2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

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Biden Campaign Takes Step Toward Pubic Financing

BIDEN CAMPAIGN TAKES STEP TOWARD PUBLIC FINANCING

Wilmington, DE (November 9, 2007): Today, the Biden for President Campaign filed a threshold submission with the FEC.  This filing is the first step necessary to seek public financing for the 2008 presidential primary campaign.  The campaign will make a final decision about accepting public financing during the next month. 

"The ground is beginning to move in Iowa and the other early states as poll numbers continue to show movement and endorsements continue to pile up,” said Luis Navarro, Biden for President Campaign Manager.  “And we are taking every step to ensure that we will have the necessary resources to compete in Iowa and the other early states."

Joe Biden Announces Online Nation Plan

BIDEN ANNOUNCES ONLINE NATION PLAN
ENSURES A 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION FOR ALL AMERICANS

Marshalltown, IA (November 5, 2007):   Today at the Iowa Valley Continuing Education Conference Center in Marshalltown, Iowa, Sen. Joe Biden discussed the need to guarantee a 21st century education for all Americans and announced his Online Nation plan to provide nationwide access to high-speed internet. Although the United States led the world into the Internet age, the U.S. has now slipped to 16th in the world in high-speed Internet connections. Millions of Americans – particularly in rural and low-income urban areas – do not have access to high-speed Internet connections. In fact, less than 5 percent of towns of 10,000 or less have access to high-speed Internet connections and just 12 percent of Internet users in rural areas have them. 

“There is a digital divide between communities with access to high-speed Internet connections and those without this critical technology,” said Sen. Biden. “Access to high-speed Internet connections can open a world of opportunities and even save lives through tele-medicine and instant access to electronic medical records.  That’s why today I am announcing my Online Nation plan: to ensure every community, every school and college and every business has a high-speed Internet connection. As President, education and technology will be my top priority.”

Iowa State Senator Quirmbach Endorses Joe Biden

STATE SENATOR QUIRMBACH ENDORSES JOE BIDEN
JOE BIDEN IS “OUR BEST HOPE TO RESTORE AMERICA’S CREDIBILITY IN THE WORLD"

Des Moines, IA (November 6, 2007) – Last night at a house party in Ames, IA, Sen. Joe Biden received the endorsement of Iowa State Senator Herman C. Quirmbach. Senator Quirmbach becomes the twelfth Iowa State Legislator to endorse Senator Biden.

State Sen. Quirmbach is an Associate Professor of Economics at Iowa State University.

“We need to get out of Iraq, but after all the damage that Bush has done to that country, we owe it to them to leave them with some reasonable hope of stability,” said State Sen. Quirmbach.  “Joe Biden has the clearest vision of how to do both.  He’s our best hope to restore America’s credibility in the world, credibility we’re going to need if we’re going to lead on nuclear proliferation, terrorism, global warming, energy, and a host of other issues.”

Sen. Biden noted, "As someone with extensive knowledge of fiscal policy, Sen. Quirmbach knows well that America only does well when the middle class thrives economically.  Like many Americans, he is concerned for our economic security and knows the next president will have to make fiscally responsible decisions to put America back on track. Sen. Quirmbach knows what economic perils await if our if we continue to let the war in Iraq drain our Treasury, and I am proud that he has pledged to support my efforts to change course."

State Sen. Quirmbach joins an impressive group of Iowa state legislators who have endorsed Senator Biden including: State Sen. Joe Seng (Davenport), House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Des Moines), Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Polly Butka (Clinton County), Rep. John Whitaker (Hillsboro), Rep. Doris Kelley (Waterloo), Rep. Lisa Heddens (Ames), Rep. Jim Lykam (Davenport), Rep. Mike Reasoner (Creston), Rep. Dick Taylor (Cedar Rapids), Rep. Roger Thomas (Clayton County), and Rep. McKinley Bailey (Hamilton County).

Joe Biden Reviews From The Debate In Philadelphia

BIDEN RECEIVES RAVE REVIEWS

Wilmington, DE (October 31, 2007) – Sen. Joe Biden’s performance last night in Philadelphia impressed viewers, pundits—and apparently rivals—alike. Over the course of the debate Sen. Biden’s democratic opponents repeatedly found themselves saying “I agree with Joe.” And as other candidates traded barbs over almost everything, from driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants to social security, Sen. Biden’s ability to build consensus around common sense policy stood out among the crowd.  Sen. Biden did all this despite receiving the least airtime of any of the candidates on stage.

“Joe Biden turned in a widely praised performance last night in Philadelphia as he laid out a clear vision for the country on the issues most important to the American people,” said Biden for President Campaign Manager Luis Navarro.  “Joe Biden also proved that he is the candidate most capable to take on Republicans in the general election.”

ANALYSTS PRAISED BIDEN’S PERFORMANCE

On National Security: From NBC's Chuck Todd: “Joe Biden continues to sound as the authentic voice on national security issues; he speaks with an authority that makes him believable even if you disagree with his policy proposals.”

“Line Of The Night”:  From Time’s Mark Halperin. “Had line of the night slamming Giuliani on 9/11 ("There's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun and a verb and 9/11. I mean, there's nothing else") and saying the former mayor is unqualified to be president.”

“One Of The Best Lines Of The Night”: From the Philadelphia Daily News’ Dave Davies and Catherine Lucey. “One of the best lines of the night came from U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., after he called GOP candidate Rudy Giuliani ‘probably the most unqualified man to run for president since George Bush.’”

“Biden Brought Down The Auditorium”:  From the Los Angeles Times’ Mark Barabak and Peter Nicholas: “Although most of the debate revolved around the Clinton-Obama-Edwards dynamic -- it was 10 minutes before any other candidate got a question -- Biden brought down the auditorium with two of the most crowd-pleasing lines of the evening. He dubbed Giuliani ‘probably the most unqualified man since George Bush to seek the presidency.’ As laughter died down he added, ‘There's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, a verb and 9/11.’”

The Weight of Biden’s Experience: From FOX’s Carl Cameron: “For the first time in memory, Sen. Biden takes a tough question (pledge on Iran nukes) and both answers it definitively and recasts the issue expertly by identifying the larger context of Pakistan and a potentially destabilized nuke-packing country. The flow of the Iran question changed instantly with Biden’s crisp, anti-platitudinous answer.”

On Being Presidential: From NBC's Domenico Montanaro: “Maybe it's his speaking style, and directness, but Biden is the only one on the stage to stylistically match Clinton's clarity. He laid out the reasons against the Iran vote, the consequences, better than Dodd and sounded stronger than either Obama or Edwards in their openings.”

“Deep Answer” On Foreign Policy: From ABC’s Rick Klein: “Give Biden bonus points for a deep answer as well on foreign policy.”

Biden Offered Contrast: From NBC's Chuck Todd: “‘I'm not running against Hillary Clinton’?  So says Joe Biden. Campaigns are about contrast. That said, Biden, once again, has one of the more memorable lines of the night and seemed to hit Giuliani better than any of the other Democrats on stage tonight.”

Biden For President Campaign Manager Luis Navarro Statement On This Evening’s MSNBC/Democratic Debate

Biden For President Campaign Manager Luis Navarro Statement On This Evening’s MSNBC/Democratic Debate

Philadelphia, PA (October 30, 2007) – Following this evening’s MSNBC/Democratic National debate at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Biden for President Campaign Manager Luis Navarro issued the following statement:

“Tonight, Joe Biden proved once again that he is the Democrat most capable of leading the country and taking on the Republicans.  While the other candidates were picking on each other, Senator Biden was laying out the case to the American people as to why we need a leader with the breadth and depth of experience to tackle the inter-related problems of a dangerous world.”

“The phrase most often heard on the stage tonight was, “Joe is right,” followed closely by the phrase, “I agree with Joe.”  And only one candidate showed clearly that he is ready to take on Rudy Guiliani and the GOP.  That candidate was Joe Biden and the evidence tonight was incontrovertible.”

Below is a sampling of support for Joe’s leadership:

On Iran: Clinton: “Joe is absolutely right.”  Sen. Clinton said, “I think that what we're trying to do here is put pressure on the Bush administration. Joe is absolutely right. George Bush can do all of this without anybody. You know, that is the great tragedy and that's why we've got to rein him in, and that's why we need Republican support in the Congress to help us do so.”

On Pakistan: Dodd: “I agree with Joe.” Sen. Dodd said, “I agree with Joe.  I think the more immediate problem is Pakistan, the one that needs to be addressed.”

On Afghanistan: Clinton: “I agree with Joe.” Sen. Clinton said, “I agree with Joe [regarding] the Afghanistan situation.  Everywhere you look in the world we've got work to do, and I think we've got to do more than just send our young men and women out. That is not an appropriate use of their power.”

On Debating Republicans: Obama: “I'm not fearful, just as Joe isn't, to have a debate about this with Rudy Giuliani because we've got the facts on our side.”

On Oil: Obama: "As Joe pointed out, out of the $90 that it's costing right now for a barrel, about 30 percent of that is just risk."

Biden Campaign Applauds Early Iowa Caucus Date

BIDEN CAMPAIGN APPLAUDS EARLY IOWA CAUCUS DATE

Des Moines (October 28, 2007) – Reaffirming its commitment to the Iowa caucuses, the Biden Campaign today applauded the Iowa Democratic Party and its chairman Scott Brennan for setting the first in the nation caucus date of January 3.

Iowa State Director Danny O’Brien issued the following statement:

“From the day he announced his candidacy, Sen. Biden made it clear that Iowa would be at the center of his campaign strategy. Its retail tradition of politics, meeting voters face to face in their living rooms, diners and union halls provides a level playing field that offsets the effects of celebrity and money. Over the last nine months his commitment to the Iowa caucuses has only grown stronger as Democrats across the state have demonstrated their seriousness in electing a candidate who can win the 2008 general election.  Sen. Biden looks forward to a strong showing in the January 3 caucuses that will propel him toward the Democratic nomination.”

Joe Biden First Democrat To Receive Newspaper Endorsement

BIDEN FIRST DEMOCRAT TO RECEIVE NEWSPAPER ENDORSEMENT
Storm Lake (Iowa) Times: Biden Has "All The Professional Skills" And
"Personal Strength To Get The Job Done Unlike Any Other Candidate"

Des Moines, IA (October 20, 2007) - Today the Storm Lake Times endorsed Sen. Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination for president.  Sen. Biden is the first Democrat nationally and in Iowa to have received a newspaper endorsement for president.  The Storm Lake Times concluded, "Biden is our choice for the nomination for the powerful personal story he shares, for his deep knowledge of international affairs, and for his long record of exemplary service in the United States Senate."

Biden for President Campaign Manager Luis Navarro issued the following statement:

“This endorsement makes a powerful case for why Joe Biden is the person best prepared to become President on day one and reflects the growing support among Iowans who are coming to this conclusion after meeting all the candidates.”

The Storm Lake Times
October 20, 2007

Biden for president

We have seen all the Democratic presidential candidates, except for two, up close and personal: Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson. Biden is our choice for the nomination for the powerful personal story he shares, for his deep knowledge of international affairs, and for his long record of exemplary service in the United States Senate.

Democrats are fortunate to have such a strong and varied field of candidates. Every one of them we like — including Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel, who speak truth to power. Any one of them would make a tremendous president: Clinton by shattering the glass ceiling for women in politics, Obama for presenting a younger and different face to the world, Edwards for championing the cause of the little guy, Dodd for his long championing of those who suffer around the world, Richardson for his refreshing candor and good humor and wealth of experience as a diplomat.

We like Biden because he has been tried privately and publicly, and came out of it all a stronger man. His wife and young child were killed in an auto accident. He faced death with a brain aneurism but survived it. Anyone who has been through what he has gains a perspective that will serve him well in the most trying of jobs.

Biden overcame severe stuttering as a child by memorizing and reciting the great Irish poets in front of a mirror. He continues to call them down at public appearances, Yeats and Heaney and Joyce, which holds a special charm for us and gives a glimpse into the man’s soul.

Biden is astounding with his sheer command of world politics and conflict. He has distinguished himself by offering the only workable plan to get us out of harm’s way in Iraq. He advocates a loose federal system under which the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds would each control their own territory, somewhat similar to the notion of American federalism. He would remove American troops to a safe distance in friendly environs — Kurdistan and Kuwait, to name two — and let the Iraqis solve their own problems. The Senate on a bipartisan vote recently endorsed the Biden-Brownback plan, which dovetails into the thinking of the most prescient politician on the issue, Rep. Jack Murtha, D-Penn., who led the charge against deeper involvement in Iraq that turned the 2006 Congressional elections.

Biden is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Nobody, including the president, has a firmer grasp of international affairs. That’s what we need right now: Someone who can restore the good name of the United States of America around the world, who can hold the torch lighting the way of liberty and human rights throughout the world. Biden is that man. He says his first order of business will be to shut down Guantanamo Bay prison and quit torturing people.

And, we need someone who understands civil liberties here at home. Biden says that will be the theme of his inaugural address, if elected. You can’t preach liberty abroad when you’re spying without court orders on your own citizens.

How electable is Biden? How electable is a woman, or a man of color? Biden is somewhere south of 5% support among likely Democratic caucus-goers in Iowa. Remember that Jimmy Carter and John Kerry came out of nowhere. Polls can change quickly with such a small sample. The results are inevitable only if we place our bet with the big money and big machines. Biden has neither. He has a world view of America as an idea, a desire to restore our core values of freedom with shared responsibility, and a pragmatic view of foreign relations that seeks to bring nations together to find solutions short of misguided and ineffective wars.

We also find Biden to be a person of integrity. When he last ran for president 20 years ago, Biden lifted a line from a British politician’s speech — whether conscious or not. Biden did not run and hide and deny and hedge. We recall it as if it were yesterday. In Davenport, he immediately admitted he was wrong, quit the race and thanked Iowans for their patience with him. We will never forget the classy way in which he ended that race. What appeared to be his major political foible is to us one of his strengths: humility, and a surprising lack of vanity. That’s something we’ve been lacking with the current occupant of the White House.

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the candidates. We stand with Joe Biden because he has all the professional skills and, more important, the personal strength to get the job done unlike any other candidate.

Joe Biden Campaign Files FEC Report

BIDEN CAMPAIGN FILES FEC REPORT

Wilmington, DE (October 15, 2007): The Biden for President Campaign today filed total contributions for the third quarter ending September 30, 2007 of $1,757,394.08 with the Federal Election Commission, bringing total money raised to Biden for President to $8,215,739.60 million dollars since the formation of Biden for President on February 1, 2007.  The Campaign ended the quarter with a cash balance close to $1.9 million.

"We always knew the summer would be a challenging quarter and the misperception of this race based on money doesn't help. But our poll numbers are starting to move as our endorsements are piling up,” said Luis Navarro, Biden for President Campaign Manager.  “We have the resources to compete in Iowa and the other early states and expect the fundraising to pick up from here."

Iowa State Rep. McKinley Bailey Endorses Joe Biden

REP. McKINLEY BAILEY ENDORSES JOE BIDEN
Iraq Veteran Cites Biden's "Knowledge and Experience"

Des Moines, IA (October 11, 2007) - Today at the Iowa State Capitol, Sen. Joe Biden received the endorsement of State Representative McKinley Bailey, a returning Iraq war veteran. At 26, he is the youngest serving Democratic member of the Iowa State Legislature.  Bailey appeared along with Iowa House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and explained why Iowans should support Sen. Biden for the Democratic nomination for President. 

"After returning from serving in Iraq, I quickly grew frustrated by my impression that leaders in both political parties did not understand the fundamental challenges to ending the war in Iraq," said Rep. Bailey.  "When I first learned of Sen. Biden's plan, I realized that was the ticket - a political solution, not a military one.  I am endorsing him because from day one, our next president must make decisions on the direction in Iraq and I am convinced Senator Biden has the knowledge and experience to bring our troops home without leaving a situation that requires another generation of Americans to return in a decade."

Sen. Biden noted, "McKinley is one of Iowa's most promising political leaders and I am proud that he has pledged to support my campaign.  I am in awe of all that he has already accomplished, including his exemplary work on behalf of his fellow veterans."   

"We are excited to have McKinley join the Biden team here in Iowa," said Majority Leader McCarthy. "His work with veterans as well as his own service to our country will prove invaluable to helping Joe Biden win the Iowa caucuses."