Biden tells Democrats he regrets Obama remarks

Nedra Pickler

WASHINGTON — Sen. Joe Biden tried last weekend to stem the damage from the botched launch of his presidential campaign as underdog candidates in the Democratic field looked to gain momentum from the party faithful.

The Democratic National Committee wrapped up a three-day meeting on Saturday that featured speeches from all 10 candidates already in the race or considering a bid. The frontrunners all appeared Friday before a packed ballroom of thousands.

The crowd thinned to less than half on Saturday, but those in attendance were no less enthusiastic. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson stirred them by calling for a primary without negative campaigning and saying he would bring troops home from Iraq by the end of the year.

“Maybe I’m not up there in all these polls, but you are the deciders, not the man in the White House,” Richardson said to cheers. “I say to you today, stay loose. We’ve got a year to go.”

Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack positioned himself as a Washington outsider with a record of real change. He criticized senators in the race who refuse to cut the money that is paying for troops in Iraq. Front-running Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York are advocating a cap to the number of troops and their eventual withdrawal.

“The reality of capping troops or reducing the number of troops at some point in the future is not real change,” Vilsack said.

“It is time for us to clearly say the war must end and our troops must be brought home now,” Vilsack said. “Let me say that I think Congress has a constitutional responsibility and a moral obligation to do it now. Not a cap, an end. Not eventually, immediately.”

Biden got right to the matter that has threatened his candidacy before it even gets off the ground. The Delaware senator spent his first day as an official candidate Wednesday explaining his statement that Obama is “the first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean,” raising questions about how he viewed other black candidates.

“So, how was your week?” Biden said as he took the podium at the DNC’s winter meeting. He broke into a wide smile and then a chuckle as audience members laughed. Then he turned serious.

“I want to say that I truly regret that the words I spoke offended people that I admire very much,” Biden said. He said he was grateful for the chance to be judged by his story and to be heard in the presidential race.

Biden also appeared to be trying to clean up his reputation for being longwinded. His speech came in under 12 minutes — longer than the seven minutes allowed, but the shortest of any of his rivals.

The meeting is an unofficial kickoff to the presidential campaign, with the candidates vying to capture the hearts and minds of the party faithful.

Candidates encourage their supporters to come and provide cheering sections for their speeches. Campaign volunteers man tables outside the ballroom with buttons, posters, videos and freebies such as Hillary Clinton for president water bottles and bags of Vilsack popcorn.

Saturday’s lineup also included former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, a virtual unknown who last served in elective office during the Carter administration. He used his speech mainly to criticize other presidential candidates who voted for the resolution authorizing war in Iraq.

(Associated Press)