In the Observer interview and in a television interview, Biden also criticised Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s proposal to cut funding to Iraqi security forces. “I think it would be a disaster, if that is her plan,” he said of the New York senator on “Good Morning America.” “They’re the people we’re supposed to be training so that we can rely on them to aid us in the efforts that we undertake.”

Biden called Clinton “clearly qualified” to be president but told the Observer the fact that so many Democrats do not support her gave him hope that he could win the nomination. “My point was she’s known by 100 per cent of the people and has had the legitimate and understandable support from her husband and there are still 60 per cent of the people up for grabs,” he told reporters.

Biden also was critical of another presidential rival, former North Carolina senator John Edwards. “I don’t think John Edwards knows what the heck he is talking about” on Iraq, he said.

Biden said he believes he has the unique set of attributes to get US out of Iraq without further damaging US interests around the world. “The next president of the United States, because of the policies of this president, is going to have no margin for error,” he said on ABC.