The World Newser is World News' daily blog. Here, you'll find our staff's thoughts on the day's news and the way we build our broadcast. Plus, we'll share reports from our team of correspondents in the field, as well as producers behind-the-scenes.
RECENT POSTS
- Going Rogue, Selling High
- What One Man 200 Miles Above Earth is Thankful For Today
- Clem's Chronicles: Toyota Recall/Afghan Speech/State Dinner Crashers
- Charlie Gibson...On this Thanksgiving
- Quotes of the Day: 'It is my intention to finish the job'
- Start Your Shopping Engines
- The Hajj and Women's Dress
- Clem's Chronicles: Afghanistan/WH State Dinner/Holiday Travel
- Photos: White House State Dinners Through the Years
- Are We Becoming A Nation of Know-Nothings?
- Quotes of the Day: 'President Obama has the information he wants... to make his decision'
- Clem's Chronicles: Jobs/Afghanistan/Health Care Reform/Deficit
WORLD NEWSER CATEGORIES
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
Biden Defends Obama: Bush Should 'Get a Life'
May 15, 2008 10:31 AM
ABC's Z. Byron Wolf Reports: Former presidential candidate, undeclared superdelegate and Senate Foreign Relations Chair Joe Biden, D-Del., called President Bush's comment during foreign policy speech to the Israeli parliament "a political hit" against Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
"This was a political hit. This was a hit. Not trying to make a point," Biden said this afternoon in a pugnacious counteroffensive against the president on behalf of Obama.
In his address to the Knesset, Bush said ""Some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along."
The Obama camp took issue with Bush's remarks, calling them "a false political attack".
Biden took Bush to task for his tacit criticism of Obama's pledge to speak to leaders in Iran and Syria before the Israeli Knessett today and said the president should "get a life".
"His policy has been an abject failure," Biden said of the president. "For him to call those who rightly see the need for talk as appeasers is delusional and for him to do it from abroad is disgraceful."
Biden referred to what he called the "ridiculous hypocrisy of [the president's] statement."
"Here is a guy who is negotiating with Kim Jong Il. Kim Jong Il! He makes Ahmadinejad look okay," Biden said.
"If President believes (in his speech) he should get in touch with his administration. I assume the first thing he's going to do when he gets home is fire his two top cabinet people."
Biden then quoted from recent statements by Secretary of State Robert Gates, who seemed to say the US government should find a way to use leverage against Iran and sit down with Iranians.
Biden said President Bush made a deal with Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy "who blew a lot of my alumni friends from Syracuse university out of the sky."
Biden said when he travels abroad, even though he disagrees with the president's policy, he makes a point of not speaking out against the president.
Earlier in the day, Biden was quoted using an expletive to describe the President's speech. On the recorded conference call he did not repeat that word, but said what he said was accurate.
"I reacted viscerally," Biden said. "What I should have said was malarkey instead of what I did say. I should have said malarkey. but what I said was accurate."
Biden also referred to a speech by Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, who today gave a speech as if from the future in which McCain argued he would have brought most troops home from Iraq by 2013.
Biden said the speech was given from a "dream world."
"I like John's dream. I like John's goal. I just have not heard anything on how he will achieve those goals," Biden said.
May 15, 2008 in Political Radar | Permalink | Share | User Comments (52)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Joe Biden is a loon. He needs to get a life.
Posted by: geevill | May 15, 2008 10:46:01 AM
Good for Biden. Bush is an idiot.
Posted by: d | May 15, 2008 10:49:38 AM
Exactly who is Bush talkign about? Who is advocating negotiating with terrorists?
Posted by: Louis | May 15, 2008 10:51:58 AM
Dems should take their cue from Biden and pile on. Mr 29% approval can't bit back, and any republican who defends him will look like an ass.
Posted by: Northern Observer | May 15, 2008 10:54:58 AM
No need to swift boat Obama when his DNC supporters are doing it themselves.
Posted by: geevill | May 15, 2008 10:56:28 AM
Bush uses interesting rhetoric for a man whose grandfather Prescott Bush financed the Nazi war machine until 1942.
The Israelis do know that, right?
Posted by: winston | May 15, 2008 10:57:34 AM
Hey Biden, YOU ought to write your own speeches and quit plagerizing and passing off as your own.
Oh yeah, and how is your "clean and articulate" black man Obama doing these days? And seen any more Indian men working at 7-11 lately?
Lol. Biden -- get a life and shut your trapper.
Posted by: Jo | May 15, 2008 11:04:09 AM
Geevil
The fact that you call Joe Biden a loon and you have been supporting Hillary suddenly makes sense.
Have you ever seen a single policy statement or a single rally by any candidate outside of Hillary Clinton
I realize now...you are the reason blog comments are often ridiculous.
Joe Biden knows more about foreign policy than anybody up there.
a "loon"...needs toget a life because he calls this man who has come close to ruining our country and it's standing to account...
oy. You must work at Mccain headquarters...or in Cheney's office.
Posted by: dl | May 15, 2008 11:05:04 AM
President Bush's comments were consistent with his past statements. The fact that Senator Obama has so vigorously denounced this comment says a great deal about the Senator's shortcomings when it comes to dealing with international terrorism.
Posted by: Bubbler Dad | May 15, 2008 11:10:21 AM
Do all the people who post on this blog do so during Hannity's commercial breaks. You sound just as stupid, biased and "bitter".
Posted by: jim | May 15, 2008 11:15:29 AM
Sounds like the Israelis got the point. Obama is either misguided or dangerous.
We just don't know enough about him. Why would we want to take a chance on him as President?
Posted by: Reagan Democrat | May 15, 2008 11:15:59 AM
Joe Biden a two-time loser like Dodd and Edwards. how many votes did he get 1? maybe his hair tramsplant is too tight?
Posted by: geevill | May 15, 2008 11:16:19 AM
Bush is trying so hard to change the narrative away from his dismal failure as a President.
Bush obviously still is under the delusion that Americans are stupid.
Posted by: Michele C. | May 15, 2008 11:16:29 AM
White House spokesperson now claims that President Bush WASN'T relating to Senator Obama with his remarks.
Right!.. President Bush does think we are all stupid!
Posted by: Michele C. | May 15, 2008 11:20:33 AM
Americain will make a very good choice by listening to Sen, Biden .
He is one of few American politician that understands forgien policy and have the courage and honesty of advocating it.
Posted by: Jay | May 15, 2008 11:28:49 AM
Americain will make a very good choice by listening to Sen, Biden .
He is one of few American politician that understands forgien policy and have the courage and honesty of advocating it.
Posted by: Jay | May 15, 2008 11:28:54 AM
bush has lost all credibility. Does anyone listen to the guy anymore. He's been the worst president ever, I guess he's going for the worst "lame-duck" ever now. Obama 2008!
Posted by: pt | May 15, 2008 11:31:04 AM
Bush = sociopath
Thanks Joe Biden for saying what 80% of Americans (including this republican) have concluded about George W. Bush, a dangerous buffoon.
Jan. 20, 2009 - end of the Bush "error"
Posted by: tomcat27834 | May 15, 2008 11:52:57 AM
Joe Biden is a good soldier and will do anything to help. He is probably the smartest guy, but unfortunately, he never got his campaign taken off, for no other reason than Obama and supporters accusing him racist because he praised him as articulate and fresh, on the day he announced his candidacy.
Without BHO's smear, Biden might be the dem nominee, rather than a phony hypocrite.
Posted by: Olbermn3 | May 15, 2008 11:58:33 AM
Please explain what kind of experience did Bush have in foreign relations when he entered the white house. all i see is his experience in bankrupting this country. people need to wake up and smell the roses. did Regan have experience, did they even live abroad?
this race is becoming a mess. i always had admiration for Hilary until all her dirty politics that came out, and bill clinton, who i am ashamed of i thought he would have been a better person. if you (this country) wants to truly become a third world country they had better come together (democrates) and get those republicans out of office.
Posted by: Frances Howard | May 15, 2008 12:17:47 PM
Post a comment
