Boston, Mass. (August 23, 2008) -- Catholic Democrats is applauding Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama for his selection of Senator Joseph Biden (D-Delaware) as his Vice-Presidential running mate. Senator Obama announced his choice today.
"Senator Biden will make an excellent Vice-President," said Dr. Patrick Whelan, president of Catholic Democrats. "He has lived out the tenets of his Catholic faith throughout his career--speaking out tirelessly on behalf of the poor and the exploited, encouraging peace and reconstruction in the most despairing corners of the world, and promoting personal responsibility here in the US. He is truly a public servant who believes in the common good."
Joe Biden has represented the state of Delaware in the United States Senate since 1972, when he was elected at the age of twenty-nine. Senator Biden is recognized as a leader in foreign policy, as well as one of the nation's most influential voices on terrorism, drug policy, and crime. Nationally, Senator Biden has earned a reputation for working on a bipartisan basis with Republican colleagues and bringing real results that matter to Americans.
The selection of Senator Biden is a courageous one for Senator Obama. Senator Biden did not pull any punches as a primary campaign rival, indicating Senator Obama's openness to critical thinking at the top. The Bush Administration has been almost universally condemned for employing few people who were less than mindlessly loyal to the president.
The choice also represents a bold opportunity to revisit some of the religious battles of the 2004 presidential election. Conservatives were not shy in the last election about going after a Catholic nominee for his faith, and a similar strategy can be anticipated in this election.
But Senator Biden has sterling credentials when it comes to grappling with the most compelling moral issues in America's relationship to the world. As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Biden's top foreign policy priority has been bringing home American troops without leaving chaos behind in Iraq. Senator Biden and Les Gelb, President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, have offered a five-point plan that offers a political solution to ending the war - a plan overwhelming endorsed by his Senate colleagues by a 75-23 vote. His leadership was also widely hailed for helping to bring stability and peace to the Balkans. In 1999, Senator Biden authored a Senate-passed resolution endorsing intervention in Kosovo. Senator Biden is leading the Congressional effort to end genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
As a long-standing member and former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Biden is a strong leader on crime and drug policy and has been instrumental in crafting almost every major piece of crime legislation over the past two decades. His Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 - also known as the Biden Crime Bill - put more than 100,000 police on America's streets and increased federal support dramatically for innovative criminal justice prevention and rehabilitation. The 2007 Biden Crime Bill goes further by addressing the 21st century crime problems such as computer hacking, on-line child exploitation and teenage prescription drug abuse. As the Co-Chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus, Senator Biden was the first in Congress to propose a "Drug Czar," a cabinet level office to coordinate all federal agencies responsible for drug-related programs and devise a strategy to combat illegal drug use and trafficking in America.
One of Senator Biden's longstanding priorities is making college more accessible and affordable for students and their families. Recently, he introduced the College Affordability and Creating Chances for Educational Success for Students (ACCESS) Act which would increase tax incentives, expand Pell grants, and begin college planning as early as the eighth grade.
Senator Biden graduated from the University of Delaware in 1965, and from the Syracuse University College of Law in 1968. Prior to his election to the Senate, Biden practiced law in Wilmington, Delaware and served on the New Castle County Council from 1970 to 1972. He is an adjunct professor at the Widener University School of Law, where he teaches a seminar on constitutional law. He is a graduate of Archmere Academy, a Catholic college preparatory school.
Senator Biden lives in Wilmington, Delaware with his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, and is the father of three children. He also has five grandchildren. Senator Biden religiously commutes more than an hour from his home in Delaware to Washington DC, and stands to represent an inspiration to all Catholics and all Americans in his dedication to those values that are at the heart of our faith.
Comments (8)
DON"T EXAGERATE By saying that he is living out his faith. I'm glad the Senator is doing a good job but even someone who is not catholic have those positive actions. What I would like to see is if he really puts some of the most controversial issues on the table internally within the party, such as abortion and homosexual marriage and at least bring what our catholic faith teaches about it. I am glad he may be our vice president. I'll be doing a novena (presented by the American bishop in their website)to get wisdom and carry on my vote not based on the tricks of political propaganda but enlightened by the truth.
Sincerely,
Isabel
Posted by isabel | August 23, 2008 9:50 AM
Posted on August 23, 2008 09:50
I do like Obama's choice for VP. One of the things I like about it is that Biden is a Catholic and I hope it helps get some of the Catholic's to take a look beyond the very important, but one issue of abortion. Hopefully, the Catholic population will become more sensitive and vote considering some of the other important Catholic social concerns like: capital punishment -- which the American Bishops have rallied against; the war in Iraqi - which the Catholic Church warned against; the inequalities between the rich and the poor in a capitalist society which the American Bishops issued a statement about; and, of course, a moral and compassionate way of handling the problem of illegal immigration into the United States.
For those Catholics with any open mind toward all the moral and social issues that should be on a voting Catholic's mind I offer these words from Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles: "There is nobody running for office at any level who is with the church on every single issue. We have to weigh the various goods and consider what's best for our people, and then each of us has to decide who is going to better represent the many concerns we have. I think somebody could vote for either candidate quite comfortably, knowing that there is no one running on the exact scheme of the church's teaching." When asked if Catholic had to vote for McCain because of abortion Cardinal Mahony said: "No. The Republican platform is not entirely where we are on issues such as the death penalty, gun control, and restorative justice. We have to look at the big picture in terms of all the issues facing us."
Posted by steve perzan | August 23, 2008 10:25 PM
Posted on August 23, 2008 22:25
I agree that Biden strengthens Obama and that his faith is apparent in his family attachments and his pursuit of alternatives to war. But how can "Catholic Democrats" avoid any problem with Biden on abortion? Isn't this the old "preaching to the choir"? jim kelly, brooklyn, ny
Posted by james r. kelly | August 25, 2008 5:43 PM
Posted on August 25, 2008 17:43
Thank God Catholic leaders are speaking out. We certainly are not hearing it from clergy to vote for what is just and good who don't tell us that pro-life includes no unjust war that kills so many and no death penalty where the two Bush's states (Florida dn Texas) have killed more on death row than other states--pro-life? Thanks Catholic friends!
Posted by shirley adler | August 25, 2008 6:23 PM
Posted on August 25, 2008 18:23
Friends,
I was one of the leaders of Catholics for Kerry here in Columbus in 2004. The fundementalists, who I get E-mail from to keep up with their lies, have many titles that say Obama is Pro-Abortion. We may have to rachet up the pressurer on the "single issue" Catholics and fundementalists again.
Posted by Albert Gabel | August 26, 2008 8:22 AM
Posted on August 26, 2008 08:22
Senator Biden's support for women who are abused is widely recognized for his inititiave in the VAWA ACT ( Violence Against Women Act). Each time this bill come up for reauthoriztion, we can count on Senator Biden for getting the bill passed.
Talk about compassion for the most vulnerable in our society., Senator Biden is indeed a friend for the people who work in the field of Domestic Violence prevetion.
Jeanne Meurer,fsm
Posted by jeanne meurer | August 26, 2008 4:58 PM
Posted on August 26, 2008 16:58
How can the Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska tell people they cannot vote for Barack Obama for Presedent on pain of being excommunicated. He should not be able to do this and remain a tax exempt entity.
Posted by JoCele McEnany | August 28, 2008 5:05 PM
Posted on August 28, 2008 17:05
I enthusiastically concur that the selection
of Senator Joe Biden as Senator Obama's running mate is very auspicious and will be
a further advantage for the Democrats in 2008.
Posted by Richard R. | September 2, 2008 12:49 AM
Posted on September 2, 2008 00:49