September 13, 2007
Biden Pre-Butts Bush, Criticizes Obama.
In advance of President Bush's address to the nation on Iraq tonight, Senator Joe Biden wants Iowans to know that he's the man to "cauterize the wound" caused by the war.
"This is George Bush's war. But it's America's future," Senator Joe Biden told patrons of the Family Table Restaurant in Atlantic, Iowa today. "The fact of the matter is that this president is going to, tonight, tell you that he wants to continue what is absolutely, in my view, a flawed, losing, destructive, and now unconscionable policy."
Biden's plan for Iraq is comprised of a gradual troop withdrawal and a federalization - or division into three states - of the warring sectarian regions of the country. Opponents on both sides of the aisle (with the exception of GOP presidential candidate Sam Brownback), call Biden's three-state proposal unfeasible. But Biden touts his plan as the only political solution put forward by any candidate, and he took issue with at least one of his rivals' plans for its lack of an outline for a political settlement before withdrawal.
Asked to respond to Sen. Barack Obama's policy speech in Clinton, IA, yesterday, Biden painted Obama's plan for troop withdrawal as unrealistically rosy. "My impression is he thinks that if we leave, somehow the Iraqis are going to have an epiphany" of peaceful coexistence among warring sects. "I've seen zero evidence of that."
The chairman of the foreign relations committee, Biden is counting on his foreign policy credentials and tough talk against Bush will power a resurgence here in the first caucus state. Biden pointed out today that he's been to Iraq eight times, "I think ... more than all the other candidates combined."
Iowa House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy , who endorsed Biden today, joshed about the speculation of many pundits that Biden really aims to head the State Department, saying "Given that Iraq is the number one issue facing this country, and it will be for the next few years, wouldn't it be nice to have a president of the United States who's smarter than his Secretary of State?"
[CARRIE DANN]
Posted at 06:05 PM
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