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Long-time pals Biden and McCain now spirited foes

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-13 15:04

WASHINGTON -- On becoming the Democratic vice presidential nominee in August, Joe Biden called Republican White House rival John McCain "my friend."

US Democratic Vice Presidential nominee and Senator Joe Biden, left, and Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain are seen in this combination file photograph. Biden denounces McCain as "an angry man" whom he called "my friend" before. [Agencies]

Now Biden denounces McCain as "an angry man" whom he accuses of trying to take "the low road to the highest office in the land" with a campaign of fear and personal attacks.

Colleagues in the US Senate for 22 years, the relationship between the two has been torn, at least for now and perhaps forever, as they near the November 4 election.

"With friends like Joe Biden, John McCain doesn't need enemies," said Paul Light of New York University's Center for the Study of Congress. "John McCain is not going to forgive. He's not a forgiving type."

Norm Ornstein, a congressional scholar at the American Enterprise Institute who has conferred with McCain and Biden on various matters the past two decades, disagreed.

"They have been very good friends. I don't think the damage in their relationship is permanent. But it's going to take time to repair," Ornstein said.

"One way or the other they're going to reach out and move on," said James Thurber of American University's Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies. "They'll need each other."

If Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama prevails, Biden would be US vice president as well as president of the Senate, where McCain would remain as the senior senator from Arizona.

If McCain wins the presidency, he will have to deal with Biden, who would still be chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee provided the Democrats, as expected, retain control of the Senate.

In the Senate, Biden, 65, of Delaware, and McCain, 72, have traveled overseas together and developed reputations for reaching out to members of the opposing party.

"Miss Congeniality"

Biden is seen as affable and has plenty of friends on both sides of the political aisle. With a history of losing his temper and taking on his own party, McCain has drawn fire from Democrats as well as fellow Republicans.

McCain jokes he's no "Miss Congeniality."

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