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Biden's strength in foreign policy recruited by Obama

By Christina Bellantoni (Contact) | Friday, May 30, 2008

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Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. yesterday said his one-time presidential rival Sen. Barack Obama has asked him to "play a more prominent" and "deeply involved" role in his campaign, a signal the likely Democratic nominee is looking to burnish his foreign-policy credentials that Republicans are attacking.

Mr. Biden stopped short of endorsing Mr. Obama, but predicted the Illinois senator is likely to emerge as the nominee after the last contests on Tuesday. He also took a few swipes at presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain.

"He has asked me to play a more prominent role – not in an administration, in the campaign – meaning would I be more available, would I travel with him occasionally, and I said once he gets the nomination, if he gets the nomination, then I'll do whatever he wants," Mr. Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told The Washington Times yesterday in an interview. "I'll do whatever he asks me to do."

An Obama spokesman declined comment on "any private conversations" between the senators, but offered wide praise for Mr. Biden, of Delaware.

"His expertise would of course be important to any Democratic nominee," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton, adding his boss has "deep respect" for Mr. Biden's service and "deep knowledge."

Mr. Biden vowed to "work my heart out" for the party and said he made such a promise to both Mr. Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. He ended his own presidential bid the night of the Iowa caucus, in January, keeping to his word that he would withdraw if he was not among the top three finishers.

But given his role as an elder Democratic Party statesman and chairman of one of the Senate's most-prominent panels, Mr. Biden has been extremely critical of the Bush administration and has begun defending Mr. Obama in the face of increased attacks from Mr. McCain over national security and foreign policy.

Republican operatives also have delighted recently after several recent gaffes by Mr. Obama - including his misstatement of which group liberated Auschwitz and the languages spoken in Afghanistan.

This week Mr. Obama credited his uncle with being one of the American troops to liberate the concentration camps at Auschwitz, but the Red Army actually was responsible.

His campaign circulated a clarifying statement after Republicans pounced on the error, with Obama aides saying he mistakenly said Auschwitz when his uncle's role was liberating Buchenwald concentration camps.