William Angel – 10/30/08

This page was last updated on November 2, 2008.

McCain ignores past on Biden quote; Bill Angel; Beaver County Times; October 30, 2008.

Mr. Angel’s previous letter didn’t make sense.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“There is much debate concerning Sen. Joe Biden’s recent speech in Seattle in which he indicated that Barack Obama would be tested within the first six months of taking office.”

[RWC] You’ll note the two examples Mr. Angel presented were acts of terrorists, not sovereign countries.

“Sen. John McCain replied that it would be wrong to elect a candidate who would ‘invite testing.’

“There is no such thing as a candidate who does not ‘invite testing.’ The enemies of the United States are eager to test any new president without invitation.”

[RWC] Perhaps, but Mr. Biden specifically referred to Barack Obama, not “any new president.” Here’s what Mr. Biden said. “Mark my words, it will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We’re about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don’t remember anything else I said. Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.”

Mr. Biden went on to say, “And he’s gonna need help. And the kind of help he’s gonna need is, he’s gonna need you - not financially to help him – we’re gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it’s not gonna be apparent initially, it’s not gonna be apparent that we’re right.” The translation of this last quote is, “don’t treat Mr. Obama the way we treated President Bush.”

“Lest we forget history, it was only 37 days after Bill Clinton was inaugurated that the World Trade Center was bombed. The World Trade Center was bombed again seven months and 22 days after George W. Bush was inaugurated.”

[RWC] You’ll note the two examples Mr. Angel presented were acts of terrorists, not sovereign countries.

It’s odd Mr. Angel didn’t mention how President Reagan was tested. On Mr. Reagan’s inauguration day, the Iranians returned the 50+ U.S. hostages they had held for 444 days.

“History has indeed borne out Biden’s statement. We must examine the rhetoric of our candidates to make certain that they do not invite testing through inflammatory remarks. Any saber rattling today is heard by a worldwide audience.”

[RWC] Who has done “saber rattling,” other than our enemies? I wonder if Mr. Angel knows projection of power and “saber rattling” are not the same thing.