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American Morning

Interview With Senator Joseph Biden

Aired September 25, 2003 - 07:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Members of the Bush administration are coming under increasing fire as they fan out across Washington to defend the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Congress what he believes is at stake.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Is 87 billion a great deal of money? The answer is yes. Can our country afford it? The answer is also yes. We believe it is necessary for the security of our country and the stability of the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And while the Democrats appear to be stepping up the attacks, most agree the administration will get every dollar it asks for. So, is all the tough talk just talk?

Senator Joseph Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joins us live from Washington.

Good morning, Senator.

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Good morning, Carol. How are you?

COSTELLO: I'm fine. You know, the rhetoric is getting quite nasty. Senator Ted Kennedy coming out and saying the whole Iraqi policy is a fraud, and then Tom DeLay came back and accused Senator Kennedy of accusing the president of treason. In the meantime, U.S. soldiers are dying. So, why can't everyone just talk like civilized adults?

BIDEN: Well, 99 percent of us are. What you're really seeing is a real -- what's being reflected in these hearings, in these discussions is there is an overwhelming lack of confidence that the president is up to the job here, since they've made such terrible mistakes since the end of -- quote -- "the war."

And so, what you're seeing now is demands from everyone from Senator Pete Domenici, a conservative Republican, to conservative Republicans across the board in the Senate, Democrats saying, look, Mr. President, you miscalculated. That's understandable. That happens. Now, tell us what the plan is. We're not so concerned about the money, which is important. We're concerned about whether or not this -- that you have a plan. Are you going to get more troops in here? Are Americans going to do this the whole on their own? Are you really sincere about bringing in the United Nations, et cetera?

That's what you're seeing. And you cut through all of it. What you're seeing and feeling is a lack of ease about whether the administration knows what they're doing, and there is very little faith in Secretary Rumsfeld.

COSTELLO: Yes, but I have to ask you, if a presidential election wasn't right around the corner, would the rhetoric be a lot more calm?

BIDEN: No, not -- well, look, keep in mind, you mentioned Mr. DeLay. Has his rhetoric ever been calm on anything? I'm not being facetious. I mean, it is his style. I mean, that's why he's so effective.

But the vast majority, if you heard the hearings, 99 percent of the questions that were asked, and the discussion here is deadly earnest about, Mr. President, tell us what the plan is. Tell us how you're going to account for it. Tell us what us what you are going to do. What are you going to do with the National Guard? How long are you going to be there? Are you really going to use this money in a way that brings in additional forces? Are we going to be asked again for another 87 or 90 or 20 or 15?

COSTELLO: Well, let me ask you -- let me ask you another question about the money, because some Democrats say the $87 billion price tag is far too much. If 87 billion is too much, what's the right amount?

BIDEN: No, it's not too much. I don't think that's the issue. The issue is it's not too much. The issue is, who pays for it? Do we charge it to our children by increasing the deficit? Or do what I've suggested, and most have signed on to, and say we're going to delay one year the tax cut for the top 1 percent, and you have to be making over 360,000 a year after taxes to be in that 1 percent? Or -- that's the next question.

And the second question people have is: Now, what are you going to do with the $87 billion, Mr. President? Just tell us how you're going to use it. In terms of -- what we're trying to find out is are you going to be more effective the next six months in Iraq than you have been in the last six months? You listened to Mr. Cheney and Mr. Rumsfeld. The plans for...

COSTELLO: So, Senator Biden, though, if you agree that the 87 billion price tag is not the issue, will it fly through Congress?

BIDEN: Oh, it will fly through...

COSTELLO: Will you approve it?

BIDEN: No -- yes, I will. I'm the first...

COSTELLO: Even if there's not a plan? BIDEN: I'm the first Democrat to come out, and I got heat from many Democrats for saying I support it. We cannot afford to lose Iraq. There is no possibility of allowing that to happen.

But you have conflicting messages. Mr. Rumsfeld said yesterday in testimony -- in an op-ed piece today in "The Washington Post," we are not going to be nation-builders. The president is saying we're going to build a democracy. Now, what's going on? Who's in charge? What is the plan?

COSTELLO: Yes, but why pass -- why pass the bill for the money when there is no plan?

BIDEN: Because we have 140,000 soldiers there, some of whom are dying, that's why.

COSTELLO: All right...

BIDEN: That's why. It's very simple.

COSTELLO: Senator Biden, I wish we could go on.

BIDEN: So do I.

COSTELLO: Thanks so much for joining us this morning.

BIDEN: Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired September 25, 2003 - 07:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Members of the Bush administration are coming under increasing fire as they fan out across Washington to defend the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Congress what he believes is at stake.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Is 87 billion a great deal of money? The answer is yes. Can our country afford it? The answer is also yes. We believe it is necessary for the security of our country and the stability of the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And while the Democrats appear to be stepping up the attacks, most agree the administration will get every dollar it asks for. So, is all the tough talk just talk?

Senator Joseph Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joins us live from Washington.

Good morning, Senator.

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Good morning, Carol. How are you?

COSTELLO: I'm fine. You know, the rhetoric is getting quite nasty. Senator Ted Kennedy coming out and saying the whole Iraqi policy is a fraud, and then Tom DeLay came back and accused Senator Kennedy of accusing the president of treason. In the meantime, U.S. soldiers are dying. So, why can't everyone just talk like civilized adults?

BIDEN: Well, 99 percent of us are. What you're really seeing is a real -- what's being reflected in these hearings, in these discussions is there is an overwhelming lack of confidence that the president is up to the job here, since they've made such terrible mistakes since the end of -- quote -- "the war."

And so, what you're seeing now is demands from everyone from Senator Pete Domenici, a conservative Republican, to conservative Republicans across the board in the Senate, Democrats saying, look, Mr. President, you miscalculated. That's understandable. That happens. Now, tell us what the plan is. We're not so concerned about the money, which is important. We're concerned about whether or not this -- that you have a plan. Are you going to get more troops in here? Are Americans going to do this the whole on their own? Are you really sincere about bringing in the United Nations, et cetera?

That's what you're seeing. And you cut through all of it. What you're seeing and feeling is a lack of ease about whether the administration knows what they're doing, and there is very little faith in Secretary Rumsfeld.

COSTELLO: Yes, but I have to ask you, if a presidential election wasn't right around the corner, would the rhetoric be a lot more calm?

BIDEN: No, not -- well, look, keep in mind, you mentioned Mr. DeLay. Has his rhetoric ever been calm on anything? I'm not being facetious. I mean, it is his style. I mean, that's why he's so effective.

But the vast majority, if you heard the hearings, 99 percent of the questions that were asked, and the discussion here is deadly earnest about, Mr. President, tell us what the plan is. Tell us how you're going to account for it. Tell us what us what you are going to do. What are you going to do with the National Guard? How long are you going to be there? Are you really going to use this money in a way that brings in additional forces? Are we going to be asked again for another 87 or 90 or 20 or 15?

COSTELLO: Well, let me ask you -- let me ask you another question about the money, because some Democrats say the $87 billion price tag is far too much. If 87 billion is too much, what's the right amount?

BIDEN: No, it's not too much. I don't think that's the issue. The issue is it's not too much. The issue is, who pays for it? Do we charge it to our children by increasing the deficit? Or do what I've suggested, and most have signed on to, and say we're going to delay one year the tax cut for the top 1 percent, and you have to be making over 360,000 a year after taxes to be in that 1 percent? Or -- that's the next question.

And the second question people have is: Now, what are you going to do with the $87 billion, Mr. President? Just tell us how you're going to use it. In terms of -- what we're trying to find out is are you going to be more effective the next six months in Iraq than you have been in the last six months? You listened to Mr. Cheney and Mr. Rumsfeld. The plans for...

COSTELLO: So, Senator Biden, though, if you agree that the 87 billion price tag is not the issue, will it fly through Congress?

BIDEN: Oh, it will fly through...

COSTELLO: Will you approve it?

BIDEN: No -- yes, I will. I'm the first...

COSTELLO: Even if there's not a plan? BIDEN: I'm the first Democrat to come out, and I got heat from many Democrats for saying I support it. We cannot afford to lose Iraq. There is no possibility of allowing that to happen.

But you have conflicting messages. Mr. Rumsfeld said yesterday in testimony -- in an op-ed piece today in "The Washington Post," we are not going to be nation-builders. The president is saying we're going to build a democracy. Now, what's going on? Who's in charge? What is the plan?

COSTELLO: Yes, but why pass -- why pass the bill for the money when there is no plan?

BIDEN: Because we have 140,000 soldiers there, some of whom are dying, that's why.

COSTELLO: All right...

BIDEN: That's why. It's very simple.

COSTELLO: Senator Biden, I wish we could go on.

BIDEN: So do I.

COSTELLO: Thanks so much for joining us this morning.

BIDEN: Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.