Biden on Negative Tone: 'You Don't Want to Encourage Fringe People'

Sen. Joe Biden talks to "Nightline" co-anchor Terry Moran in Scranton, Pa., near his childhood home. Biden said that the presidential election is "not over yet," but added "I think we win."

(Ida Mae Astute/ABC)

McCain Campaign Doesn't 'Know What to Say About the Economy'

Virginia GOP Chairman Jeffrey M. Fredericks was quoted by Time magazine as telling campaign volunteers to draw connections between Obama and Osama bin Laden.

"I don't believe it … I can't believe it," Biden said. "I'm surprised John McCain hasn't gone down and whacked the guy with his fist. I mean, I don't think there's a prejudiced bone in John McCain's body. But that kind of stuff is really off the wall. I refuse to let myself believe John McCain has anything to do with any of that."

In the Gibson interview, Obama attributed the personal attacks as an attempt to "change the subject" from the struggling economy, and Biden concurred that "it's all about just not wanting to talk about the issues."

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"They don't know what to say about the economy, for God's sake," he told Moran. "I mean, look, the economy's going to hell in a hand basket, $2 trillion of people's retirement just blown away in a week of bad judgment. You know, eight years of economic mismanagement are coming to a head, and what do they say?"

Biden called the McCain campaign's proposal to make cuts in the capital gains tax rate "the sixth, or fifth, you know, new iteration of John."

When asked if his vice presidential opponent, Gov. Sarah Palin, is qualified to be president, Biden said "that's really for the public to decide." Biden said that he finds her to be "engaging."

"She's obviously captured the imagination of millions of Americans. And what I make of her is she seems to agree with John McCain on his notion of governance, the role of government, everything from taxes to foreign policy. … And I have fundamental disagreement with she and John on -- as Barack does -- on the major [issues.]"

"It seems to me a pretty open and shut case," Biden continued. "You may not like our ideas, but it's clear, the ideas they continue to cling to have been of no value, no value in us avoiding getting dug into this very deep hole economically and internationally."