Republicans and Our Enemies-By JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.(WSJ)

[kpete]

OPINION


Republicans and Our Enemies
By JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
May 23, 2008

On Wednesday, Joe Lieberman wrote on this page that the Democratic Party he and I grew up in has drifted far from the foreign policy espoused by Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John Kennedy.

In fact, it is the policies that President George W. Bush has pursued, and that John McCain would continue, that are divorced from that great tradition – and from the legacy of Republican presidents like Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.


...............................

The Bush-McCain saber rattling is the most self-defeating policy imaginable. It achieves nothing. But it forces Iranians who despise the regime to rally behind their leaders. And it spurs instability in the Middle East, which adds to the price of oil, with the proceeds going right from American wallets into Tehran's pockets.

The worst nightmare for a regime that thrives on tension with America is an America ready, willing and able to engage. Since when has talking removed the word "no" from our vocabulary?

It's amazing how little faith George Bush, Joe Lieberman and John McCain have in themselves – and in America.


more at:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121150000249615875.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries

[Captain Hilts]

1. Talk like this by Biden really won me over for his candidacy DESPITE...

the bankruptcy bill.

But he's wrong to pad the assumption that JFK did not have a belligerent foreign policy. He campaigned as a hardass FP conservative and screwed up on FP once in the White House.

[wryter2000]

10. When he's on, he's awesome

Problem is, you're never sure if you're going to get Senator Biden or Mr. Hyde.

Remember Alberto Gonzales? Mr. Hyde: "I like you. You're the real deal." Senator Biden voted against him.

[Faryn Balyncd]

2. Biden eloquently destroys the un-American, incompetent fearmongering of Bush-McCain-Lieberman. . . .

Biden has the presence and skills to deliver the body blows needed to bring the November campaign back o these issues.

With the GOP employing their patented smear & fear message, we need an attack dog like Biden. . . .

Although I detest Biden's bankruptcy "reform" complicity, he has great skills as a verbal hatchet man, valued qualities for a VP. . . . . When a VP can force the re-focusing of a campaign to these essential issues, he can free Obama to rise above the fray & inspire.




:kick:




:kick:

[bdamomma]

12. we have Biden and Edwards.

[Muttocracy]

3. I wish we could force every voter to read this. nt

[Frustratedlady]

4. I was SO happy to see this piece by Biden...

In this crazy mixed-up campaign of fighting about pastors and super Ds and lapel pins, it is refreshing to get back to the issues at hand...mainly, George W's defense strategy and what it will take to turn this mess around, as well as how McCain is attached to GWB at the hip.

Biden has the ability to not only discuss the present-day and future consequences for our actions of going to war in the Mideast, but to reach back into history to explain why we can or cannot continue to follow GWB's policy of the past 7+ years. It will take the knowledge and guidance of a Biden-type (preferably Biden, himself) to show us the error of our ways and turn around this abortion we call the Iraq War while reviving our image in the world.

To recover from the Bush Years, we need to heed the outspoken and passionate Joe Biden. You may not like what he says or how he says it, but he calls it like it is. Personally, I find that so refreshing after listening to the Bush/Cheney lies for much too long.

Thanks, Joe!

[NewJeffCT]

5. great piece - Biden for VP or Sec of State?

we could do a lot worse

[GardeningGal]

7. Excellent read. My vote is for Sec. of State. n/t

[Burma Jones]

13. Nah, he's a great and powerful Senator

The only step up for him would be President......

[WheelWalker]

6. They just covered this on NPR's Morning Edition, too... nt

[Muttocracy]

18. thanks VI - here's the link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90755787

[pleah]

8. K&R

[bdamomma]

9. you tell them.

I really admire this man, nothing against those Dem candidates that are running, but we had a shining star in our hands and we threw it away.

[NewJeffCT]

16. Unfortunately

since Biden is a Democrat, he will never be able to live down when he plagiarized the speech from Neil Kinnock about 20 years ago.

Just like Ted Kennedy will never be able to live down Chappaquiddick, even though it was 40 years ago.

And Robert Byrd, his membership in the KKK 60 years ago.

Of course, if they were Republicans, they could just say that it was a youthful indiscretion and nobody in the media would bring the issue up again...

[WheelWalker]

11. Wow. He's nailed it. Great piece. k&r

[rateyes]

14. "It's amazing how little faith George Bush, Joe Lieberman and John McCain ha in themselves

have in themselves – and in America."

Great ending line to the op-ed, Senator Biden.

[Muttocracy]

17. really nice touch - paint them as un-American! nt

[Scriptor Ignotus]

15. now that's my kind of Joe-mentum! - nt

[gateley]

19. I continue to be impressed by Biden's

grasp of the situation, his focus on the real issues, and his willingness to tell it like it is.

I'm glad he's on our side!

[Truth2Tell]

20. "Mr. Bush

has turned a small number of radical groups that hate America into a 10-foot tall existential monster that dictates every move we make."

"...to compare terrorism with an all-encompassing ideology like communism and fascism is evidence of profound confusion."

Nail, meet head.

[Eurobabe]

21. Joe was right. n/t

[gateley]

22. ....

:)

[jillan]

23. Thank you Senator Biden for being so vocal on how the Dems are better able to handle national

security matters than the repukes.