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Joe Biden
Who Am I?

Biden Has "A Pretty Cozy Relationship" With MBNA Resulting From An Executive's Purchase Of His Home, Extensive Campaign Donations, And MBNA's Hiring Of His Son. "[B]iden and MBNA have indeed developed a pretty cozy relationship. John Cochran, the company's vice-chairman and chief marketing officer, did pay top dollar for Biden's house, and MBNA gave Cochran a lot of money—$330,000—to help with 'expenses' related to the move. A few months after the sale, as Biden's re-election effort got under way, MBNA's top executives contributed generously to his campaign in a series of coordinated donations that sidestepped the limits on contributions by the company's political action committee." (Byron York, Op-Ed, "The Senator From MBNA," National Review, 8/23/08)

In 1996, MBNA Executive John Cochran Paid $1.2 Million For Biden's Home. "Biden bought the house in 1975 but had been thinking on-and-off about selling it for years; he almost sold it before his disastrous run for the presidency in 1988. But the deal didn't happen until MBNA came along. … According to MBNA officials, the company asked [MBNA executive John] Cochran to move to Delaware. At the same time, Biden was looking for a buyer for his house. How the two got together is not clear. When asked, an MBNA spokesman declined to offer any details, saying only, 'That's a very personal question.' However it happened, in February 1996 Cochran bought Biden's house for $1.2 million. The price was not twice the home's value, as [Republican challenger] Raymond Clatworthy's pollsters claimed, but there is evidence to suggest it was a pretty darned good deal for Biden." (Byron York, Op-Ed, "The Senator From MBNA," National Review, 8/23/08)

It Appears MBNA Indirectly Helped Its Executive Acquire The Biden House. "It appears that MBNA indirectly helped Cochran buy the Biden house. According to a statement in the company's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission—in which it is required to detail the compensation of top officers—in 1996 MBNA reimbursed Cochran $330,115 for expenses arising from the move. The statement says $210,000 of that was to make up for a loss Cochran suffered on the sale of his Maryland home. An MBNA official declined to comment on the payment." (Byron York, Op-Ed, "The Senator From MBNA," National Review, 8/23/08)

A Few Months After The Sale Of Biden's House, "It Appears That There Was A Concerted Effort Among Top MBNA Executives To Support Biden" In The 1996 Election. "A few months after the sale, during the 1996 senatorial race, MBNA cemented its ties to Biden when company employees began showering him with campaign contributions. According to Federal Election Commission records, MBNA became by far Biden's biggest single source of contributions. Company employees gave him $62,850 in the 1996 cycle, while the second-biggest contributor gave just $21,000. Judging by the timing of the contributions, it appears that there was a concerted effort among top MBNA executives to support Biden. … Once the primary contributions had been made, MBNA's second wave of donations appeared in late August." (Byron York, Op-Ed, "The Senator From MBNA," National Review, 8/23/08)

Shortly After The 1996 Election, MBNA Hired Biden's Son For A Lucrative Position. "And then, a short time after the election, MBNA hired Biden's son [Hunter Biden] for a lucrative job in which, according to bank officials, he is being groomed for a senior management position." (Byron York, Op-Ed, "The Senator From MBNA," National Review, 8/23/08)

Facts About Me and Barack

"No Matter What Help Barack Obama Might Get From Sen. Joseph Biden, His Newly Named Vice Presidential Running Mate Won't Give Obama Much Cover On The Tony Rezko Front." (Dave McKinney, "Biden Has Deep Ties To Rezko Accomplice," Chicago Sun-Times, 8/25/08)

Biden Has Described Himself As A 30-Year Friend Of Joseph Cari, A Key Figure In The Rezko Trial Who Has Pleaded Guilty To A Federal Extortion Charge. "Biden has described himself as a 30-year friend of a key figure in the Rezko trial who's pleaded guilty to a federal extortion charge in Chicago and is awaiting sentencing. When the Delaware senator began contemplating his own 2008 presidential run, he initially was helped by Chicago lawyer Joseph Cari Jr., who also served as Biden's Midwest field director in his failed 1988 bid for president." (Dave McKinney, "Biden Has Deep Ties To Rezko Accomplice," Chicago Sun-Times, 8/25/08)

  • Cari Admitted To Taking Part In An $850,000 Kickback Scheme Overseen By Tony Rezko. "In 2005, Cari admitted to taking part in an $850,000 kickback scheme that prosecutors say was part of a larger political fund-raising operation for Gov. Blagojevich overseen by Rezko, who was convicted in June of wide-ranging corruption involving state deals." (Dave McKinney, "Biden Has Deep Ties To Rezko Accomplice," Chicago Sun-Times, 8/25/08)

On The Day Cari's Name Surfaced The In Rezko Matter, He Was To Have Hosted A Biden Fundraiser. "On the day Cari's name first surfaced in the federal probe of the state Teachers Retirement System, the former finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee and for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was to have hosted a Biden fund-raiser in Chicago. Cari was a no-show at that July 25, 2005, event." (Dave McKinney, "Biden Has Deep Ties To Rezko Accomplice," Chicago Sun-Times, 8/25/08)

"Offering Cari A Vote Of Confidence At The Time, Biden Said, 'All I Know Is Joe Cari Is A Friend, And He's An Honorable Guy, But I Don't Know Anything Beyond That.'" (Dave McKinney, "Biden Has Deep Ties To Rezko Accomplice," Chicago Sun-Times, 8/25/08)

"Biden Took $2,000 In Campaign Contributions From Cari In The Early And Mid-1990s, Federal Campaign-Finance Records Show." (Dave McKinney, "Biden Has Deep Ties To Rezko Accomplice," Chicago Sun-Times, 8/25/08)

My Donations and Bundling for Barack

 

What Barack Says About Me

Obama: "So let me introduce to you the next president - the next vice president of the US of America, Joe Biden." (Sara Just, "Obama Misspeaks, Calls Biden 'The Next President,'"' ABC News' "Political Radar" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 8/23/08)

What I've Said About Barack

Biden Said Obama Is Not Ready To Serve As President. ABC's George Stephanopoulos: "You were asked is he ready. You said 'I think he can be ready, but right now I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training.'" Biden: "I think that I stand by the statement." (ABC's, "This Week," 8/19/07)

  • Biden: "If the Democrats think we're going to be able to nominate someone who can win without that person being able to table unimpeachable credentials on national security and foreign policy, I think we're making a tragic mistake…" (Sen. Joe Biden, "The Diane Rehm Show," 8/2/07)
  • Biden: "Having Talking Points On Foreign Policy Doesn't Get You There." ("Biden Lashes Out At Obama," ABC News' "Political Radar" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 8/2/07)