Economic Plan Will Win Strong Support, Biden Says

January 26th, 2009|Austin Rouls
President

The legislation being debated in the Senate was crafted with Republican input, Democrat Biden said today on the CBS program “Face the Nation.” Biden said he personally consulted with Republican senators.

“We compromised ahead of time in terms of what we put in the bill,” Biden said in his first public interview since taking office. The interview was conducted in Bidens hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, where he usually commuted from during his career in the Senate.

Congressional Republicans have objected that there arent enough tax cuts in the economic plan. They also describe some of the spending, such as support for family planning programs and universities, as not directly related to stimulating the economy.

House Minority Leader John Boehner, an Ohio Republican who appeared today on NBCs “Meet the Press,” said the Obama stimulus plan is “a lot of spending that I just dont think will work.”

State of Economy

Biden said the president has acted swiftly to put together an economic package to create 3 million to 4 million new jobs and a new framework on which the economy may develop. The administration is “trying to get the money out the door as rapidly as we can,” Biden said.

“Its worse, quite frankly, than everyone thought it was, and its getting worse every day,” he said. “Theres been no good news, and theres no good news on the immediate horizon.”

On foreign policy, Biden said in closing the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, inmates wont be released in the U.S. and it will take time to determine what to do with them.

“Were going one prisoner at a time,” Biden said. “Were trying to figure out exactly what weve inherited here. We most likely will be rendering them back to their countries of origin or another country.”

Americans should be prepared for an “uptick” in casualties in Afghanistan, Biden said, because the U.S. is engaging the enemy much more. The situation in that country has “deteriorated a great deal,” and it is likely to get worse before it gets better, he said.

Presidents Confidant

“I dont see myself as the deputy president,” Biden said. “I see myself as the presidents confidant. Hopefully, I can help shape policy with him. Hopefully, Im the last person in the room with every important decision he makes. Thus far, thats how its worked.”

The vice presidency is more difficult than being a U.S. senator, a job he held for 36 years, Biden said, because he is part of a team, and he has to be more careful with his statements.

“Everything that I say reflects directly on the administration,” Biden said. “And so I may have strongly held views that the president may not have. Yes, the bottom line, its harder.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Jeff Plungis in Washington at jplungis@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: January 25, 2009 15:27 EST
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