And it appears he's carving out his place toward the Right side of the bevy of Democrats now lining up for a Presidential run in 2008.
"The next Democrat, whether it's me or Sen. Clinton or John Kerry, whomever -- the Democratic nominee -- they'd better be able to ante up right in front of the American people two things: security and faith," he said.
President Bush beat Kerry in 2004 because people wanted to believe he would keep them safe, Biden said. The mothers who voted for him still want one thing primarily: "Security for their families, physical security," he said.
Biden also criticized Democrats for their sometimes patronizing approach to religion, saying believers of different faiths don't expect everyone to join them.
"They just want to know we respect them," he said. "If we can't negotiate the faith issue, forget it, we won't win."
Biden argued in favor of more money for homeland security, saying in his conversations with the nation's wealthy, he found them willing to forgo their Bush tax cuts for the cause.
Why is it that the only time I feel rich is when a Democrat starts talking about taxes? Who are they trying to kid? Biden might be saying some of the right things on security and religion, but I think the whole tax the rich meme is too well-worn to work.
Most Americans know that the actual wealthy have so many options to protect their assets, they invariably deal with any added tax cuts, leaving the more successful in the middle-class to foot the bill. And even that demographic manages to manage their assets fairly well. In the end, it's always the average citizen who suffers from tax increases of any kind.
I didn't see any rhetoric from Biden talking about cutting government spending. But then, that, more than anything else, might get him booted from the Democrat Party.
New rhetoric - same old Joe.
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