The Exchange; Interview with Joe Biden

From New Hampshire Public Radio I'm Laura Conaway and this is the exchange. In an era when the public complains of politicians saying whatever it takes to please the most voters Democratic presidential candidate Joseph Biden of Delaware stands out as a 35 year member of that great deliberative body the U.S. Senate. Biden is known for being blunt and always having something to say. Sometimes it's to the delight of Democratic audiences such as when he called Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani the most unqualified man since George Bush to run for president. But sometimes by his gift of gab can get him into trouble. The national media calls him windy both prone to verbal gaffes that get him into political hot water. But even more than his outspokenness Senator Biden is known as a foreign policy expert well respected on both sides of the aisle. His plan for a three part Federation of Iraq for example one over three quarters of the normally divided Senate. And although in this presidential campaign he's had trouble gaining traction

against the so-called celebrity candidates more than one news analyst has just recently said that Biden could be or should be a comeback kid of Iowa and New Hampshire. Did any exchange Delaware Senator Joseph Biden is here in our studios. We'll take your calls to the exchange number 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7 1 800 8 9 2 and HPR. Senator Biden thank you for coming and we sure appreciate it. Good to be with you. Thank you. Well and we understand that just before you get here you got a phone call from Pervez Musharraf president of Pakistan. Let's talk about. Well I I. He called me because I wanted to express my continued doubts about whether or not this election in Pakistan which is so critical for the Pakistanis and in turn for us is free and open. And he I've known him for some time. This is the second long conversation I've had with him and because I want to make it clear that for the United States of America to be willing to continue to

support Pakistan the way we have in the past. It rests on this transition to democracy being real. And if this election is not fair and open then there would be consequences for it in terms of our participation in aid. But on the other hand if it is viewed by the world and impartial observers as being a free election which is to take place in the first week in January then I indicated to him I would continue to be as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee I would continue to push to help his country and that there would be a real in a sense peace dividend as a real democracy dividend. I've laid out a very detailed plan that he's familiar with as to what I would do both as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and his praise the United States with regard to to his to his country. Do you feel better. Well I'm a skeptic. I there's three things he mentioned that when I get off this program I will be on with

the foreign relations staff. I have a really quite as most people will tell you probably the best staff. So it helps a lot to have good staff on this area and to run down several of the things he told me to make sure that they're as accurate as he indicated that or at least that we perceived them to be the same as he perceives them to be. But this is look he has done thus far as little as he had to do in order to be able to have the least the patina that this is a free election. And one of my grave concerns is your continued restrictions on the press. And we had a detailed discussion about that. And I say well I well those reporters are pesky Joe you should know. Well actually he didn't say that but I'd rather not communicate his conversation to me at this point. One question for you then Senator Biden I certainly understand that it's sensitive but you hinted at this a moment ago.

How much should the U.S. support this guy given what seems to be shall we say some anti-democratic tendencies so we shouldn't support Musharraf we should support Pakistan. My criticism with this president's policy for years has been since he's been in office he has a Musharraf policy. You mean President. I beg your pardon yes thank you. President Bush and his administration have a Musharraf policy. They don't have a Pakistani policy. And they've done a number of things that have complicated that section of the world beyond the subsidy for example. Initially we got significant support from Pakistan in dealing with Waziristan that ungovernable area of tribal area that is hiding. I am convinced not only the bulk of al Qaeda but bin Laden as well as the Taliban. But what we did most this administration and some of my colleagues don't don't quite connect the dots here as they say when we essentially pulled all the major assets out

of Afghanistan. That and I said at the time and others did too that would predictably put enormous pressure on Musharraf and the Pakistanis to cut a deal with this ungovernable province where tribal leaders control and where the Taliban is alive and well with me my assets. Well for example we pulled assets out of Africa what we did. We pulled American troops out of Afghanistan but particularly the type of troops we pulled out we pulled out most of our Special Forces people we pulled out our intelligence assets. We don't have a drone. We just we just instead of. I was the first person into Afghanistan after it fell. First United States senator. Congressman I spent five days in there with Karzai. I came back and wrote a report and had the overwhelming support of Secretary Powell. We are he was in a pitched battle with Rumsfeld and the vice president the United States is wanting to put more Merican troops more

literally aid. Remember the president talked about a Marshall Plan for Afghanistan a Marshall Plan for Afghanistan would cost about as much as one month for the war in Iraq cost maybe two months. And and what happened when they diverted all their attention. All the major military assets we had out of Afghanistan to Iraq. And it was predictable what happened there. I met with the British general when I was in Kabul the first time in and when the administration tried to stop me from going in. So I flew commercially to Islamabad and then I got to the UN transport and landed in Kabul. I mean excuse me land and embargoed Air Force Base and I knew they'd give me physical protection because it's sort of bad publicity for a senator to watch and then but very seriously. And part of that this is now five years ago part of that was to spend some time on the ground. I did and I met with a British general who was the highest ranking

officer in the British military there. And I said How long is your parliament going to let you stay here general in Afghanistan in Afghanistan. And his response was he said Senator we Brits have an expression as long as the big dog is in the pen the small dogs will stay if the big dog leaves we will the big dog basically left and that's the trouble and that's caused all this trouble and Pakistan. So so so that's the connection. And but to go back to your question a short answer simple we need a Pakistani policy a consistent policy toward the government and people of Pakistan not a policy that rest and hauls all our hopes on one man Musharraf. All right. Let me in our audience to join us and then you've provided me the perfect segue into Iraq and I definitely want to talk to you about that. But first if you want to join us with Senator Biden please call in 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7. It's your opportunity to speak with Delaware Senator Joseph Biden. Democratic candidate for president.

Longtime member of the U.S. Senate and considered a leading foreign policy expert. 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7 is the number. E-mails are welcome to the e-mail addresses exchange at any HPR dot org. And Senator Biden let's talk about Iraq your three part plan for Iraq has gotten tons of attention. We could do a whole hour on this obviously but I want to ask you about it in terms of just how it would work. As I said a lot of U.S. senators think it's a good idea. But what's your sense of how the Iraqis feel about this. They like it. I know every one of these guys I've met them all personally I've been to Iraq more than every other Democratic candidate combined. I mean the Sunni Shia and Kurd Sunni Shia Kurd leaders I've met with Hashimi walk on I've met and I know all these players the only one I haven't met with this is Sistani and nobody that I know. And secondly I have not met with Sadr. But let me tell you what the plan passed the United States Senate with 75 votes.

And by the way it passed the entire House of Representatives Friday. It is now on the president's desk. He's either going to have to sign it or he's going to have to veto. Now this is a recommendation right. This is something that you have to do this because you can't tell them exactly right what not telling Iraq what to do is trying to tell the president what to do. Iraq has ignited what to do. But here's here's the plan in a nutshell. It says that the Iraqi constitution calls for a federal system meaning there are states like the state of Delaware state in New Hampshire etc. It says localize the power to be able to have people provide their own security. It says that the central government is going to be central and this is what their constitution calls for but limited. And so you give much more authority to the regions like we did in the I guess the best way to say it is what we did when George Washington except the surrender papers from Cornwallis to Yorktown if we had to vote on a U.S. Constitution then there wouldn't have been one because Massachusetts wanted to be no part of a state a country that had South Carolina in it. So what we do very loose is

we had a lose we had a lot of authority in the States and we had a weak central government a Continental Congress that didn't work so well. No but what if we tried to do it otherwise it would have split apart. It took us 13 years of living with one another to have a constitution and elect a president took us 13 years to get to our Philadelphia moment. What makes us think we can go into a country that's made by a stroke of a pen dividing up the Ottoman Empire and say boom you have a democracy just like ours with a strong central government. I have a million questions on this play but I'll only ask you one Senator Biden. And here's the broader critique that has been made of this plan that Iraq's main problem is these ethnic divides so why adopt a policy that encourages them rather than discourages them. However I say that that question doesn't understand history there's never been a single solitary time in American history or world history where a self-sustaining cycle of sectarian violence like we have now in Iraq has ever been and another one of four ways either occupy the country for two generations. We're not an empire. Thank God

to you set up a dictator which would be the ultimate irony or three you pick a side and wipe out the other side or for you set up a federal system just like we did in Bosnia. We've had 20000 Western troops there for 10 years not one has been killed. The ethnic cleansing has stopped the enclaves that were set up on the Dayton Accords are now merging into a more coherent Bosnia who wants to be part of Europe. So every time any critics saw speaks to me my response is What's your plan. Name me ONE person either party or the administration that has a plan. This is the only one that's why it's received such overwhelming congressional support. I did see another plan which I'll ask you about after the break from Keith minds formerly an official with the Coalition Provisional Authority Anbar Province his is more for an 18 region Federation. That's a lot of it doesn't. By the way it doesn't meet my proposal doesn't require three it could be six seven eight it's up to the Iraqis. All right. We'll talk more after a short break and take your calls Stay with us.

Support for New Hampshire Public Radio comes from our members and from advanced veterinary care in Manchester AVC offering advanced diagnostics for pets including CAT scans ultrasound and digital X-rays information at ABC NH dot com from White Mountain Boylen propane in North Conway featuring continuous flow water heaters providing over 8 gallons of hot water per minute with flexible temperature controls and the capital craftsman and romance jewelries at 16 North Main Street downtown Concord featuring fine jewelry and lead free eco friendly handcrafted gifts for the holidays. More with Delaware senator and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on the exchange on New Hampshire Public Radio. Then at 10:00 on the Diane Rehm show progress in Iraq and how sustainable it may be. This is New Hampshire Public Radio. This is the exchange I'm Laura. Today we're talking with U.S. Senator Joe Biden a Democrat from

Delaware about his run for the White House. You can join the conversation the exchange number 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7 1 800 8 9 to HPR. Senator Biden as I suspected phone lines are full. Let's go to some of them. Jay is calling from Dover. Hi Jay. You're on the air with Senator Biden. Oh hey guys. Hi. Hi Rachel. I just had a question about you know restoring America's credibility abroad. Several candidates talked about their goals in doing that. And you know being in the middle of a war and typically how long it takes to build relationships abroad you know why would you be the best candidate. I mean I know you the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and it seems as if you'd have that role that. I'd like you to you know possibly possibly tell us why you know you'd be the guy. Well rather than tell me I tell you why I think I'm prepared to handle this job. I've been hanging around a long while I got there when I was 29 years old and I've known most of these

people were now running their countries not because I'm important just because I tend to conferences these folks from you know Beijing to Paris and London and all over the world all these years and none number one. Number two I have spent the bulk of the last five or six years focusing on these very problems. I for example I made a speech the day before 9/11 the National Press Club predicting a terrorist attack an American suggesting would come in the belly of a plane. You did that the day before 9/11 before I go my web site Joe Biden dot com is the speech I delivered to the National Press Club and the purpose of the speech was once again to point out the administration's priorities were backwards. They were committing to spend a trillion dollars on Star Wars the least likely threat we faced in doing virtually nothing to deal with terror. And my whole purpose in my speech was to outline what the terror threats were and what we should be doing. How did you feel that day knowing that you had just made the speech. I did. I felt terrible. And because I have all the clearances that you need in the

government there are even some people thought I might have known something I didn't know anything. I've just spent my adult life dealing with the issues relating to terror in organized crime as chairman of the Judiciary Committee for so many years so to Jay's question why are you the guy you more than anybody else. Because I'm the only one who's laid out a plan that people have accepted. I'm the only one that's able to get bipartisan support on the most controversial issues that exist out there. And I have as I said I think I have the respect of an awful lot of leaders around the world. Not that I'm their close buddies but I think they know me and I have a clear view of what the role of the president is. The single most important thing to do is reestablish some credibility. And we have lost it. Look what the president just did on Iran I mean I mean you know the idea of him not you know talking about war three with evidence that in fact our CIA and others have already said they're not going forward with the weapons program. I mean you know we have lost credibility around the

world. I think I have the knowledge background and reputation to be able to start on day one to begin to reestablish it. Jay thanks a lot for the call and just a quick follow up on Iran. Certainly was big news last week when it came out that Iran had was not indeed working on nuclear weapons as you alluded to. President Bush said though you know look Iran is still a threat. It was dangerous. It is dangerous and will continue to be dangerous if they have the know how necessary to make a nuclear weapon. What do you think of that Senator Biden how close one eye should we be keeping on Iraq we should keep a very close eye. But we shouldn't have this hysterical rush to war here. Beating the drums we have time to deal with this what the CIA and the national intelligence report that's a 16 intelligence agency says it confirms my point. We have time and if we engage in tough negotiations with both carrots and sticks if we give up this policy of regime change you know what that means it says you'd stop doing the thing that keeps us from attacking you and once you stop we're going to attack you. Regime change

is change. But then we're going to take you down. We want to conduct change. And what this intelligence report says it confirms what I've been arguing for for along with Dick Lugar and Republican and others for the last five years so stop the hysteria put it in perspective. We have time with hard tough diplomacy if we can keep the rest of the world with us but he's losing the rest of the world. Let's go to another caller again. Our number 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7. To Joe in Manchester Hi Joe you're on the air. Hi good morning good morning. Senator Biden warning following up with the when it when it came out you responded in. I believe on Tim Russert or one of the top shows that if Bush ignored that he knew what there is a push to go to war with Iran you personally wouldn't he. Impeachment. Just today I've heard on the AP that just about an hour ago announcing that there is an Israeli delegation arriving today in Washington and they quoted one to be sure they had an interview with

one of the the Israeli members of that delegation who said that Israel was not going to allow U.S. policy to be dictated by Sumption. In other words they're still worried that they're still worried about Iran. Is that what you're saying. Exactly. Mike Mike I thought it was arrogant to say Israel was not Israeli to say Israel was not going to allow us policy to be dictated by false assumption. So my question to you Senator Biden is are we the only people of our own policy in which you personally ensure that we pursue a policy that was in the best interest of the United States. Well first of all all right the answer is absolutely yes. U.S. first policy. But here's the point. I have great respect for the Israelis but I have greater respect for the 16 intelligence agencies that we pay hundreds of billions of dollars tens of billions of dollars to put in place. And in this case there is an absolute consensus that means all 16 US intelligence agency

said Mr. President in 2003 they stopped their weapons program Mr. President. They're still dangerous. Mr. President they are still trying to enrich uranium which is the stuff of which you can make nuclear weapons. It is not a nuclear weapon but it's the stuff you can make nuclear weapons. What they have done they've stopped their bomb making process. But what they're trying to continue is their bomb Access project that is and then are trying to figure out how to get the material that they could have in hand the so-called fissile material to make a nuclear action. All this means is we have a lot more time than the president is implying. It means we don't have to decide to rattle of saber and go to war. It means we can actually cooperate with our allies who none of whom are prepared to go to war. So I respect the Israelis but I as president the United States will look to my intelligence community my government to determine whether or not there is a U.S. interest in taking or not taking any action. I will listen to the Israelis and others but will not

in fact be swayed by anyone other than the proof given to me by the United States government agencies. You know Senator Biden going back to Jay from Dover's question about why are you the guy you mentioned your long experience on the campaign trail you often mention your extensive knowledge of foreign policy. How much do you think voters agree with your statements that the next president needs to have a deep understanding of foreign policy. How much do you think voters are in tune with that. Well I spend a lot of time in the trailers I know. And I can tell you whether I'm in up in Berlin or I'm in Michoacana Iowa. The first question I always get is about foreign policy. This is the first election where I think the American public understands their future is impacted as much by what happens outside the borders of the country as what happens inside. And I do not believe they're prepared to turn over the reins to someone they don't think has the depth and breadth of knowledge that they can have confidence and trust in to be able to guide them through what they know is going to be a pretty difficult decade.

Now here's my question for you. If Americans are into the fact that the next president needs to have extensive foreign policy experience. Clearly you're the guy. How come your candidacy is still kind of down there in the polls you know money not their money money money money. If anybody told you four years ago in New Hampshire primary you're going to have to raise $100 million to compete. It looked at me and said That's obscene. The truth of the matter is that's what's happened. So you have two very talented candidates who on their own right just as persons are very it is Senators Clinton and Obama and Obama who's raised the hundred million dollars. I've been outspent 10 to 1. But you know what I fund the folks in New Hampshire to be somewhat contrary. They don't want anybody telling them who they're going to vote for nationally. And if you see what's happening now third or fourth in all the polls in the early states and as you know better than I the people in New Hampshire are now just making up their mind. And now you see the national press starting to focus more on me than they have in the last in the last three weeks and more

focus on me than it has been last year and a half in this campaign. Why haven't you been able to raise the money that. Well you know if you've got these credentials. Well I was chairman of Judiciary Committee for 17 years I swear I did remember lots and lots of big issues before that committee. I guess the best way to answer is this. Well one of my my former chief of staff for many many years has retired from there helping me raise money. He was meeting with a group of businessmen in the Delaware Valley and he said you know Joe's been good for the Delaware Valley Maine and Delaware New Jersey Pennsylvania and they said yes but he's not reliable meaning they can't count on my vote. Well that's the highest compliment I could receive. I'm not reliable for any interest group but I'm a reliable for the American people. And ladies and gentlemen as you all know the deal is major interest groups don't contribute to people who are not quote reliable that is due on all the major issues agree with those who are contributing to them. And it is a debilitating thing in terms of I've only raised $10 billion and that is to say only 10 million dollars. But what's starting to happen now

is attention is beginning to focus and the knowledge that I am not I am not a candidate. The interest groups of people and others are of course that's not bad is the way it works. I mean or do you think you raise a hundred million. You know what I mean it's and it's not I'm not I'm not implying anything on ethical or illegal or anything else. All I'm saying to you is that that is you notice you most times in the way what you read about me is a yeah I am blunt. But be that. I say what I believe and even if it is contrary to the interest of all of the political interests that support me. Let's go back to our colleague Senator Biden again 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7. A call from Concord sheilas on the line. Hi Sheila go ahead you're on the air with Senator Biden. Hi thank you. What other countries have been divided up and I'm thinking Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland or India and Pakistan that's only created more sectarian violence. Why wouldn't that happen in Iraq after Iraq was divided according to your

plan. Because we're not dividing Iraq. It's a federal system. Had the British instead of occupying US for US Ireland for so long had they made it one country where you had in fact a central government for all of north and south but you gave the North somewhat Tanami on how they're what the religious schools are going to be like and you gave the south autonomy on what kind of laws would be relating to marriage and divorce et cetera. That's what we're talking about here. This is not a division. It is not. There'll be one board. Let me give you an example. So one Iraq is one know is that it could be seven it could be eight. There that's right there said three 18 what they called Governator. I know this takes a moment but for people understand there's 18 political subdivisions in Iraq. They call them governments their constitution sections 1 14 through 18 says the following. It says If any one of these governors wants to join with another government to be part of a region which that means in art terms a state just like happened with new states came into the union if they

want to. They then are able to have their own constitution like the constitution of New Hampshire. You have a different view in your constitution how to do with education than Massachusetts does. You have different laws relating to marriage and property ownership than Massachusetts does. That's all this says but the key to it is there is a provision that says you can have your own police force you have a new Hampshire police force. The folks from Massachusetts don't commend the state troopers of Massachusetts are not seen an awful lot in Manchester. They shouldn't be. So this is a federal system. Exactly what we did in Bosnia what we do we got a thing called the Dayton Peace Accords. We got the Russians the French the Germans everybody in. And then we brought in the Serbs the Croats and the Bosniaks and we said Here's the deal. And we had three regions there is a place called the Republic of Serbs Bosnia Herzegovina at the end of it all has been I know this is very hard to do in a few minutes but at the end of it all what's happened. They are you. Nineteen more thoroughly now. There was a central government is a central government in Syria but it didn't have the power over the police

force in the Republic of Serbia for example which is inside the country of Bosnia-Herzegovina. What's happened now they're coming together just like we came together in 1789. They're getting a more unified government but it is not a division. The Northern Ireland analogy or the Bangladesh India analogy is not at all appropriate. It doesn't relate to anything their Constitution says or anything the entire United States Congress has just voted to support. There's a fear that if you encourage a separate republic of Kurdistan that the Kurds from elsewhere will come in. It's already there get stronger it's already there. You know let's get something straight. Civil war gets tried in Turkey more you know Turkey is worried about it. I've spoken to the Turks. I've know Erdogan and I know. Cool. I know these guys. Guess what. The bottom line here is that the only way to keep Turkey from attacking Kurdistan is make sure Kurdistan is inside a country as a semi-autonomous Republic and not an independent country. That's why the Turks are standing back now and look right now you cannot even fly the

Iraqi flag in Kurdistan without under the Constitution without permission from the Kurds. So it already exists. And that's the place where there's the most peace. All right Sheila thanks a lot for the call. Let's go to Boston. Jim is calling us from there. Hi Jim go ahead. Hello how are you. Fine. Actually I'm calling from Boston. I do own a home in Plymouth so you're allowed Jam. It's OK. That's fine. You made a comment just a few minutes ago about the public as the electorate is understands that the domestic events are tied to the foreign events and it seems to me are your credentials on the foreign relations aspect of the presidency is as you know obviously impeccable. But you know what are you. How do you kind of balance that what are the effects of what happens in these other countries on the United States beyond the issue of securing our borders what are the domestic

policies that was critical. Well we should turn to domestic policy. Thank you Jim. There is a whole lot of them look I spent the bulk of my career doing domestic policy. I've been the author of every major crime bill that's out there. I legibly know something about the Constitution. I'm the guy that passed the Violence Against wrote and passed the Violence Against Women Act. I've been most of my time has been spent on trying to improve education in America. The irony is I'm now the foreign policy expert for 17 years. I was chairman of the Judiciary Committee or its ranking member. Here's the deal let me give you an idea how they connect what's going on in China right now is costing Americans a whole lot of jobs is drastically affecting our economy is determining whether the mothers and fathers who were listening to this program are out trying to buy toys for their kids right now whether they can find a toy they think in fact is safe. I sent some of those trains back. But I mean the thing about I can tell you I have five grandsons five grandchildren my wife looking for toys and me looking for toys is not an easy thing. But here's the deal what's happened. Our policy domestically on trade

dealing with trade and the way in which we enforce those agreements has dramatic impact on the jobs of the people all across this country. There is a significant impact on agriculture based upon what happens internationally in terms of access to markets in terms of free trade deals. We have an e-mail here if I could share with you I'm feeling Goffstown country has lost thousands of jobs in New Hampshire. And this country corporate CEOs continue to make millions of dollars in salaries and bonuses while exporting our manufacturing jobs out of country Congress this appointees bad trade deals with fair trade fair trade not free trade please comment that's from filling Gough's. Well Phil's right you're on that track on that track and we we we need know we fair trade. We also need a president who'll be tough. Look right now under this I'm going to be complicated for second or the World Trade Organization. What the Chinese are doing. We have the right under the law international law that we signed on to the world trade or just to cut off those imports. Why haven't we cut them off. Why it is important

that we take that lead and arrest the two percent. If they were coming from France. Don't you think we'd end of a long time ago. Why don't we. Because this administration put us in a trillion dollar hole. You have we have financed this war and financed these obscene tax cuts for the very wealthy through go going to the Chinese and having them buy our treasury bills. I have to jump in here I'm sorry. As President. Would you scrap NAFTA. Modified after this has been a big issue for the Democrats. I would modify Naphtol but I haven't voted for any trade agreement with this administration since then because unless you have fair labor standards and you have environmental standards in it you're not only putting American jobs in jeopardy you are jeopardizing the poor folks in that country who are going to be doing the jobs. And because you know how does it help anyone in those countries to get paid a dollar an hour. You know I mean anyway so I can hear the music and so the bottom line here is you got to be tough and you've got to enforce the trade agreements. We don't even enforce the trade agreements that exist.

All right. I'm going to enforce the time limit right here and we'll take a short break. When we come back more of your calls and e-mails for Senator Biden plus a little bit of biography of Joe Biden that you may not know. Stay with us. This is new Hampshire Public Radio where support comes from our members from the Daniel Webster College MBA program. Complete your MBA in two years attending one night a week. Information on the January sessions in Nashua in Portsmouth and MBA DWC to you and McClarty spear are offering a wide range of real estate services in New Hampshire and Vermont from 13 offices and online at L M S R E dot com. This is an HPR. December 30 first is fast approaching. It's your last chance to make a tax deductible contribution to HPR in 2007. You may have received a letter from us recently with a response form an envelope. So as you brush up on the lyrics to old lines I'd take a moment to fill out that form and pop it in the mail today. I'll be helping HPR

continue the great programming you enjoy. Throughout 2008. Thanks. This is the exchange I'm Laura Conaway Tuesday on the exchange Arizona Senator John McCain Republican candidate for president joins us. You can e-mail us your questions for Senator McCain before the program at NHP yard and join us Tuesday morning live at 9:00. Today Democratic presidential candidate and Delaware Senator Joseph Biden is here. You can join us to the exchange number 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7 1 800 8 9 2 and HPR as the New Hampshire primary draws near. What questions would you like to ask a Democratic presidential candidate like Senator Biden. Again 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7. Senator Biden before we go back to the calls I want to ask a couple of biographical questions. Some voters still getting to know you they don't remember that you ran in the late 80s with a brief brief but you know when we'll talk about that in a moment. But you've had some pretty tough

struggles in your life. Your first wife and daughter were killed in a car accident in the early 70s. Awful. Awful. And I'm I'm very sorry about that. In the late 80s you had to withdraw from the New Hampshire primary. Then you had a brain aneurism. I mean you talk I mean how does this shape you as a presidential candidate How does that shape your outlook and your message. You know that old expression it either either gets stronger or weaker I don't stay the same Hopefully I've learned a lot and gotten stronger. I mean when I got elected as a 29 year old kid in November 7th of 72 and December 18th while I was in Washington hiring staff my wife and three children were picking up the Christmas tree in a tractor trailer broadsided them and killed my wife. It's horrible. But you know my two sons survived. I mean they're grown men now after very severe injuries and they're doing well. But I had a lot of help I had a family that's incredible. My mother my sister and husband gave up their home moved in with me to help me raise my kids my mother brother etc. and what it taught me is for example being a single parent is not easy. And you know I

can eat 250 miles a day every single day. And you commute from Delaware. And the reason I started doing that is a reason single parents try to do it you've got to be home you don't even to tuck them in better at least wake them up with a kiss in the morning because if a kid has an important thought they could hold it for 12 hours it doesn't last beyond that. And so you know it made me realize with all the family help I had and I was making a decent income $45000 a year which Senator got $2000 so we got paid which was a lot of money. I still had a tough time and it made me realize how hard it is for the folks out there and I realized when you know I spent seven months in the hospital my hospital bills. When you had your brain says they didn't yes you could call him crany Lanner is. I'm sorry. No that's OK. No no. There's a distinction in the only in the sense that it was below my brain. What they had to take the top of my head off a couple of times to get around my brain to get to it to fix it. And a lot of people go through that. But what it made me realize you know is when the doctor tells you what your chances are they're a lot less and even it makes you

it puts everything in perspective. And so hopefully I've learned what I came away from that where the least I went there roll me down literally I knew that whatever happened my family wasn't going to be destitute. I had insurance and insurance and you know and and so just think of all those people who don't have that. And so I think what it did it like all these experience and many people have had experiences like that. I am not unique. And but it either you know it. There's a lot you learn about yourself as well as learn about the plight and the grit of the American people. My dad has an expression God always passed away now but he used to say success is not measured by whether you get knocked down it's how quickly you get up. And I learned how to get up and and I hope it has made me a better man. And then a personal question for you I understand that Iraq has gotten personal for you that your son Beau is going to reflect the National Guard. Well my dear is that right.

My son's the attorney general of the state of Delaware. He's a 38 year old man. He joined the United States guard after spending time in Kosovo with the Justice Department just after that war. And he came back and join the Army National Guard and his unit has been told to be prepared to be deployed next year. How do you feel. Well I you know I'm very proud of them like all parents who have children there are going to go there if that happens. I don't want them to go. But but I know he's going to go. And if his unit goes and the other piece of it is that you know I want to make sure I don't to send my grandson back there because we don't get it right now we're going to be fighting for a generation in that region. It's not enough to just say you've got a plan. I want to get out. It's what you can leave behind. And and you know the only rational plan anyone signed on to so far has been the exit strategy I proposed allowing us to get out without leaving chaos behind in a regional war. So I'm concerned about him but I'm concerned about my grandson.

How in fact we make sure we don't have to send him back. One more question on that. And we talked a lot about the plan for Iraq earlier. But under that plan we didn't talk about let's say that everybody says great Joe Biden let's adopt this plan. What does that mean for U.S. troops out in the mean months years. It means that they're out. If by the time I got sworn in within a year the vast bulk of all American combat troops would be out if it's in the context of a political settlement that is that they stop agree to stop killing each other if they don't agree to stop killing each other then you're going to be out in a year anyway because you have to. Five hundred thousand troops can't do it in Iraq. You're going to have to withdraw and try to contain what happens in the region by having forces that continue to remain in the Gulf area and in the in that whole area. But they would not be in the midst of this civil war. I refuse I refuse to put American troops indefinitely and the fault line between a war between

Sunni Shia and Kurds. The only way to settle that is politically that is for them to come to an accommodation. Fortunately they have a constitution. If we help them implement we'll do that. So are you saying that even if they don't reach this political settlement that everyone wants them to. You're still going to pull us. Absolutely. I'm not going to keep them there is a cork in the bottle to keep things from getting worse. The American genocide erupts the genocide genocide erupts It's nothing we can do about it other than try to contain this from spilling out of the country. That's why it's so critical so critical. We have a political solution a political solution. And up to now. For example look what's going on now our troops our troops are doing everything we've asked them to do. They are making real progress in damping down the killing. But the moment they leave unless there's an underlying agreement among the warring factions that they're going to accommodate what would happen in Bosnia more sectarian violence in Bosnia from Vlad the Impaler to Milosevic and

all the 5000 year history of Iraq. What did we do when we separated the parties. They in fact stop killing each other we're able to withdraw the bulk of the forces. International forces came in to maintain the peace. It's doable but you can not you cannot stop a civil war unless you're going to occupy it other than through a political agreement. It's not about let's take a couple of more calls. Let's go to stratum. Joe has been waiting there Joe you've been hanging on. Thanks a lot. Oh thank you. Good morning Senator. Good morning. Joe Sico supporter and the question most often asked of me is I mean everyone is aware of your foreign relations policy but it is health care. I just recently retired from federal service and I've got great health care and a lot of folks don't. And if you could just talk a little bit about your policy toward that. Thanks a lot Joe. In a nutshell I want every single solitary American to have the same health care plan you have and I have the same exact one. We don't have to reinvent the wheel. There's no need to reinvent all 16 million in a federal health employee plan. Under my plan every single

solitary American be able to buy into that if they couldn't afford it they'd be waived into it the cost would be $21 billion a year. I also call for the establishment first and foremost of insuring every child and catastrophic health insurance for everyone there's two values the American people agree on. One every child should be insured and 2 No one should lose everything they had because of a catastrophic illness. The total cost of my plan Joe is about $95 billion. That's about the size of the tax cut. We we're going to give this year to the top 1 percent with an average income of one point four million dollars a year in that category. We can pay for this. We can do it and we don't have to reinvent the wheel. And no mandates you've said I mean that America doesn't want mandate. They absolutely do not want mandates it may turn out after the plan is in place Americans conclude so many people are staying out that it makes sense to have mandates but look the hardest part of this or the hardest part of this is going to be getting by the insurance companies. The reason I approach it the way I do I can practically get this done. Americans agree on insuring children. Twenty seven billion dollars in a agree on catastrophic coverage on only one that makes that the

centerpiece of his plan. Because it drives down costs for those companies and individuals as well as allowing people to get into this federal system. And so the reason I've learned in my career that you have to the American people are pragmatic before they're liberal or conservative. You got to offer them pragmatic simple straightforward solutions to get the job done. And how is my plan going to be attacked by the insurance companies as socialism. Well I was going to ask you that Republicans are going in a very different direction. Sure let's let market forces do it. Let's get to brass with the government getting involved. Well why is the federal health employees plan. Is that socialism. It does pretty well. He sure is an awful lot of people tens of millions of them. I mean you know here and why. Why should every American not be able to get in that plan. Look here's the biggest thing is change for American business not insurance. American Corporate America wants health insurance now as badly as Labor does. And I can put this together get it done in the first year and present

the United States of America because I don't confuse people with market you know plans and you know all this stuff everybody else talks about. It's simple. If my secretary and I can be in the same plan then why can't every other American have the benefits and access of that large pool of people. And if they can't afford to buy in they get waved in on a sliding scale so you make up to 300 percent above poverty. That's a family of four is $60000 a year. They would be able to get waived into this plan but not a billion is a lot of money. Sure it's a lot of money but look where the problem with this administration is they're hemorrhaging. They're hemorrhaging cost. Again eliminate the tax cut for the top 1 percent. I can pay for this whole plan. I asked the people listening do you think our value system dictates that we provide health insurance for those who need it more than giving people with an average income of 1.4 million dollars a year. Another 85 in next year will be 92 billion dollar tax cut. So look I'm prepared to take this straight to the American people. I

do not believe we cannot afford this we're just spending our money the wrong way. Let's go to one more call Senator Biden to Katherine. She's calling from Keene. Hi Catherine you're on the air. Hi. How are you doing. Hello Catherine. Thank you. I'm curious as to your views on gay rights was pacifically with regard to gay marriage. I looked on your campaign website and I couldn't find any information. So yeah you could figure that a little bit. I can get it. Jeff thanks a lot. I support I would as president United States have my Justice Department enforce all the civil liberties and civil rights meaning that every single solitary person including all people who are gay as well as straight are entitled to the same exact civil rights and liberties. For example if your partner is in the hospital you should be able to go see your partner. You should be able to inherit from your partner. So I think civil unions make a lot of sense. I don't think we should make a religious judgment which I think marriage is a religious judgment. I don't think we should

make a judgment call it marriage. I think civil unions do the exact same rights that are pertain under the Constitution should be available to gay couples as they are to straight couples. OK Catherine thanks a lot. Senator Biden how do you feel when gays and lesbians say hey you know civil union sounds like separate but equal. Well it's not separate but equal because under the law they have to apply the exact same standard. Everything from inheritance to access to records to being able to be jointly name each other on insurance. I mean across the board the difference was separate but equal was we said it's separate and you don't get the same thing. They are equal in this case. Under the law every single solitary thing would be equally applied. That's a constitutional responsibility. How do you think that let's say you're the nominee now will support for civil unions at the federal level as you just described go over in so-called red America. Well you know I've decided when I ran for president to tell you what I think and believe

and what I would do as president. And look folks all I can say to all of you is there would be no difference between what I say in a campaign what I tried to do as president. If you do not like my positions I fully respect people not voting for me but I do not think this is a homophobic country. I do not believe that the vast majority of Americans think somehow that gays should be treated in terms of their civil liberties and civil rights any different than straight people. And I don't buy this red state blue state malarkey. I really don't. I'm going to be able to compete in 15 to 18 of these red states and when I come from a border state and look folks. What do you think a woman in Topeka Kansas raising two kids has any different aspirations for her children and somebody raising two kids in Manchester or in or in Watts or in Brooklyn. I don't buy this it's a political charade that both parties have put up to try to inflame their base to go out and vote for them because the other guys are bad. I just don't believe we are red and blue. I really mean

it. Speaking of saying what you think I have to ask this question Senator Biden when you announced a campaign this past January some Democrats joked that it might be the shortest campaign in history given the very awkward compliment that you gave Senator Obama and the media kind of said you know this isn't the first time that Senator Biden's offhanded comments have gotten him into trouble. My question for you is what can you say to Democratic voters who might like your policies might like your experience but are worried that this occasional tendency to put your foot in your mouth might get you into trouble in a Republican in a race against the Republican nominee. I think it's malarkey. Look we just did the debate in Des Moines Iowa. I got asked the same question and I said look everybody knew what I meant and all of the candidates in the stage spontaneously started to applaud. This is in terms of what in terms of what I saw and what I said Not so in every other thing that the press is saying was this great glitch. The fact of the matter is I have a record on civil rights and civil liberties unmatched by

anybody but probably Ted Kennedy and. And the fact of the matter is everybody knows that. Look every one of us has a problem politically that the press is going to focus on and they're legitimate so they worry about is Obama ready or capable. Does he know enough is Hillary Clinton divisive is Joe Biden so. If I have to have one thing they talk about it should be the fact that they picked up three things that I said in this entire campaign to be able to use as fodder. I never have any trouble having foreign leaders understand me or my colleagues in the Senate understand me or my constituents understanding me. I am blunt I am straightforward. You will get what I believe to be the truth is and if I don't always say it exactly appropriately I think people have a sense of who their president is and who they vote for based on their character and I don't have any worry about this. Where does New Hampshire fit in Senator Biden in terms of your overall campaign strategy. It is it is the keystone. I mean look at Iowa. Well you are in Iowa this week.

No. Look it's there's two civs you got to go through. You've got to you've got to get a ticket out of Iowa to New Hampshire and you've got to get a ticket out of New Hampshire and you two are the only fair level playing field left in the United States political system literally without Iowa and New Hampshire you need tens of millions of dollars to go on television and everywhere else. So thank God for Iowa and I really mean it. If you guys lose your status those two states you're going to have this election going over the highest bidders. Well I have to say I agree with you there. Thank goodness for New Hampshire and Iowa. OK so Senator Biden you've said you've got to get like second or third in Iowa. No no. You got to do. I have to exceed expectations in Iowa. John Edwards has to win Iowa. Hillary can't come in third. Barack can come in third. I can come in third and be the nominee. And so my expectation here is that I'm going to be viewed when this is over and they count the votes that they're going to say Biden is the guy they exceeds expectation and get a ticket to New Hampshire.

All right we'll see what happens. Thanks an awful ever had. Thank you very much. That's U.S. Senator Joe Biden of Delaware a Democratic presidential candidate. Tomorrow the exchange another candidate is here Republican Senator John McCain. This is the exchange. I'm Laura