war!!!!!!
That it was not our problem. Does that make you want to scream, or what?!

[calteacherguy]

65. O.K., you make some valid points, however

Biden's experience still has been primarily in the ivory tower of the Senate, whereas Clark's has been on the outside.

[jillan]

66. I say the next administration includes both of them!

Since Wes isn't running -

Biden/Clark ticket.

That would be awesome!!!

[murbley40]

69. Bill Press:

Almost as good as an endorsement.

[Like It Is]

70. I would say so, about as good as you can get. n/t

[murbley40]

75. Time for a good

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[murbley40]

76. yea!

:kick: :kick:

[murbley40]

79. Biden supporters:

:grouphug: pals: :hug: grouphug:

[Like It Is]

80. Biden made 3 TV appearances today.

Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Hannity & Colmes on Fox of all places and on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. A busy day for Joe.