Biden Hoping Iowa Turns to Him
By Robin Mazyck
CBNNews.com
November 28, 2007
CBNNews.com - If you know anything about U.S. politics, you know the name Joe Biden. The Senator from Delaware has been in this business for more than 30 years.
Biden is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is known for his expertise with international affairs.
He has a reputation for being somewhat loquacious, and his off-color remarks have gotten him into a bit of trouble over the years.
But the Joe Biden that is campaigning for the White House wants people to look deeper and look at his experience.
"A lot of people don't know me," he said in a recent interview with CBN News.
The presidential hopeful talked with CBN News in the small town of Allison, Iowa as he stumped at the local library for votes.
"They know me as the guy who is the so-quote expert of foreign policy and so on, but they don't know anything about my life, they don't anything about my background, and… I'm not complaining."
But he admits that most of the focus has been on two candidates in particular: Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
"I mean it's incredible," he said. "We have an incredibly talented woman and an incredibly talented African American and they are vying for the presidency, and that is exciting."
And as the Iowa caucus draws nearer, Biden is hoping that focus turns to him.
"I think I'll get my shot," he said.
The Competition
Biden has made it clear that the Democrats running for his party's bid are his friends, and he rarely speaks ill of them.
But he notes that each of the candidates, including him, has their fair share of problems.
"We each have different hurdles we have to overcome," he said. "And how we negotiate them in Iowa I think is going to tell a lot about what each of our prospects are as we leave here."
For the first time, Biden commented on his good friend Hillary Clinton. When asked if she was divisive, he said, "yes." He also said she's not decisive enough and straightforward in saying, 'This is what I'll do.'
But he said that she was "fairly centrist."
Biden had quite a bit to say about the Republicans and Rudy Giuliani.
"He knows so little about foreign policy he confuses terrorists cells and organizations with countries," Biden said. "These guys buy into this silliness that if you don't fight them in Baghdad you're going to fight them in Boston. Give me a break."
Starting Over
This isn't Biden's first run for the White House. He made an unsuccessful bid in 1988 - when a series of errors - including plagiarism -- forced him to drop out of the race.
But he is showing a different side.
In 1972, just days after he was elected to the U.S. Senate, Biden lost his wife and young daughter in a car crash. His two sons were seriously injured.
"When something like that happens to you, it's like there's a big black hole in your chest, and you feel like you're being sucked in to that black hole," he said with raw emotion. "You feel like there isn't anything that will ever get better again in your life, but my mom has an expression, God sends no cross that you cannot bear."
The tragic accident is not something he often talks about.
"It never leaves," he said. "But there comes a time, and it happens earlier than you think, there comes a time when the memory brings a smile to your lips rather than a tear to your eyes and so many people have gone through tough stuff."
But Can He Win?
Despite the loss of his first wife, Biden managed to move on. He remarried in 1977 and has been married to the same woman for the past 30 years.
He faithfully uses public transportation to commute 90 minutes from Delaware to DC. A habit he developed after the death of his first wife.
He survived two brain aneurysms that almost killed him.
So, what will the future hold for Biden, if he doesn't win the White House?
Many pundits have thrown around the position Secretary of State.
"I think here's this kind of a sell out there coming from the Clinton camp that you can have me as president, you can probably have Barack as vice president and you can have Biden as secretary of state," he said. "You can have it all."
And we'll find out as the election draws nearer.
Be sure to watch The 700 Club on Tuesday, December 4 for more of David Brody's interview with Sen. Joseph Biden. Check your local listing for times.
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
