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Biden Touts Support for Troops as His Son Prepares for Iraq

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September 22, 2008 5:39 PM

ABC News' Matthew Jaffe Reports: With his eldest son Beau about to be deployed to Iraq, Sen. Joe Biden insisted he, rather than Sen. Barack Obama, address the National Guard Association Monday, delivering an emotional speech criticizing Sen. John McCain, who had spoken to the Guard the day before, for his foreign policy judgment, campaign tactics, and commitment to the troops.

“Now I know some of you wonder why the Republicans sent the first team, and the Democrats sent the second team,” Biden told the Guard's annual conference in Baltimore. “Well, let me tell you why. There's few things vice-presidents and vice-presidential nominees get to do, you can only call a card once. I told Barack, I'm coming. I'm coming.”

“I’m also here today as a father of a guardsman,” he continued. “My son Beau is proud to wear the uniform, and proud to answer the call to serve.”

At times fiery and angry, the animated Biden grew quieter and paused momentarily when describing the impact on families when a soldier's life is lost.

“Eight-hundred and seventy members of the Guard and Reserve are among the fallen angels, among the fallen angels in this war,” he said as he recalled flying back from Baghdad on military planes with coffins aboard. “All I can think about when I fly back with those caskets - all of which come to my state, the state of Delaware, the Dover mortuary - all I can think about is the parents, husbands and wives, children waiting at the other end.”

The senator touted his work to provide the troops with $20 billion worth of newer, stronger military vehicles known as MRAPs, dubbing himself, “the bastard at the family picnic.”

“It wasn’t until I stood on the floor of the United States Senate and said I’m gonna be the bastard at the family picnic here, I’m gonna stand here - not a joke - I’m gonna stand here, I’m gonna stand here until we appropriate the money to build these vehicles.”

The Delaware lawmaker accused McCain of employing “the politics of division” in the Republican nominee’s address to the Guard Sunday, when he claimed that behind Obama's positions lay the ambition to be president.

“We can question each other’s judgment, that’s what elections are all about, but we have to stop questioning each other’s motives and each other’s patriotism. You know, whether we’re Democrats, whether we’re Democrats or Republicans or Independents, we all share a profound desire to do right by America. We all, we all put country first...When John and I send our sons to war, they don’t wear a Republican flag or a Democratic flag. They wear the American flag.”

Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, also ripped McCain for an Iraq policy where the definition of "victory" means “you’re there for a lifetime.”

"What’s John’s definition, God love him? No Iranian influence. Did John happen to notice when we have 140,000 American forces in Iraq that the president of Iraq invites Ahmadinejad from Tehran to Baghdad and then embraces him and kisses him on both cheeks? Ladies and gentlemen, read history! So if you go by John’s definition of what constitutes success and victory, hang on, you’re there for a lifetime.”

Biden urged the focus not be on Iraq, but rather, “that superhighway of terror that exists between Afghanistan and Pakistan” where Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda are based.

“If God forbid that attack comes, it will come from the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Biden warned. “It will not come from Baghdad."

September 22, 2008 in Biden, Joe, McCain, John, Obama, Barack | Permalink | User Comments (94)

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Joe Biden's son is the Attorney General of the State of Delaware. He is also a Captain in the National Guard serving in the Judge Advocate's General Office. He is a lawyer.

While we should all appreciate his service in the National Guard, it is highly unlikely he will see any combat while being deployed.

Posted by: Ben J | Sep 22, 2008 7:12:40 PM

First, I'd like to say W H blow it out your A**. Losers like you fly boys don't mean a hell of a lot. Dropping bombs and trashing 5 planes claiming POW for 2 years and you know 3 years sent in Hanoi Hilton don't mean your POTUS material loser. My own brother was Nam, some of my friends served in Nam. I still want to see McPickles service record and his Health records. I bet alot do. And since my own son is in the Military, I much rather choose Obama/Biden than ( I need a geography, and economy lesson ) McPickle and (I can see Russia from my house, don't yah know) Caribu Barbie any day. What a piece of work both of them.

Posted by: CusterwasSiouxed | Sep 22, 2008 7:15:08 PM

W Hensler's comment to a well thought out argument is "Sir, bite me."

This more than anything shows what's wrong with American politics -- people think that "Bite me" some how is better than thoughtful reasoning. It sort of encapsulates the problems we're seeing broadly in the campaign where certainly Palin relies heavily on snappy retorts that are the equivalent of "Bite me." while others are trying to engage in reasoned arguments on very complex issues where the answers are rarely simple.

Posted by: MK | Sep 22, 2008 7:17:06 PM

"Commie hippie traitors"??? When did Archie Bunker get here?

Posted by: foxisms | Sep 22, 2008 7:18:45 PM

Biden's son is a lawyer in the JAG unit. He is not an enlisted man like Palin's son or McCains son who enlisted, who has already done 2 tours in Iraq. McCains has another son about to go over to Iraq.

I think Palin and McCain are far more aware of what is going on in the military than Biden or Obama.

Posted by: Lm | Sep 22, 2008 7:18:56 PM

Mk- The Humane Society endorsed a President for the first time today telling McCain/Palin to "bite them" and put their efforts behind Obama/Biden.

Posted by: Paige | Sep 22, 2008 7:21:27 PM

COLCOL.A.M.Khajawall [Ret[ I've seen this guy's posts before. He leaves them on every web site. I think he's with the Obama campaign. And a fake.

Posted by: Sean A | Sep 22, 2008 7:38:08 PM

Why are we at war in Iraq? Someone please tell me. I'd like to know why so I can explain to my sons what it was that put the finishing touch on the fall of the great American Empire.

Posted by: Jim Bob | Sep 22, 2008 7:39:08 PM

Biden's a big baby. Ohh I feel so sorry for him and his lawyer son whose not even going into combat. McCain's sons are serving in Iraq, Palin's son is serving in Iraq. They just talk about how proud they are of their son's and worry like every other American with sons and daughters, husbands and wives over there. What makes Biden so special?

Posted by: Sean A | Sep 22, 2008 7:40:53 PM

welcome everyone to the class war that is now amercia.the first one mccain/obama that votes against this 700 billon bail out, hand out, wins the election.it is not about health care, abortion, palin,biden, it is the hand out.obama's new motto: hand outs we don't need. trash the change thing and the white house is yours.

Posted by: harold l | Sep 22, 2008 7:41:02 PM

what we add to this clean bill is just a smoke screen to get it passed.this is here and now. not what if obama wins,what if mccain wins,hoodwinked. 50 million dollar bonus in 2006, guess who? the guy who is running the whole thing.hank paulson.none of this can be made up.

Posted by: harold l | Sep 22, 2008 7:45:28 PM

This is from the Presidential ticket that also touts "...Iran...Cuba...these are small countries that do not pose a threat to the U.S."

Posted by: Kevin | Sep 22, 2008 7:53:22 PM

this is not monday nite network news,the sky is falling stuff.this is going on now. did you see the last news report on two of the three major news networks? the redesign of the penney.the networks make more money on a street fight obama/biden ,then giving us the bad news.one of the saddest days in history, april 27,1965. the day ed murrow died.oh i forgot we have our ed murrow, keith olbermann.wow

Posted by: harold l | Sep 22, 2008 7:54:30 PM

My husband and his brother both Marines, served their Country in Viet Nam, at the same time. One could have come home, but neither would go. My brother in law arrived a PFC and became a Sargeant in 8 months there were so many casualities in his battalion. Their Uncles were captured in the Bataan March and one received the Silver Star for his acts of heroism. Our son served in the Marines during Desert Storm and while they were all proud to serve their country, they rarely if ever have spoke about it. They didn't ask for praise nor did they ride on what they did to gain anything in their lives. This is just a small example of what kind of men serve our country. Unlike John McCain they recognize there are many other ways to serve your country that are honorable and worthy of respect. Example, Barack Obama's decision to serve his community rather than become a high priced lawyer."Country First" doesn't mean flash and flair.. it can mean quietly doing your job because you love your country.

Posted by: Sharonkathleen | Sep 22, 2008 7:55:10 PM

again the first one to be against this 700 million bail out wins the election

Posted by: harold l | Sep 22, 2008 7:56:17 PM

Paige, like, the human society endorsed, like, Obama! And like, told like, McCain to bite-me(who?). like, animal loving, like tree hugging, like, queer festival partiers like you liberal freaks think the human society is going to pull in more votes for Obama, like LOL. I love animals and care about the environment, but the queers votes you can, like, have. Like a HS endorsement, like matters like, LOL.

Posted by: Liberals are Idiots | Sep 22, 2008 7:58:04 PM

this election has turned into smerks, attacks, and the word look.no do not answer the hard questions just say the word look then hammer home your message.people are making money to do this

Posted by: harold l | Sep 22, 2008 7:59:20 PM

Harold, it's the democrats against it already. They are trying to put pork in it, that should tell everybody something!

Posted by: Liberals are Idiots | Sep 22, 2008 8:01:02 PM

And we all know that a lawyer is way less valuable than... oh... let's say a pilot who's !!!!FOURTH!!!! plane accident killed 134 sailors and who's !!!FIFTH!!! plane accident got him captured. The viet cong may have been doing us a favor by keeping him on the ground until the end of the war. (I just wish they hadn't abused him. I don't wish that on anyone.)

As a mom of a soldier that will be going over to Iraq for the second tour this winter I hope to have leaders like Obama and Biden who don't go looking for trouble but will fight if circumstances call for it. Our young men and women are stepping up to the plate because we asked them to but I can't wait for the time when we can tell them "Stand down soldier, The war is over. You did good and we're proud of you."

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that line won't be coming from the McCain/Palin ticket.

Posted by: itgranny | Sep 22, 2008 8:01:17 PM

Sharon, when has McCain ever boasted about serving or being a POW. You liberal nuts always want people to answer liberal nut reporters questions don't you, hypocrites! Tell your family members who served, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY, GOD Bless'em.

Posted by: Liberals are Idiots | Sep 22, 2008 8:06:52 PM

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