Biden Rips Bush Administration

[L. Coyote]

Source: blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar

September 03, 2008 7:19 AM

ABC News' Matthew Jaffe reports: While Republicans congregate in the Twin Cities striving to keep their hold on the White House, Barack Obama's running mate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., sharply criticized the Bush administration Tuesday while delineating the changes Democrats would demand if they rise to power.

"In an Obama-Biden administration, we will not have an attorney general who blatantly breaks the law," Biden said .... We will not have a president who doesn't understand the Constitution....

Looking to the future but with one eye on the past, Biden also promised that an Obama-Biden government would go through Bush administration data with "a fine-toothed comb" and pursue criminal charges if necessary.

"If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation," he said, "they will be pursued, not out of vengeance, not out of retribution - out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no one, no attorney general, no president, no one is above the law."

Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/biden-r...

---

This sure is more interesting than the RNC distractions, and a good preview
of the campaign to come after the Rs have their moment in the spotlight.

[NC_Nurse]

1. Go Joe!

[kmdemqueen]

59. go Joe!

Is right. THis making me more excited then ever. We need these people in the White house. My grandmother is so repulican. I have a hard time even to talking to her about anything. She ask me to pray for the president and I said my prayers have been half answered. Ya I prayed every night for eight years that idiot leaves the white house.

I cannot wait to see what Obama and Biden come with. This is sosos good. But the repukes still are fighters. This is going to be a tough one. KH

[renate]

62. welcome to DU!

And for what you said about your prayers being half answered!

[mymomwasright]

2. YESH! WOO-HOO!

That is a real Joe! Not like that worm joe the wingnuts have!

[shraby]

3. It's good this is coming out.

If he says it loud and strong, the gop will do anything to win including stealing votes like 2000 and 2004 in particular. They might get so desperate to win to protect themselves they make huge mistakes that are obvious to everyone and prosecutable but not good enough to steal the election again. Keep yer fingers crossed people.

[L. Coyote]

Especially during the RNC convention! Let's control the discourse!

We need to alter the focus on the RECORD of the Republican party, instead of a 17 year old's navel!

[CarlB]

14. In case you've never been there...

Check out Greg Palast's site. He's awesome and keeps me up to date on all the latest vote stealing and caging and whatnot.

gregpalast.com

[shraby]

18. Fully familiar with Palast...I was here

when 2004 was stolen.

[hisownpetard]

35. Yes, he is. And welcome to DU!

[L. Coyote]

41. Welcome to DU.

Copying and pasting a full URL into DU posts makes the link work automatically.
Square brackets replace regular mark-ups to apply styles, like <b> for bold.

[FMArouet]

46. Perfect timing. I had shut my wallet after FISA...,

but this speech from Joe and the new Obama ad campaign on abortion rights have just opened it again.

Since last week we have finally been seeing those sharp Chicago elbows that we had been promised.

And I'll be out canvassing from now until the election, as well.

[faulknercindy]

4. Get em Joe

go after the creeps.

[lonestarnot]

5. I like the preview!

[Kolesar]

40. Now we know how Barack Obama is going to run this campaign

Run against bush*/cheney

[kestrel91316]

6. You tell 'em, Joe!! Yeah!

[Alexander]

7. This is the kind of thing that will get liberals and progressives to the polls.

[Zenlitened]

21. Agreed. And that's going to be the key to wining this thing...

... not "wooing" Republicans.

Let Bob Barr and Ron Paul peel away repuke True Believers.

Dems need to continue to inspire the many liberals and progressives across America who, feeling abandoned, have too often stayed away from the polls in recent years.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. Another benefit.

Biden puts the McCain-Palin-RNC on the defense for the current administration. If they remain silent, it seems an assent to Obama-Biden. If they defend such corruption, it seems to be condoning of the government breaking the law when it's "appropriate".

[jeff30997]

13. Cool!

I love those win-win situations.

[WheelWalker]

25. Spot on. Good analysis.

[Muttocracy]

65. good point. nt

[otohara]

9. Yeehaw - Go Joe

love our ticket.

[ailsagirl]

10. GO JOE!!! And don't hold back! We've waited a long time...

[whistle]

11. Go Joe Go!

[yodermon]

12. cue the blanket pardons on 1/19 n/t

[L. Coyote]

16. Imagine the 2010 impact of that!

And, it won't stop the investigations, just reinforce the need for them!!

[MadMaddie]

72. Okay here is my line

All the the investigations must continue until Jan 19. They can continue gathering evidence until it overflows...and then when Jan 20th roles around they file charges.

* can't pardon for anyone if charges haven't been filed? What would he be pardoning!!

[yodermon]

77. didn't ford pardon nixon pre-emptively?

nixon was never actually indicted.

[quiet.american]

15. Thank you Joe. Can't wait! nt

[CitizenPatriot]

17. Joe, I love you:-)

Joe....I didn't know who you were. I admit it. I only got to know you the day you were picked. I was too busy trying to get unity over the Hillary thing and I thought Clark would be great (I'm sure he would have, but you are the PERFECT fit). Can I just say that my opinion of Obama, which was already very high, has risen to the Heavens through his wise, reasoned choice of you?

You ROCK.

[PatSeg]

28. As a long-time Biden supporter,

you have no idea how satisfying your words are. Many of us often thought, if only people got a chance to see and hear him, they would love him too! AND it appears we were right!

[Amonester]

38. And not to forget how great former Gen. Wesley Clark WILL

be in his renewed Service as... Secretary Of Defense (May The Truth FINALLY Prevail There!)

[CitizenPatriot]

39. yes!!! go Wes! nt

[Muttocracy]

64. many Biden fans are Clark fans too - I think we'll need Wes more

in charge of Defense or State perhaps.

[emmadoggy]

19. Now THAT is music to my ears!! WooHoo!

Hit 'em hard, Joe!!

[Zenlitened]

20. Sweeeeet! Take the fight TO them, Dems!

K&R

[greyghost]

22. Way to go Joe, way to go!

[ejbr]

23. And when you find something Senator,

and trust me, you will, might you "bitch"* slap Nancy Pelosi for those of us who concur with your statement about no one being above the law?

*bitch for me can be either a man or a woman...a bitch is a bitch.

[pleah]

24. K&R! Go Joe!

[4lbs]

26. Contrast what this VP pick is saying to what the other side is saying.

It's no contest.

Joe Biden will destroy Sarah Palin in the Veep debate. I hope he actually does fully go after her aggressively!

If the GOP begins whining about going after a woman who just gave birth earlier this year, then here's how you counter:

1.) She's going to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

2.) She needs to be able to withstand the political attack from Joe Biden, and questions about foreign policy. Otherwise, how the HELL is she going to be able to have the fortitude to deal with the likes of Putin/Medvedev, Kim Jong-Il, Hugo Chavez, and others who aren't Americans and have an extremely unfavorable view towards America?

[BanTheGOP]

82. Putin/Kim Jong/Chavez may be zealots...

...but MAKE NO MISTAKE: the Republican party is LIGHT YEARS beyond Anti-Americanism! The REAL zealots and criminals are currently in the White House and on the other side of the aisle from us.

Palin will make Putin, Kim Jong, Chavez, and other dictators, well, "pale" in the evil, insidious nature of the republican party as a whole!

Until it is banned, the republican party is, has been, and always will be, America's ULTIMATE hate crime against humanity!

[rg123]

27. I'll Believe It

When I see it. Talk is cheap.There is nothing stopping the judicary committee from doing something now. Dennis layed out 38 violations
to be addressed and not a peep from Biden or Obama. I do not believe for one sec they will hold this adminstration to law. The dems have been complicate with everything that has happened. Don't get me wrong their are a few who have stood up Robert Wexlar and Dennis
Kucinich & Ron Paul from the rep side but other than that no-one. So talk is cheap

[raebrek]

31. I agree completely.

I posted on down the thread and I didn't bother to read the rest. I agree with you and I apologize for not reading the entire thread before I posted below. Shame on me wasting bandwidth like that.

Raebrek!!!

[Muttocracy]

66. Biden doesn't push for impeachment because there are not 67 votes in the Senate

He's explained that many times.

When Bush and Cheney were ramping up the Iran saber-rattling, Biden said he would push for impeachment if they made a move on Iran without Senate approval. And the saber-rattling (on that front at least) got quieter.

[EC]

74. Yes there is something stopping them... Bush... he can still

pardon...then again this same crew that have been around since Watergate and Iran-Contra will get away with it again... The only way to get them is to get the Presidency and majority...we should have crushed them back in the Ford days instead of pardoning them...because they will aways come back otherwise...we have to do it so they will never see office or be any where near politics again...prosecutions and prison. Let the committees do their work and we'll have lots of evidence.

Obama said a long time ago that his first 100 days will be investigating this White House and prosecuting if there are any crimes...I believe him, he's angry at what they have done...In his book Audacity he even sounded angry at the foreign policies that tore apart Jakarta while he was living there...so he'll do it right...that's 2 lawyers at the top we've got...

[Maineman]

29. I like

[raebrek]

30. Let me be the nay sayer.

I don't buy it. During the 2006 election they said they would get this done. They ain't done nothing yet. Nothing about pursuing criminal charges. NOTHING. Except for Kucinich, he's been trying.

Raebrek!!!

[Amonester]

42. Let's make this happen for real:

House: Dem 242 GOP 193
Senate: Dem 56 GOP 43 Ties 1

source: http://www.electoral-vote.com /

AND (of course), WHITE HOUSE: Dem 2 GOP 0

and I'll join you then if they all 'let them escape' justice.

Let's help them first, and if they don't 'deliver' I'll be joining.

[maple25]

45. From Dennis' webpage..he's trying to get 1 million e-signatures by Sept 10!

http://kucinich.us /

Rep. Dennis Kucinich's homepage. Here's the letter he recently sent out.
Please read and go to the link above to sign the petition!

September 10th: The day before our world changed,
a day to change the world!
Dear Friends,
On August 1st, I delivered to Speaker Nancy Pelosi; a petition bearing the
names of over 100,000 Americans that, like us, feel that the President
must be held accountable for abusing executive power and disregarding his
Constitutional obligations.

Your voices have been heard and your support continues to send a powerful
message to lawmakers. That is why I call on you again to help us in a new
effort to deliver 1 Million signatures to Speaker Pelosi on September 10,
2008.

Together we can:
•Urge real Congressional action to hold President Bush accountable now
•Reinstate the authority of our Constitution
•Document crimes committed by President Bush for historical account
•Facilitate post-Administration law enforcement and prosecution
•Reset the standard for the incoming and future administrations
•Demand justice for the over 3,000 who died on 9/11and whose deaths were
tragically exploited to take us into an illegal war in Iraq
•Demand justice for the estimated 30,324 U.S. military personnel who have
been injured/wounded
•Demand justice for the estimated 4,138 U.S. military personnel who have
been killed or died
•Demand justice for the 1 Million innocent Iraqis who have died*
•Avert another illegitimate looming war – this time against Iran

We need your active participation to deliver 1 Million signatures to
Congress by September 10, 2008.
Please give at least ten of your friends the opportunity to stand up for
our country - the way you and I have, by inviting them to sign the
impeachment petition online at http://www.Kucinich.us . Send your friends
an email invitation to sign the petition by clicking here.

Together we can make September 10, the day before the world changed, a day
we change the world!

Thank you for your active and ongoing citizenship.

Dennis Kucinich

[navarth]

63. SIGNED!!!

[LynneSin]

47. What could they do - slap Bush on the hand as Bush pardon's everyone?

We never had the votes to make this happen. But what Biden is suggesting would be above and beyond what our congress can do and THAT is what we need to hold people accountable.

[14thColony]

51. Don't give him reason to issue pardons

I'm no expert but I wouldn't think the president can pardon someone who's not even charged with a crime. Assuming there's no such thing as a 'preemptive pardon,' don't launch any investigations until after January, and I can't see how there's anything the president can do, even for himself.

[Muttocracy]

67. He can pardon without a conviction, so it's wise

to keep the cards close until the Dems are safely in office with more Dems in both houses.

[bdamomma]

32. Hit back hard Senator Biden.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

33. Hey Joe!

"If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation," he said, "they will be pursued, not out of vengeance, not out of retribution - out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no one, no attorney general, no president, no one is above the law."

[L. Coyote]

34. Joe Biden is past chairperson of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

That was what I liked most about Obama's decision! It was a clear signal overshadowed by Biden's incredible foreign policy experience.

[BlueJessamine]

37. Joe Biden

A Vice President with knowledge and experience.

Obama-Biden 08!!

[Muttocracy]

68. yep - important to me too. nt

[Gregorian]

80. Oh, thank you.

I didn't know that. This is good.

I posted the Biden civil prosecution diary off Kos, and it went unnoticed. I'm glad to see this getting attention.

[4lbs]

36. When Obama/Biden win, I think they just might actually do it this time.

They didn't have the "numbers" back then, and it would have been a massive uphill battle.

They had to deal with a corrupt GOP administration, little support in Congress (yes, even after the 2006 elections), and a right-leaning Supreme Court.

When Obama/Biden get in, they'll likely have a huge Democratic presence in both houses of Congress, and a Democratic Presidential administration. In addition, with 3 US Supreme Court justices soon retiring, can make the court Democratic leaning in terms of protecting the Constitution and holding people accountable, with their Supreme Court nominees.

That would give a green light to such criminal proceedings.

[DainBramaged]

43. GO Fukin Joe GO!

[paparush]

44. HOT DAMN! That's what I'm talkin about!

[LynneSin]

48. Impeachment now would have done NOTHING for us except havoc

Trust me, I want impeachment as much as the next person but there is just too much red-tape and then it ends up as nothing more than a handslapping because the REpublicans would NOT cross party lines to support impeaching their own.

The US Attorney General should be the one that address these issues but when have we had an impartial AG since Janet Reno?

[4lbs]

53. Precisely.

They, Obama/Biden, need to get the people in place first, before any criminal investigations will have real teeth to them.

1.) Get into office.

2.) Get an Attorney General in who will conduct this properly.

3.) Get even more of a majority in both houses of Congress.

4.) Let those 3 US Supreme Court justices retire and then put in replacements that will put the Constitution first, and hold those accountable who tear it down.

[PatSeg]

60. Exactly

Bush has the current justice department under his thumb. Things will be different in an Obama presidency.

[Muttocracy]

69. yep. nt

[Senator]

76. Impeachment now is the ONLY thing that can do ANYTHING for us

Because without it, Congress formally "approves" of all the regime's actions. Without objection in real time, there is no basis for prosecution later.

I myself would find it hard, in good conscience, to convict any to them of crimes that carry the tacit approval of the American People, through their legitimate (Dem) representatives.

This notion of impeachment causing "havoc" is about as real as Saddam's WMD. It is a beltway rationalization for their own failure to act. The same is true for all this empty talk of later prosecutions. Nor is there any "red tape," just an up or down vote approving or denouncing (impeaching for) torture.

But even if it weren't all rubbish, it is still no excuse for failing to uphold their oath-bound duty and treaty-bound obligations. The war crime laws contain no exceptions for fear of "havoc," or for fear of electoral damage (though that fear is also baseless) -- when they demand that ALL gov't officials ACT to stop ongoing torture and war crimes.

And it is virtually irrelevant what the Repubs choose to do -- it is not "about them" or even about removal. Even a failed House vote sends the message -- to the world, to future prosecutors, to our children and grandchildren -- that we did not stand idly by in the face of torture and war crimes; that someone spoke up in objection for the American People.

Failure to impeach is the worst possible outcome.

---

[redqueen]

49. "the campaign to come after the Rs have their moment in the spotlight"

Thank you.

Talking to the morons I talk to about this election... Jesus.

I don't mean republicans... I mean people who are too 'cool' to be partisan, so they're having a hard time deciding between Obama and McCain.

*sigh*

[kayell]

50. Thank you Joe!

"If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation," he said, "they will be pursued, not out of vengeance, not out of retribution - out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no one, no attorney general, no president, no one is above the law."

This is needed so desperately if we're ever going to get our country and it's respect for the Constitution back in working order.

[Left Brain]

52. Best cuppa joe

I've had in ages!

I'll have another, thanks!

[Zhade]

54. So, about those criminal violations - how about going after b*s*co for their crimes?

You know, if you're not too busy?

[trickyguy]

55. Biden was a great choice for VP. He'll tell it like it is. Go Joe.

[RiverStone]

56. Keep going Joe!

K&R

[Window]

57. Bring it to them Obama-Biden!

[nradisic]

58. That's my VP!!!

Rip 'em a new one Joe. They deserve it and then some...

[protect our future]

61. Joe's town hall meeting in Deerfield Beach, Florida

was on C-SPAN yesterday. He spoke before what was termed an "adult condominium community," and a significant number of seniors were in attendance. It looked like the audience was very impressed, and I wonder how many women fell in love with Joe on the spot (he seems to have that effect on we females).

Here are some points he made that seemed particularly good. The words are mine.

1. Many elderly adults could remain in their own homes rather than going to nursing homes if help were available for the adult children who care for them. If parents remained in their homes for as long as possible, the result would be significant savings.

2. Our southern border must be secure. Employers who entice workers into crossing the border with promises of jobs must be prosecuted, but immigrants are the lifeblood of our nation and there must be an orderly process by which we continue to expand this country.

3. Early childhood education -- starting a child's schooling at age 4 rather than 6 -- can help close the "achievement gap" and give kids a fighting chance to succeed rather than ending up in the criminal justice system or dropping out of school.

GO JOE!

[Mad_Dem_X]

70. Goddamn it, I love Joe!

"No one is above the law" - damn straight!

[Honeycombe8]

71. Go, Joe, Go!!!! nt

[Chef Eric]

73. Meanwhile, Bush is working on a big October Surprise.

MSNBC is now reporting a U.S. incursion into Pakistan:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26522492 /

An Obama-Biden administration will mean that Bush will finally face criminal investigation. And so, with nothing to lose, the Preznit has a newfound interest in Osama Bin Laden.

[unkachuck]

75. "...no one,...

...no one, no attorney general, no president, no one is above the law."

....excellent!....we're going to hold you to that, Joe....and maybe even help you find the crooked repugs should you have any difficulties....

[Seldona]

78. Criminal charges?

-snip-

"In an Obama-Biden administration, we will not have an attorney general who blatantly breaks the law," Biden said .... We will not have a president who doesn't understand the Constitution....

Looking to the future but with one eye on the past, Biden also promised that an Obama-Biden government would go through Bush administration data with "a fine-toothed comb" and pursue criminal charges if necessary.

"If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation," he said, "they will be pursued, not out of vengeance, not out of retribution - out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no one, no attorney general, no president, no one is above the law."

-snip-

Give em hell Joe! Yea!!!

[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Kaleko]

81. Senator, I'll take your promises and hold you to them. Go, Joe!