From his Wilmington office, Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden declined a request for an interview Wednesday. Like his dad, Delaware U.S. senator Joe Biden, thought to be a leading contender for the Democrats vice presidential slot, the junior Biden isn't talking about his future upcoming plans.
However, the Attorney General is a member of the Army National Guard's 261st Signal Brigade, a unit slated for a one year deployment in Iraq starting this October.
"They work with a lot of computers and a lot of communications equipment. Captain Biden is part of an administrative staff that is going with them and he will be acting as a trial lawyer," Nathan Bright of the Delaware National Guard said.
While Biden fulfills his mission as a military attorney in Iraq, his second-in-command at home will fulfill his duties as Delaware's attorney general.
Former AG and superior court judge Richard Gebelein has himself served a one year tour in Iraq with the guard.
When Beau leaves, Judge Gebelein will take over. Obviously a man of immense experience and I'm sure they'll have plenty of war stories to talk about," Bright said.
The AG may not be talking about his orders to report to duty, but people on the streets of Wilmington certainly are.
"It's nice that he's able to do that and not coping out like most politicians would do normally," Angela Speers of New Castle, Delaware said.
"I don't think that government officials should be at war when they should be doing things at home to fight the effort," Angela Speers of New Castle said.
"I don't support the war in Iraq period so I don't think anyone should have to go," Mary Hawkes of Wilmington said.
Biden's unit is expected to report to Belvedere on October 3. They'll spend about one month in Texas before heading to Iraq.
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