Joe Biden on Friday questioned how his Democratic presidential rivals could skip a debate involving the Congressional Black Caucus.
The Delaware senator, who will participate in a New Hampshire debate on Sunday, is one of two candidates signed onto a fall debate on Fox News and the sole person who has agreed to an Iraq-only debate next week.
Democratic presidential hopeful New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson talks with the press after appearing on NBC's Meet the Press at the NBC studios in Washington, Sunday, May 27, 2007. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones) In a telephone interview Friday, Biden called out fellow Democrats for bowing out of the Sept. 23 Detroit debate co-sponsored by Fox News Channel and the political education and leadership institute of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Democratic candidates have been under pressure to shun the debate from liberal groups who say Fox is biased against Democrats. Biden said Fox's role in the debate doesn't matter.
"I agreed to go because my friends in the Black Caucus said this is a very important debate to be able to determine the difference among us on matters relating to the African-American community," Biden said.
Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich is the only other candidate who has agreed to the Fox debate.
John Edwards and Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are not attending. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd said this week that they will not participate.
Earlier this year, Biden was criticized by some black leaders when he described Obama as "articulate" and "clean."
