Actually, you are quite incorrect about Joe Biden's record on breast cancer. He has supported increased federal funding for breast cancer research for years and is a cosponsor of the Breast Cancer Environmental Research Act. He has consistently asked for increased funding for the Breast Cancer Research program in the Department of Defense. He helped provide Medicaid coverage for women who are diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer but do not have insurance. He sponsors a resolution every year bringing attention to a national mammogram awareness day.

Clinton is a cosponsor of the bill to reduce the disparity in crack and powder cocaine sentencing.

Yet another exaggeration that is now accepted as gospel truth. Senator Clinton did not cry. Her voise cracked a little bit and she may have sighed, but she did not cry. But, then again, the truth has never been important in politics anyway.

Senator Biden has not made any deals with any candidates.

Mollie,

You are simply wrong if you think Biden is "sucking up" to Obama. I have seen nothing over the past several weeks to indicate this. Why would the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee suck up to a freshman Senator who chairs the European Affairs Subcommittee (who hasn't called a single meeting of the subcommittee since he became chair)?

Howard,

Richardson actually said that Musharaff should resign, which would have created a power vacuum, and then said Cheney of all people should go to Pakistan to help calm the situation there. The guy with the most experience, who has been talking about Pakistan the longest and has the best ideas for the Middle East is Biden, not Richardson.

Senator Biden DID NOT sponsor or cosponsor the bankruptcy bill. He did agree to vote for it after provisions were put in strengthening alimony and child support collection.

Jason,

That was a well written post. I have a couple questions for you though. Can you give more examples of Obama working across party lines to get something accomplished in the Senate? The example you mentioned with Lugar is basically something that Obama hoped on after years of work done by Lugar and Biden. I also remember Obama getting into a pretty heated argument with McCain over some ethics legislation.

Also, while you give the funny example of Thurmond and Byrd facing off based on years in the Senate, aren't you slightly underrating what experience in Congress brings - the knowledge of how Washington works and how to get things done? Dodd and Biden have long relationships with many in the Senate and both have gotten substantial pieces of legislation through the Senate on a bipartisan basis and enacted into law (Dodd - Family Medical Leave Act; Biden - Violence Against Women Act). Obama's three years in the Senate doesn't come close to matching the record of those two Senators.

Finally, the next president will have to face numerous foreign policy challenges right from the start that no President since Nixon or Ford will have inherited. Do you feel that Obama's experience and knowledge on foreign policy makes him more capable to serve as President and deal with trouble spots in the world than Richardson, Biden and Dodd? When Obama and Clinton got into an argument over how tough to deal with Iran a couple of debates ago, it was Biden who pointed out that Iran was years away from getting nuclear weapons, that any strike on Iran would embolden its radical elements and that Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons, was much more unstable and the real danger zone. Less than two weeks later Musharaff declared marshal law and arrested other political leaders. Guess who Musharaf called to discuss the situation? Biden - not Obama (heck, not even Bush). The leader of Israel also called Biden to discuss the Annapolis conference. Are any world leaders calling Obama for advice? Do you think Obama is more capable than Bill Richardson who has served as Ambassador to the UN and has negotiated the release of several American hostages around the world? Will Obama be more ready than Biden or Dodd?

I wasn't surprised by Edwards not attacking Clinton tonight. He learned the lesson from 2004 - in a crowded field, don't be the one to go negative. Iowans do not like candidates attacking each other, which is how Edwards snuck into 2nd in Iowa after Gephardt and Dean did the suicide-death pact of attacking each other. Edwards will attack Hillary, but not in front of Iowa audiences.

Yeah, Biden's speech focusing on ending the war in Iraq wasn't worth listening to. It's not like he even has a plan for bringing about a political solution. Move on, nothing to see here....

Do you go to lots of Rave parties or something? If so, how many people do you see there that are high on exctasy?

You broke it you bought it? That's essentially what we did in Iraq. A complete, immediate pullout will create an even greater bloodbath than exists now, except there will be fewer American deaths. If all you're worried about is American soldiers today, then by all means, let's remove them all tomorrow. If however, you want to help stablize the region while removing our soldiers, then that involves a staged removal, with soldiers leaving over several months, if not a year.

By the way, if you want to leave it to the Iraqi's to determine if we leave or not, then we will be there a long time, as the Iraqi government over and  over has asked us to stay.

it must be some good stuff.

The statement you quote at the beginning of your post by no means implies that Biden thinks we should have been there in the first place. That is YOUR interpretation of his quote, nothing more. If you have listened to him talk over the last several years, you would know that Sen. Biden wants to get out of Iraq, leaving only enoughs troops to help train the Iraqi army and to be able to take on al-quidai if needed while we are still helping to train the Iraqi army and police.

And, if you knew anything about his plan to get out of Iraq, you would know that he wants all of the oil money to be divided among the different factions in Iraq - not enriching our multinational corporations.

And your point on Israel? I think you've swallowed one to many conspiracy theories.

Because he's a Senator or because you think he has a lot of money?

annefrank,

What crowd of DC elitists is Biden totally devoted to? Seeing as how he rarely attends any events in DC, I wonder which crowd you're referring to? Care to mention any names?

Remember, he has commuted between Wilmington and DC since he won his Senate seat in 1972. A single father for years after his wife and daughter were killed in a car crash (luckily his two sons survived), he chose to commute back to DE to spend time with his sons every day. After he remarried, he continued commuting and still does to this day.

So, please, tell us which DC elitists he sucks up to.