WCAX-TV: Biden Visits Upper Valley

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WCAX-TV: Biden Visits Upper Valley

Kate Duffy - Channel 3 News

Sen. Joe Biden, D-Delaware, took his anti-war message to Dartmouth College Tuesday night-- saying the country is ready for new leadership.

"In the last six years, maybe even longer, we've been dug into a pretty deep hole internationally. I cannot think of a time America has been more isolated than it is right now."

Biden hopes to convince voters that HE could provide that new leadership. The chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is seeking the Democratic nomination for president.

"When power is handed off to the next president, Democrat or Republican, he or she will have virtually no margin for error."

Biden laid out his plan for Iraq, which calls for a more limited role for U.S. troops and a federal form of government that would give ethnic groups more local control. He predicted the war and foreign policy would dominate the 2008 election.

"The overwhelming public opinion is the president has been a stark failure in foreign policy."

Biden said Democrats have largely led on social issues, and been considered weaker than Republicans on national security-- but that has to change.

"The last two elections showed that unless a Democrat can be presented who the American people have faith in, they think they can trust to manage America's place in the world, I don't think you can get to those other issues."

Some people at the meeting said they didn't know much about the candidate, but were eager to learn more.

"I think people should take the opportunity to see what he has to say," said Norwich resident Jeff Marshall.

"Iraq is certainly important, the economy is also a concern," said Dartmouth sophomore Andy Reynolds.

Polls in both New Hampshire and Iowa show Biden trailing front-runners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But with almost 11 months until the first votes are cast, he has plenty of time to make it up.

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