(11/30/08) -

Biden Qualified for Presidency, Say Americans

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many adults in the United States believe their next vice-president is capable of taking over as head of state, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 70 per cent of respondents think Joe Biden is very or somewhat qualified to assume the responsibilities of the presidency.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many adults in the United States believe their next vice-president is capable of taking over as head of state, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 70 per cent of respondents think Joe Biden is very or somewhat qualified to assume the responsibilities of the presidency.

In August, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama officially selected Delaware senator Biden as his running mate. Obama declared: "For decades, [Biden] has brought change to Washington, but Washington hasn’t changed him. He’s an expert on foreign policy whose heart and values are rooted firmly in the middle class."

In American elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. On Nov. 4, Democratic nominee Obama secured a majority of electoral votes, defeating Republican candidate John McCain. Obama will become the first African American president in U.S. history when he takes over from George W. Bush—who served two four-year terms—on Jan. 20, 2009.

In August, Biden criticized current U.S. vice-president Dick Cheney, saying, "For every American who is trying to do the right thing, for all those people in government who are honouring their pledge to uphold the law and respect our Constitution, no longer will the eight most dreaded words in the English language be: ‘The vice president’s office is on the phone’."

Polling Data

How qualified is Joe Biden to assume the responsibilities of the presidency?

Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 likely American voters, conducted on Nov. 24 and Nov. 25, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.