2008 Woodie Awards
Biden challenges top Democrats at Drexel debate
by Brian Anderson
Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: News
Sen. Joseph R. Biden, D-Del., along with seven other Democratic candidates for president, debated issues such as the Iraq War, Social Security and health care Tuesday night at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
The two-hour debate focused heavily on campaign front-runners Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY., and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who both answered more than 10 questions. Biden, on the other hand, answered only five questions.
When asked about the possibility of Iran acquiring highly-enriched uranium to assemble a nuclear bomb and how he would stop Iran's nuclear progress if he were elected president, Biden said the role of the president is to make decisions in the circumstances of which he or she is a part.
"Presidents make wise decisions informed not by a vacuum in which they operate, by the situation they find themselves in the world," he said. "I will do all in my power to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, but I will never take my eye off the ball.
"What is the greatest threat to the United States of America - 2.6 kilograms of highly enriched uranium in Tehran or an out-of-control Pakistan?" Biden asked.
He suggested that Pakistan would be the greater danger.
"It's not close," Biden said.
He said he is not running against Clinton, Obama or any of the other Democratic candidates, but rather is running for president to lead the nation.
Biden said he wants to be the leader of the country and put the nation back on track. In doing this, Biden said he would help the country regain the control of the world.
"I'm not running against Hillary Clinton. I'm running to lead the free world," he said. "I'm running to lead this country."
Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City, is the least-qualified Republican candidate, according to Biden. He said he would look forward to facing Giuliani in the general elections if both were nominated.
"There's only three things he mentions in a sentence - a noun and a verb and 9/11," Biden said. "There's nothing else, and I mean this sincerely. He is genuinely not qualified to be president."
The two-hour debate focused heavily on campaign front-runners Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY., and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who both answered more than 10 questions. Biden, on the other hand, answered only five questions.
When asked about the possibility of Iran acquiring highly-enriched uranium to assemble a nuclear bomb and how he would stop Iran's nuclear progress if he were elected president, Biden said the role of the president is to make decisions in the circumstances of which he or she is a part.
"Presidents make wise decisions informed not by a vacuum in which they operate, by the situation they find themselves in the world," he said. "I will do all in my power to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, but I will never take my eye off the ball.
"What is the greatest threat to the United States of America - 2.6 kilograms of highly enriched uranium in Tehran or an out-of-control Pakistan?" Biden asked.
He suggested that Pakistan would be the greater danger.
"It's not close," Biden said.
He said he is not running against Clinton, Obama or any of the other Democratic candidates, but rather is running for president to lead the nation.
Biden said he wants to be the leader of the country and put the nation back on track. In doing this, Biden said he would help the country regain the control of the world.
"I'm not running against Hillary Clinton. I'm running to lead the free world," he said. "I'm running to lead this country."
Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City, is the least-qualified Republican candidate, according to Biden. He said he would look forward to facing Giuliani in the general elections if both were nominated.
"There's only three things he mentions in a sentence - a noun and a verb and 9/11," Biden said. "There's nothing else, and I mean this sincerely. He is genuinely not qualified to be president."
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