Barack Obama and Joe Biden will be all smiles when they make
their first joint appearance as running mates later today, but on
the day before the Iowa caucuses, Biden told me in an interview
that he couldn't think of anything that Obama had passed as a U.S.
Senator.
Following a January 2 campaign stop at the Douma Elementary
School in Ottumwa, Iowa, I had a chance to speak with Biden (David
Brooks was also present), and I raised the subject of Hillary
Clinton's experience. Biden said that though he wouldn't want to
take anything away from his rivals' accomplishments, their level of
experience didn't compare to his.
Biden then gave the following appraisal of his rivals' careers
in the Senate:
"Hillary's been there eight years. I don't know a
single major piece of legislation Hillary has authored, passed, and
got done. John Edwards was there for six years, he's passed three
things. He's passed, I think, four post offices. Not a joke. I
don't know of any. Barack Obama hasn't passed
anything that I'm aware of."
