I’m writing from Manchester, NH where I am attending the College Convention. This conference invites all the presidential contenders to come and have a chat with college students from across NH and the region. Today we heard from Dennis Kucinich and Joe Biden. While I enjoyed Kucinich and think he says pretty much all the right things, I’m just not crazy about him.

I was surprised by Biden’s presentation, which was quite strong. Regarding style, he seemed confident and comfortable addressing the audience. He also stayed for over an hour and a half. But to the issues: Biden rightly points out that Iraq is the major stumbling block which is impeding progress in every other matter. He stated clearly that he’d end the war within 6 months in office, a commitment that none of the other Democratic candidates are willing to make. He also touted the fact that he was not a millionaire, noting only 3 Senators fit into this classification. This really struck me.

As you know, I’m a fan of Edwards, largely because he talks about class inequalities in this country. I did not know that Biden was not independently wealthy, and his comments on the need to re-think the role of money in politics were well delivered. Although I won’t say that I’m on the Biden bandwagon now, I do think he is strong; his command of language, experience and outrage could be just what we need. I look forward to hearing from more of the candidates, both Democratic and Republican. I’ll keep you posted.