« Previous | Main | Next »

Biden Calls McCain 'Dangerously Wrong'

Share

September 24, 2008 6:30 PM

ABC News' Matthew Jaffe Reports: Just two days before the first presidential debate is scheduled to focus on foreign policy issues – although that now appears to be up in the air - Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden delivered a wide-ranging national security speech Wednesday in Cincinnati in which he cautioned that Sen. John McCain is "more than wrong - he is dangerously wrong."

In an address longer than his convention speech, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee accused McCain of acting with “bluster” and "very poor judgment" on international issues including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, Spain, and Iraq. 

“John McCain continues to insist, against all the evidence and all the facts, that Iraq is the central war on terrorism,” Biden said. “Ladies and gentlemen, he doesn't understand that that central war on terrorism is in the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan where al Qaeda resides, where bin Laden lives, where the people who actually attacked the United States of America are plotting more attacks. On this, John is more than wrong. He is dangerously wrong.”

“Time and again Barack Obama has demonstrated the judgment that we need in our next president,” Biden said, arguing that the Bush administration’s recent changes in its dealings with Iraq and Iran have proved Obama correct.

“Time and again, on the most critical national security issues of our time, John McCain's judgment has simply been wrong,” Biden warned, never more so than in the war on terror, where the Delaware lawmaker emphasized the focus should be on al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, not Iraq.

“The more we postpone the day when we fully join the fight against al Qaeda, the real threat -- and finally defeat those who actually attacked America seven years ago, the longer that takes the worse off we are. Only John McCain says “no” now. John McCain is the only odd man out with Barack’s plan - the only one.”

Biden said that this week's attacks in Yemen and Pakistan prove that the threat of al Qaeda exists outside of Iraq and that threat is growing and – were the US to be hit again, it would be because, “the Bush/McCain approach let down our guard and let our enemies off the hook”.

“So much for the Bush/McCain claim that we're fighting them in Iraq so they won't attacks us over here,” he said. “We should be fighting them where they reside.”

Biden’s round-the-world remarks ranged from Pakistan to Spain.

On Pakistan, Biden warned that “we will not tolerate an al Qaeda sanctuary...If we have actionable intelligence, if Pakistan will not or cannot act, we will take out high-level terrorist targets like bin Laden even if we have them - over the objections of the others - if we have them in our sights.”

On Iran, Biden said that “John McCain's saber rattling is the most self-defeating policy I can imagine.”

Of course, he also stated that Bush's decision to send Undersecretary of State William Burns to meet with Iranian representatives in Tehran this summer was further validation of Obama’s diplomatic approach, but in fact Burns gone to Geneva.

On Russia, “imagine, imagine if we had listened to John McCain when he tried to remove Russia from the G8…such a move would not have done anything to stop Russia from the inextricable and unfair and overwhelming invasion of an independent country of Georgia, but I tell you what it would have done: it would have triggered a crisis in our alliance since no one else in Europe thought that action should be taken, an alliance we now need, we now need to help us in dealing with Russian aggression.”

On Spain, Biden criticized McCain’s statement that he would not meet with the leader of Spain.

“A NATO ally who has Spanish forces in Afghanistan fighting side by side with the United States, John McCain said he will not meet with that leader. Ladies and gentlemen, what kind of judgment is that? What kind of bluster is that? Ladies and gentlemen John McCain's notion in how to deal with our allies as well as our adversaries is rooted in something that I just simply do not understand.”

In conclusion, Biden argued that on the basis of the two candidates’ past foreign policy decisions, it is clear that Obama is more qualified to lead the country.

“By any objective standard, any objective standard - not looking to the future, looking to the past, what each of the candidates have said, to me it is absolutely, unequivocally clear that Barack Obama is more prepared to be commander in chief of the United States of America than John McCain.”

September 24, 2008 in Biden, Joe, McCain, John | Permalink | User Comments (67)

User Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

With Mc bush all he knows is war so whst else is he going to say and or do th e same with his partner both war hawks. I for one would like to see peace and so would all the military. As for terrorists in Iraq they weren't there until we attack that country. Terror is based on hate as long as there is het you will have terror.

Posted by: Rose Szymanski | Sep 24, 2008 6:44:09 PM


From:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/09/mccain-trailing-in-polls-continues.html

Wednesday, September 24, 2008
McCain, Trailing in Polls, Continues Campaign By "Suspending" It

John McCain, trailing by 9 points in national polls, has announced that he is "suspending" his campaign.

Having lost significant ground to Obama on the issue of the economy, and facing a potentially defining and withering debate on Friday where he would be confronted on his statements on the economy that have led to this sharp decline, McCain has attempted to change the rules of the game, to erase many past errors through a putatively "unpolitical" move--something we have seen before.

A simple question: Under the same economic conditions, if McCain had been leading, does anyone believe that McCain would have "suspended" his campaign?

This is the ultimate in cynicism--using the current conditions in order to attempt to blunt a sharp decline and try to control the media dialogue, through a political act designed to avoid a potential political debacle. He is continuing his campaign--which was leading to loss in all directions--by "suspending" it. It is an attempt to silence media criticism and questions--and to prevent a debate on these issues that for him is sharply unfavorable. As such, it is impulsivity masked as statesmanship, as well as an attempt to control the media dialogue, as we saw yesterday at the U.N.,-- factors we have seen all along. He wants to attempt to force media to avoid covering openly his flailing campaign, the cynically political masked as the unpolitical, as we saw in the VP pick. Don't be fooled.

McCain is attempting to avoid the debate in the face of this decline, through the type of evasion and lack of press access and communication that has characterized his campaign. It shows an extraordinary willingness to use difficult conditions to erase and avoid political errors, and serve political needs.

He surely would like to put off the debate, and attempt to create more favorable conditions for it.

This is just the time for a debate. We can work on solutions at the same time. Don't be cowed.

Cite:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/09/mccain-trailing-in-polls-continues.html


Posted by: Emily | Sep 24, 2008 6:48:53 PM

Joe Biden has, on more than one occasion, lied about the "other driver" drinking. The fact is the accident that took his wife's life was not the other driver's fault, and the attorney general of delaware at the time stated there was absolutely no evidence that he had been drinking. Joe Biden is a liar in the worst way. He doesn't care that he slanders an innocent man.

Posted by: Kitty | Sep 24, 2008 6:49:31 PM

McCAIN IS A COWARD.

YOU CAN RUN AND HIDE FROM YOUR MISTAKES, JOHN, BUT WE CAN ALL SEE YOUR A$$ STICKING OUT!!!

Posted by: Ed from MA | Sep 24, 2008 6:50:01 PM

WHAT HAPPEN TO McCAINT VP? lol

Did not McCaint pick Sarah Falin for when something should happen to him?


McCaint cannot campaign and his VP cannot stand in? lol

McCaint VP pick IS WORTHLESS? lol

Posted by: Patriot | Sep 24, 2008 6:57:01 PM

Biden is terrible as VP, but look at his rival, Palin is a fool chosen by a fool more interested in winning the election than what's good for America. Obviously, Ole John doesn't think beyond the election or else he would hire a "food taster".

Posted by: JR | Sep 24, 2008 7:00:30 PM

Kitty:

You are an idiot.

Posted by: Mr. Coffee | Sep 24, 2008 7:00:59 PM

Three senators away from Washington playing this stupid, child like game of blame. By the way since he is so good that he can handle many issues at once I wonder if he can chew gum and walk a straight line at the same time. If we would stop listening to the propaganda put out in newspapers, on TV and cable we probably would be better off if all three of these powerful gentlemen were back in Washington earning those salaries while the rest of us see our saving go down the drain.

Posted by: William | Sep 24, 2008 7:01:15 PM

Obama is getting a SURGE in the polls. People are beginning to see through the negative campaign and lies of the McCain camp.

Obama surge 08.

Posted by: krista | Sep 24, 2008 7:01:54 PM

McCain's bailout plan:

BAIL OUT OF THE DEBATE!!!!!


WHAT A CHICKEN!!!

McCAIN'S TRUE COLORS:

YELLOW AND YELLOW.


COWARD!!!



Posted by: Ed from MA | Sep 24, 2008 7:05:01 PM

Emily your argument is prima facie nonsense...Say you're playing basketball, nine points behind, well actually more like 3 points in poll of polls average...is it good strategy to let the clock run out? Silly

Posted by: robert b | Sep 24, 2008 7:05:27 PM

Mccain the country needs leadership at this time of criss, we need to hear from both candidates and now you want to suspend the debate, it a good thing your tryin 2 bring both parties together you can't just spend a debate..

Posted by: michael | Sep 24, 2008 7:10:44 PM

macain thinks he is slick, hahah macain is looking at the polls everyday and cant't believe what he is seeing so he is pulling a fast one on obama. what a clown

Posted by: ray | Sep 24, 2008 7:10:48 PM

Now BOTH Sarah Falin & McCaint go AWOL! lol

Reminds one of when OPPORTUNIST McCaint DESERTED his partially incapacitated OLDER wife along with his children, in order to 'marry up' into money and uncountable mansions, and 'marry down' into YOUNGER flesh, Cindy!

Why can't Sarah Falin stand in for McCaint?

Because Sarah HAS NOT intelligence and national and international experience.

Posted by: Patriot | Sep 24, 2008 7:11:00 PM

I'm not a big fan of Biden's. But he can eloquently and clearly call out McCain on the issues.

Both McCain and Obama say they would go into Pakistan to get high level terrorists. So with either candidate we get warmongers. Actually they differ little on such issues as Iran, Afghanistan and how long we will be in Iraq.

Posted by: DavidK | Sep 24, 2008 7:12:03 PM

I'm not a big fan of Biden's. But he can eloquently and clearly call out McCain on the issues.

Both McCain and Obama say they would go into Pakistan to get high level terrorists. So with either candidate we get people who think the US can and should do anything it wants regardless of how wrong it is.

Actually they differ little on such issues as Iran, Afghanistan and how long we will be in Iraq.

Posted by: DavidK | Sep 24, 2008 7:14:01 PM

I am voting for Obama. But Biden wants you to forget that he too fully supported the invasion of Iraq.

Posted by: DavidK | Sep 24, 2008 7:18:20 PM

So, Mr. Biden who has been a long-time member of the Foreign Relations Committee has voted to give Bush the authority to use military force in 2002 says that McCain is dangerously wrong for the same judgement. Humm That's interesting.

Posted by: Tim | Sep 24, 2008 7:22:24 PM

If McShame is going to chicken out on the debate Friday night, how about we substitute the Biden-Palin VP debate that night. According to ABC, they quote laura Bush saying she's a quick study. So let's see just how quickly she can learn to debate!

Posted by: not another mad cowboy | Sep 24, 2008 7:24:40 PM

SEN. Joe Biden's expertise on foreign policy:
In 1979, he shared Carter’s starry-eyed belief that the fall of the shah in Iran and the advent of the ayatollahs represented progress for human rights. Throughout the hostage crisis, as US diplomats were daily paraded blindfolded in front of television cameras and threatened with execution, he opposed strong action against the terrorist mullahs and preached dialogue.

* Throughout the 1980s. Biden opposed President Ronald Reagan’s proactive policy against the Soviet Union. Biden was all for détente - which, in practice, meant Western subsidies that would have enabled the moribund USSR to cling to life and continue doing mischief.

* In 1990, Biden found it difficult to support President George Bush’s decision to use force to kick Saddam Hussein’s army of occupation out of Kuwait.

* A decade-plus later, the senator did vote for the liberation of Iraq from Saddamite tyranny. But as soon as terrorists started challenging the new democratic system in Iraq, he switched sides and became a critic of the whole war effort. He claimed that the Iraq war was lost and suggested that the US partition the newly liberated country into three or more mini-states.

He was right about one thing though...
When asked about Obama Biden opined "I think he can be ready, but right now I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training." So I guess SEN Biden isn't wrong ALL of the time...

Posted by: Nobama | Sep 24, 2008 7:27:28 PM

Post a comment