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Biden hits back - More on Obama's Committee

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July 17, 2008 11:06 AM

ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf reports: The case of the European Affairs Subcommittee hearings continues. Biden writes a passive aggressive letter to answer DeMint's passive aggressive letter.

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-SC, the ranking member on that committee, which is chaired by Sen. Obama, wrote earlier this week requesting that Obama hold a hearing after his upcoming trip to Afghanistan, where NATO countries are currently engaged.

DeMint had become the latest politician to complain (joining Sen. Clinton from when she was a Presidential candidate and Sen. McCain more recently) that Obama has shirked his duties as chairman of that committee.

But the Committee chairman, and Obama's guardian-in-chief where it comes to foreign policy, Sen. Joe Biden, shoots back in a letter sent last night to DeMint that there have been plenty of hearings on European Affairs, they've just been held at the "full committee level."

"On the particular issue of NATO’s mission in Afghanistan," writes Biden, "We have held three Full Committee hearings in the last 22 months: one under Senator Lugar’s chairmanship (September 21, 2006: “From Coalition to ISAF Command in Afghanistan: The Purpose and Impact of the Transition”), and two undermine (March 8, 2007: “Afghanistan: Time for a New Strategy?” and January 21, 2008: “Afghanistan: A Plan to Turn the Tide?”).  At all three of these hearings, we were fortunate enough to have the expert testimony—in addition to other witnesses, both in and out of government— of former NATO commander and Supreme Allied Commander-Europe, Gen. James R. Jones (USMC, ret.). At my request, Senator Obama chaired the confirmation hearing for our next ambassador to NATO, which he focused on NATO’s mission in Afghanistan."

Aside: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee hasn't considered the role of NATO in Afghanistan since last January? In February, Biden called it the "Forgotten War," apparently for good reason.

Biden goes on in last night's letter: "Senator 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."

The issue of how many hearings have been held will become a prickly one if DeMint, as a McCain surrogate, pursues it. Sen. McCain has skipped nearly every Armed Services Committee Hearing even though he is the ranking member. And Sen. DeMint skipped the one hearing Obama did chair to consider some executive nominations.

July 17, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (112)

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We have two loosers running for Office in November. I think that both sides would have to agree..

Posted by: Cutthecrap | Jul 17, 2008 12:51:52 PM

dl-- in your fact list you refer to a March 13 article, written by "we". Where can I find this article so I know who we is?

Posted by: Robert in Cleveland | Jul 17, 2008 12:54:59 PM

Robert in Clevelan

the "we" I refer to is the millions of people (yes millions) who are out here every day refuting false bologne in emails...on the streets... in our families... from the right... from the lobbyists...on these blogs... at parties...

volunteering, donating money, everything "we" can do because last time... we didn't...and we got GW, the war, the economy...

this time the "we" is bigger...

it's too important not to be.

and just so you know I am not some young blogger hired to do this...obviously they would have chosen someone with better typing skills...lol

Just a late 30 something political junkie from a blue collar background...who has made enough money now to be able to focus on this campaign....and the future.

So the "we" is a majority of Americans.

Posted by: dl | Jul 17, 2008 12:55:26 PM

"Why should anyone expect Senator Obama to call and hold a meeting of his senate committee?" Mary, did you not read the last paragraph of the article? Where has McCain been? Here, let me reprint it so that you can get the full impact of what it says: The issue of how many hearings have been held will become a prickly one if DeMint, as a McCain surrogate, pursues it. Sen. McCain has skipped nearly every Armed Services Committee Hearing even though he is the ranking member. And Sen. DeMint skipped the one hearing Obama did chair to consider some executive nominations.


Pot - meet kettle!!

Posted by: hang | Jul 17, 2008 12:56:45 PM

factcheck.org

but you can find it at almost all of the legfitimate factchecking sites...

all you have to do is google...

factcheck.org

focuses in on a lot fo "email" campaigns...

that is where Ann's posting came from.

Posted by: dl | Jul 17, 2008 12:57:22 PM

It's funny to see cynics scramble, scrape and pull out their weegie boards in thinking that they are going to stop this HIGH SPEED TRAIN OF HOPE AND CHANGE to the White House?

In a few short months, the dagger will be precisely inserted and twisted.

OUT WITH THE OLD.....IN WITH THE NEW

OBAMA 08 - It's INEVITABLE

Posted by: Nat Turner | Jul 17, 2008 1:01:54 PM

Sonia
and it was obama who said we needed to use more diplomacy with our enemies and he was bashed for having said that now that is what bush is doing with iran seems to me mccain and bush are following senator obamas ideas so thefore senator obama does have good judgement my advice to you sonia is to really pay attention to the canidates and whats going on maybe that would help with your decision

Posted by: angie | Jul 17, 2008 1:02:17 PM

you gotta love when a commenter on here says
"obama is the most evil...candidate I have ever seen"

Neil1785...you are worse than words...lol

that's right Bush and Cheney and the war and Katrina and the economy and the windfall profits of the oil companies while oil is going through the roof and they won't drill in places that already have oil because it won't keep their historical profit margin as large...

but yet Obama is the most "evil" candidate you have seen...

why?

because you have the mind of a 12 year old...and little Barry beat you up on the playground?

You are ...what's wrong with the present debate... no facts...just spin... and expletives...and fear.

It's 2004 and do you know where di#k cheney is?...
yeah...he is sitting behind a keyboard under the screen name neil 1785

Posted by: dl | Jul 17, 2008 1:03:29 PM

My friends,

The Silly Season Express needs a total overhaul.....How can I win?

I don't have any support from true conservatives.........Isn't that my base?

I can't speak without a teleprompter and/or someone whispering in my ear....
I tried flip flops and the DU-Pod, but I couldn't figure out how to hook em up together.....

Now, I'm being outraised 2-1.

My friends, I'm hurtin. Hurtin bad....Even I know I don’t have a porkchop’s chance in a piranha tank of becoming POTUS.

I'm this close to going Federally Postal………….

Well, it’s not about winning, just as long as you get to play the game right???

Is that a good spin on how dismal things are for me?

J. McCan't

Posted by: Nat Turner | Jul 17, 2008 1:04:17 PM

NEIL1785
that is your right so vote for mccain that is your right as an american but i think you will be very sorry!!!!!

Posted by: angie | Jul 17, 2008 1:04:28 PM

NEIL1785
you need anger management!!!!

Posted by: angie | Jul 17, 2008 1:11:00 PM

Neil1785 will have to face reality very very soon.

Denial can be a bit overwhelming.

You might as well accept the inevitable grasshoppa.

OBAMA WILL BE YOUR NEXT POTUS.

Posted by: Nat Turner | Jul 17, 2008 1:12:43 PM

Didn't McCain recently flip-flop and adopt Obama's view on Afghanistan?

Posted by: Jeremy | Jul 17, 2008 1:14:03 PM

Neil if that last comment wa for me...
(which it may not be because I am so pompous I think every insult is directed at me...lol)

I am pompous...but only when dealing with the pomposity of morons. lol

I tend to get pompous when the other person is blathering... and spinning without facts.

Posted by: dl | Jul 17, 2008 1:14:07 PM

angie thanks. i agree information is critical. that is why post-hillary i remain in the discussion.

Posted by: sonia trevino | Jul 17, 2008 1:15:34 PM

And AGAIN Neil1785's mind is playing tricks on him.

He's been ran through the ringer so much by the Repugs, he doesn't know which way is up.

HELP IS ON THE WAY, whether you want it or not.

OBAMA WILL BE POTUS.

Posted by: Nat Turner | Jul 17, 2008 1:17:02 PM

and Neil1785

Bush did not do well on that fact...do you read the reports of al quaeda's ability to recruit using this stupid war that the oil companies and a little boy wanting to get back at the man who threatened his daddy sent us into...

This was the most misbegotten foreign policy move ...and it was based on an old school foreign policy stance (that McCain also has) that does not work in an ever advancing and developing global village. Period.

We will be recovering from this stupid mistake for a long time to come.

and do you realize that Bush and McCain used the same "strategery" with the insurgents that was used with Osama Bin Laden and Iran in the past ...

give the enemies promises of money power and give them guns...to come fight on our side...for a quick political shift only to have it blow up in the faces of Americans 15-20 years later.

stupid stupid stupid war.

and again they are saying like they had done in the 70's and 80's that the enemy has come to fight on our side...

dumb dumb dumb

Posted by: dl | Jul 17, 2008 1:20:11 PM

Neil,

You'll be only remembered by the hilarious posts you make.

You should do stand up.

Political critical thinking is not your fortay.

OBAMA 08

Posted by: Nat Turner | Jul 17, 2008 1:23:27 PM

Neil1785

See you at the convention ..scary that you are a superdelegate ...you don't even see the mistake the war was...

but guess what you'll have people like me at the convention and unfortunately I am obviously pompous and much smarter than you.

luckily for the dems.

Posted by: dl | Jul 17, 2008 1:27:25 PM

I would like to be an Obama follower--but how do you stop the dizziness?

Posted by: Robert in Cleveland | Jul 17, 2008 1:28:51 PM

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