Bio, Part 3

Joe Biden bats third in this conference. He's jogging to the podium. He's now out of breath. He apologizes. He said he was talking about Pakistan with Chris Dodd off-stage.

Biden seems to be speaking very softly.

"We don't need to wait for hydrogen cells." "Build it and they will come." He's talking ethanol and switch grass.

$100 per vehicle, it would cost, he says, to make every vehicle a flex-fuel vehicle.'

Increase fuel economy standards. Add 1 gallon per year for 10 years.

Wants to spend $50 billion over first four years to invest in alternative energy.

"The American people aren't afraid to take this on."

Says, what if he would have been Prez during 9/11? Who would have opposed him if he asked people to sacrifice to help lessen demand on foreign oil?

Question: Role of federal government in education.

"Earlier you start a child in school, the better they are."

We must pay graduating college seniors who want to be teachers the same we pay engineers.

He's starting to get worked up a bit.

"Don't tell me what you value. Show me your budget. And I'll show you what you value." "I value education."

Corn-based ethanol will kick start the search for alternative fuels.

Role of federal government is to provide infrastructure. He says there isn't the infrastructure right now for wind energy.

Biden just said his state of Delaware does more agriculture than Iowa. No applause.

He closed by complimenting them for bringing together the Iowa Farm Bureau and The Iowa State Education Association.