Giuliani Knows ‘Virtually Nothing About Foreign Policy’ Biden says
EmailABC News’ Mary Bruce Reports: Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., targeted a Republican rival this morning, accusing Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani of knowing "virtually nothing about foreign policy."
"I love these guys on the Republican side. They don’t — they know virtually — except for John McCain — virtually nothing about foreign policy," Biden told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in a This Week interview.
While Giuliani has promised that, if elected, Iran would never develop nuclear weapons, Biden said he could not make the same guarantee. "I can’t make the promise, but I am
much more likely to achieve the result than Giuliani," Biden, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asserted.
He also warned that an invasion of Iran may make it a more dangerous adversary. "If anybody thinks you’re going to be able to stop Iran because you’re going to invade them or you’re going to — you instigate an air war with them, they’re crazy. All that would do was solidify every single Iranian — and they’re divided right now with their leadership — to be united in their opposition to us and to the West. It will get every single solitary Islamic state in the world further enraged about our activity. It will generate more danger and loss for American lives in Iraq," he said.
Biden, who was first elected to the Senate at age 29, went on to attack Giuliani’s record. "He’s been the mayor of a city, a great city. How does that qualify him…what has he demonstrated he knows about even national security?"
"His claim to fame was he settled [New York] city, in terms of its violence. He did that with a Clinton-Biden crime bill. He got another 3,000 cops. They wipe out the crime bill, what do you hear from Giuliani? Not a word. What do you hear from Giuliani about the fact that we have a situation where the 9/11 Commission has recommended $41 million –billion worth of changes in our national security, the president has blown it off? What’s Giuliani — do you hear him talking about that at all? Do you hear him talking about cargo containers, about his ports, about anything?"
According to the latest ABC News-Washington Post poll, Giuliani is poised as the Republican front-runner while Biden, whose campaign has failed to gain traction, is fourth in the Democratic field behind Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., former Sen. John Edwards D-N.C., and Governor Bill Richardson, D-N.M.
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Biden knows a lot about foreign affairs, but what does he know about the economy?
“It’s the economy, stupid!” — yet reporters are not asking Biden or the other candidates what they would do as president if there is a financial melt-down (aka recession, or worse depression).
A financial disaster is just as likely to occur as is Bush ordering an attack on Iran. Both would be catastrophic, and I want to know what the candidates would do if they became president and were faced with the consequences of either a financial collapse and/or a war with Iran.
Posted by: Karen | October 21, 2007, 2:14 pm 2:14 pm
Biden. Egotistical pompous windbag.As he singlehandedly keeps Amtrak alive so he has daily door to door service from Delaware to D.C., he stalks the press so
as to give his opinion on everything and
anything regardless of any knowledge of the subject.
He is a cartoon character somewhat like
Boss Hogg. He is almost as embarresing as GOre of Tennessee; well almost.
Posted by: brennus | October 21, 2007, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
You mean Biden hasn’t dropped out of the race yet? What is he waiting for?
Posted by: dgfiit | October 21, 2007, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
Great question Karen. Now, what have the Demos done since controlling the senate and the house? Answer: NOTHING!
Posted by: George | October 21, 2007, 2:51 pm 2:51 pm
Will the American people find enough wisdom in themselves to elect the most qualified candidate with the most experience, knowledge and non-agenda thinking that can lead to less war and more cooperation among nations? What a concept!
Posted by: lou moskowitz | October 21, 2007, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm
What arrogance. When was the last time a sitting senator was elected as president? Maybe there is something to be said about having that as a background that turns people off – arrogance is one of them. The last several presidents could not be said to have foreign policy experience. With their warts and all, the past administrations had had advisors.
Posted by: Getalife | October 21, 2007, 3:26 pm 3:26 pm
Joe Biden has the most experience,is the best speaker, and is the only candidate that has practical concrete solutions for both national and international problems. Sen. Biden is what Americans say they are looking for in a Presidential
candidate. He’s speaks a familiar plain middle class language. More importantly we need
someone in the presidency that has extensive foriegn policy experience
to extricate us out of Junior Bush’s hellish mess.
Posted by: MajGenDude | October 21, 2007, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
guiliani is a fake, an adulterer, profitted from 9/11, and is a bully. he has no business being president. biden i like.
Posted by: emmaroase | October 21, 2007, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm
Biden is the only qualified candidate of either party. If he’s elected, maybe he’ll allow the flag-draped coffins of our troops to be photographed as they arrive in Delaware. I believe he’ll make the number of those coffins decrease and stop. The Bush administration hides behind protecting the sensitivies of the soldiers’ families. They much prefer one sentimental hometown hero story to appear in the news at a time. They don’t want the country to see them arrive en masse. War is over, if you want it. Biden is experienced and honest. After enduring the smirks of Bush & Cheney for all these years, it would be a relief to see Biden flash that smile.
Posted by: Wheat Chex | October 21, 2007, 4:26 pm 4:26 pm
Biden is the real deal and is the best candidate from either party. He’s also the best statesman and knows how to build consensus, as he’s demonstrated throughout his career in the Senate. He’s been tested personally, is smart as a whip, has excellent instincts, and can relates well to the average American. If the Clinton Machine weren’t as powerful as it is, Biden would be a 1st tier Dem candidate. Hopefully, Iowans will trust their instincts and put their support behind Biden. We need him!
Posted by: Lisa T., Plano, TX | October 21, 2007, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
The socialist party calling the kettle black? Bunch of blowhards. I’m not voting democratic or republican, I’m voting for Huckabee who is a conservative 1st. He may be in the republican party, but he istruly a conservative. He stands for:
1. Smaller government
2. Lower taxes
3. Border enforcement
4. Employer penalty for hiring illegals
5. Not loosing the war on terror
Pretty simple stuff. Blocking and tackling. Screw the party lines and rethoric. Vote for the individual who stands for something other than big buisness. If he is not elected, it will be because of the fact that our country is now run by big buisness not the people. Understand that! The people need to take the government back from the corrupt political machine run by big business.
Posted by: Scott Buchele | October 21, 2007, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
Guiliani may not have experience in foreign policy but ALAN KEYES does.
Posted by: zab | October 21, 2007, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm
I like Biden too. Well, basically anyone other than a conservative republican would be good.
Posted by: m | October 21, 2007, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
Also, we need someone willing to try to communicate with the potential enemy, not just go to war with it. We did that w/N. Korea, and now they are backing down. It makes more sense, saves money and lives, and keeps enough resources where if an actual attack occured, we’d have the national guard here to help instead of being in Iraq fighting a civil war.
Posted by: m | October 21, 2007, 7:09 pm 7:09 pm
I truly believe that he is the most qualified and experieced democrat on the ticket. I believe that Hillary and Obama are unelectable. It’s a sad, but true statement about our country.
Posted by: Michael | October 21, 2007, 8:34 pm 8:34 pm
When did we all stop being Americans and become either Democrats or Republicans? We have been using the party lines to divide the country deeper and deeper in half. It has lead to the election of some very questionable people (Bush being one)and will ultimately lead there again. Let’s face it Hillary is too radical and hence unelectable. What’s that leave? Maybe someone should try a moderate candidate? You cannot counter Bush conservatism with Gore/Kerry/Clinton liberalism! You will lose every time!
Posted by: Ted | October 21, 2007, 11:56 pm 11:56 pm
biden who?
Posted by: rick | October 22, 2007, 10:13 am 10:13 am
I usually do not agree with Senator Joe Biden but he is 100% correct about Rudy Giuliani knowledge based on experience with Foreign Affairs. It is a matter of fact that all the candidates in both political parties lack significant Foreign Affairs experience except for Biden, McCain, and Richardson. The records of facts show that Gov. Richardson has the most balanced experience and accomplishments of all the candidates in Foreign Affairs and domestic matters when you get down to the record. Does a candidate’s real-life experiences and accomplishments in Foreign Affairs count or just the power of the statement by the candidate capital enough as credibility and expertise? (e.g., Former Mayor Giuliani, Senator Clinton, Former Gov, Mitt Romney, Senator Obama, Former Senator Thompson, Senator Edwards, Former Gov. Huckabee) Does power of statement trump accomplishments in politics? When I lived in Missouri, we had a saying “Show Me,” do not tell me, show me the proof – what, when, where, scope and the results. It will truely be sad if the American people make another error in judgement based on face value and not substance of record.
Posted by: threeriverscrossing | October 22, 2007, 10:22 am 10:22 am
Well, what’s ironic about this is Senator Barack Obama said this 3/4 months ago and he did not get the same respect. I think you (the media) and Mrs. Hillary Bill Clinton need to apologize to the senator. This again shows good judgment and it always take the media months/years to reach the same conclusion, I think we need to report news to the media instead of them reporting to us, if they continue this way the American people will never catch up, American will always be behind in the world’s media and economic position if we continue reporting that way. Thank God America have somone like Mr. Biden to shed some light, it seems like he is the only one other than Obama that’s willing to stick theirs head out for our country which we love so much
Posted by: Ralston | October 22, 2007, 10:49 am 10:49 am
Don’t let the media dictate who you vote for. It’s not a choice between Clinton and Obama or Romney and Giuliani. Make up your own mind. I’ve listened closely to all the candidates and I’m voting for Biden, no matter how many pundits tell me he’s a longshot.
Posted by: ml | October 22, 2007, 10:59 am 10:59 am
Biden is absolutely correct regarding Giuliani. As Americans we need to put titles aside whether Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever, and elect a leader who has the wherewithal, intelligence and common sense to bring good non-partisan governance back to the American people. We haven’t had such a person since the likes of JFK, that is until now in the candidacy of Barack Obama. While he may not have all of the solutions to right a sinking ship, he at least knows who to turn to find non-partisan solutions to problems facing Americans. Examples range from legislation such as the Lugar-Obama extension of the Nunn-Lugar nuclear reduction program. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, he chose to partner with Senior Republican member Richard Lugar to secure passage of this important act. He joined with Senator John McCain, Republican, in co-sponsoring the “Secure America and orderly immigration act”. He has authored the “Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007″ and along with Democrat Russ Feingold succeeded in getting that legislation passed. He joined with Republican Tom Coburn in the “Coburn-Obama Transparency Act”.
Posted by: GC | October 22, 2007, 11:18 am 11:18 am
Senator Joseph Biden, although he is ignored by much of the media, is the best candidate by far – with the most experience. The citizens of Iowa, once they have the opportunity to listen to him speak,know that he is their very best choice to be President – they see his honesty, integrity and experience and that’s what this polarized country need most of all!!
Posted by: Jon'smom | October 22, 2007, 12:13 pm 12:13 pm
Ask yourselves this:
If you were somehow made the president of the U.S. and had to make the big decisions on foreign policy who would you first call in as an advisor?
Would it be Guiliani or Romney? Not in a million year.
On the Democratic side would you call Obama? No. Edwards? No. Hillary? No – you’d only call her to ask her if she’d put Bill on the phone.
Biden would probably the first person that anyone would call to help them figure out how to handle the most complicated issues of our time. That is why he should be the obvious choice for the Democrats.
Posted by: Chris | October 22, 2007, 12:45 pm 12:45 pm
The Democrats do not control the Senate … since their majority does not give them enough votes to override vetos … which means the GOP is still screwing up the country!
Posted by: Hank | October 22, 2007, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm
I join all who refuse to be bullied by media polls telling us Biden has no chance…He is the most experienced, mainstream, practical person on either ballot. Labels and Media Frenzy are trying to deprive the country of the leadership of this most qualified man.
Posted by: John | October 22, 2007, 4:38 pm 4:38 pm
Good foreign affairs Senator… His support for Amtrak might almost make up for bankruptcy reform.
But “If anybody thinks you’re going to be able to stop Iran because you’re going to invade them or you’re going to — you instigate an air war with them, they’re crazy. All that would do was solidify every single Iranian — and they’re divided right now with their leadership — to be united in their opposition to us and to the West. It will get every single solitary Islamic state in the world further enraged about our activity. It will generate more danger and loss for American lives in Iraq.”
He’s right, of course — and thinking the right things — but he couldn’t he have said — I mean without the extra clauses — it more crisply?
Too long in the senate?
Posted by: Carrington Ward | October 22, 2007, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm
I totally agree with Senator Biden regarding Guilliani and his foreign policy experience. I don’t agree with every vote Biden has taken during his long tenure in the Senate, but I would listen to his advice on foreign policy any day instead of Guilliani.
Posted by: Charly R | October 23, 2007, 11:25 am 11:25 am