FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2006 |
CONTACT: SARAH SAUBER
515-282-8105 |
BIDEN BACK TO IOWA TO SINK
ANOTHER PRESIDENTIAL BID
Biden’s gaffs have sunk his Presidential
bids faster than John Kerry can flip-flop
DES MOINES – After spending time away from the first-in-the-nation caucus state, Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) is back, kicking off a series of events in Iowa by raising money for House Democrats. But, Iowans still have the not-so-fond memories of the last time he was here. Biden has made it no secret that he is giving serious consideration to another bid for the White House. However, after his previous failed attempts, can he really be taken seriously?
Biden has a long history of putting his foot in his mouth and eroding his credibility. In past, he has plagiarized speeches and lied about his academic achievements. Most recently while campaigning in New Hampshire, Biden showed his true colors by insensitively saying to an Indian-American; "You cannot go into a Dunkin' Donuts or a 7-Eleven unless you have a slight Indian accent." (Gannett, 7/7/06).
“Sen. Biden couldn’t be further from what Iowans are looking for in a President,” said Republican Party of Iowa Executive Director Cullen Sheehan. “It’s clear from his remarks and actions in the past that Biden does not embrace the values and beliefs of Iowans.
Sheehan continued, “I am shocked that House Democrats would choose to bring him in to raise money for them. He is not a good representative of their party and I would think that they would want to distance themselves from someone with such a shady past.”
More on Biden’s Credibility Problems:
In 1987, Biden “Appropriated” Speech By British Labor Leader Neil Kinnock. “Biden appropriated an inspirational speech by British Labor leader Neil Kinnock. Kinnock told of ancestors who played football after long days underground in the mines, who recited poetry and paved the way for him to become the first in his family to attend college. When he saw a tape of Kinnock in action, Biden said … , ‘it was a connect. I mean, I could tell how that man felt. That’s how I feel.’ So he used it – changing the names but little else – at a debate last month in Iowa. But instead of crediting Kinnock, he told the audience he thought of it on the way to the debate.” (John Harwood, “Biden’s Way With Words Now Seems To Be A Liability,” St. Petersburg Times, 9/20/87)
Biden Withdrew From
1988 Presidential Race Under Charges Of Plagiarism And Embellishment, Saying,
“Exaggerated Shadow Of Those Mistakes Has Begun To Obscure The Essence
Of My Candidacy And The Essence Of Joe Biden.” (“Biden Bows Out Of
Race, Blames His Own Mistakes,” Los Angeles Times, 9/23/87)
Biden “Developed A Serious
Credibility Problem …” “Democrat Joe Biden is a compelling orator,
but he developed a serious credibility problem after questions surfaced
about plagiarism and possible falsifications of his academic record.” (Rich
Hood, “Ashcroft Hindered In His Quest For The Top,” The Kansas City
[MO] Star, 8/31/97)
Biden Was Also Accused
Of Plagiarism At Syracuse Law School. “Biden soon ran into trouble
at Syracuse Law. He was accused of plagiarism after lifting five pages
from a law review article for a course paper. But his pleading - ‘I implore
you, don’t take my honor’ - convinced the dean to let him stay in school,
take the course over, and wipe the slate clean.” (John Harwood, Op-Ed,
“Biden’s Way With Words Now Seems To Be A Liability,” St. Petersburg
Times, 9/20/87)
Biden Admitted Some Of
His Claims About Academic Achievements Were Untrue. “Sen. Joseph R.
Biden Jr., his Democratic presidential campaign battered by charges of
plagiarism in his campaign speeches and in a law school paper, admitted
yesterday that some of his boasts about his college academic achievements
were untrue, including the claim that he had finished in the top half of
his class in law school.” (James R. Dickenson, “Biden: Academic Claims
‘Inaccurate,’” The Washington Post, 9/22/87)
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