Biden answers Q's on "voting for the war" and "needing 67 votes to veto"

[gateley]

This is from a live chat Q&A on WaPo today:

Ames, Iowa: Hey Joe. First of all I am behind you 100 percent, but could clarify your stance on voting for the war, and when you say you need 67 votes to override the President's veto? Go Joe!

Sen. Joe Biden: I did not vote for the war. I voted to protect American troops who find themselves in the midst of a civil war without adequate protection and the Mine Resistant Vehicles that will reduce the casualty rate by 80%. As long as this President has a single American troop in Iraq, I will vote to protect that troop. With regard to the need to have 67 votes to end the war, I mean that is what it takes to override a Presidential veto. This Spring, we passed the Biden-Levin Amendment, which called for the withdrawal of American combat troops, starting within 120 days of its passage and getting the bulk of all combat troops out of Iraq by March of 2008. The President vetoed that bill - in order to impose this mandate for troop withdrawal - under the the constitution - we needed 67 votes to override his veto and to begin to bring American troops home. We did not have 67 votes -- there are only 51 Democrats, therefore we needed 16 Republicans Senators to join us to force the President under the Constitution to bring the troops home.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/10/04/DI2007100401628.html

[jillan]

1. How frustrating it must be to be in a complete deadlock in the Senate.

At least they passed schip and the Biden amendment.

What is it going to take to get the rethugs against this war?

[maximusveritas]

2. "I did not vote for the war. " Uh, yes you did, Joe.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00237

Did he just misunderstand the question or something?

[TwilightGardener]

4. Reading his response, I'm guessing he's defending his votes to keep

funding the war, NOT his vote for the original IWR.

[maximusveritas]

5. Yeah, that's what it sounds like

I don't think that's what the question was about, but I guess that's how Joe wanted to answer it.

[bullimiami]

3. doesnt do it for me joe. sorry. thats weak.

the republicans still seem to have more power in the senate even with a minority.
the democrats with the same minority were impotent, scared to use the filibuster and got pushed all around.

nope joe. i dont buy any of it.

[sampsonblk]

6. Voted for the war and now makes excuses

[jillan]

7. Sounds to me like he misunderstood the question.

[gateley]

8. I think he misunderstood the question. Everybody knows at this point

who did and did not vote for the war -

And I don't think he's making excuses - he votes what he believes is right, and stands up for those votes. If it goes against him, so be it - but he did what he felt was right.