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Biden Scolds Democrat Rivals on Fox Debates

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Joe Biden n 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.

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.

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  "Wherever the Black Caucus asks me to go, I will go," he added.

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.

"The single most important constituency in the Democratic Party - African-Americans, led by the Black Caucus, which are the leadership of the black community, asked us to show for a debate and we're not going to show up?" Biden said.

"Let me put it this way - if the African-American community stayed home or voted Republican, we're not going to elect another president."

Earlier this year, Biden was criticized by some black leaders when he described Obama as "articulate" and "clean."

© 2007 Associated Press.

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