Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., stepped away from his podium and approached his audience last night as he told them his view of what recent Soviet elections meant: "What did happen is that (Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev) unleashed a little bit of frustration."

The elections, which saw the defeat of Communist Party chiefs in several Soviet cities, were a sign of the people's realization that the current Soviet system cannot provide economic strength.

"A clear message was sent to the Communist establishment, the Communist party -- the folks aren't happy," Biden said in an Eisenhower Auditorium speech. However, he stressed that Gorbachev was in complete control of the elections and may have strengthened his government.

Biden told the crowd that the United States must be ready to take advantage of changes within the Soviet Union and shift from military to economic strengths in the 1990s. He described the next few years as a "watershed period" in which much of existing U.S. foreign policy will become obsolete.

President George Bush and his successors must encourage Soviet change in order to seek the advantages, such as reduced military expenditures and troop postings for the United States, which could stem from new Soviet policies, Biden said.

He cited four policies which the United States should maintain: military parity with the Soviet Union; cooperation with the Soviets in treaty talks; realization that non-aligned nations are not necessarily hostile to U.S. interests; and full explanation of policies to the United States people.

Biden predicted that Gorbachev would offer further reductions in nuclear weapon capability as the Soviet Union's competition with the United States shifts to the economic sphere.

"We should encourage that because we cannot lose," Biden said. For the Soviet Union to compete economically, he said, the superpower must move away from socialist principles.

Gorbachev's three-pronged approach to change -- combining domestic, economic, and foreign policy reforms -- is a risky and unusual approach which will have effects worldwide, he said.

"I only suggest what you already know -- that the changes Gorbachev proposes are stunning," Biden said. "Whether or not Gorbachev's reforms are moderate or wholesale remains to be seen but they are significant."

Biden described the approach as Gorbachev's attempt to "find a way to bring the Soviet Union into the 21st century." Those changes, he said, are necessary for the Soviets to maintain their position as world leaders.

Soviet changes highlight a shifting emphasis among world powers from using military power as a measure of strength to using economic power, Biden said. He noted the increasing international importance of Japan, which spends less than 1 percent of its gross national product for military purposes.

Soviet leaders have taken what Biden termed an "unthinkable" step in admitting to flaws in their nation's socialist economic policies and rethinking policies such as nationalized farming.

"It's like George Bush saying, on his first day in office, that he'd like to nationalize all the industries," Biden said.

Gorbachev also took risks in pressing leaders of satellite states in Eastern Europe to reform economic policies with the goal of ending subsidies on items such as Polish food products and Czechoslovakian oil supplies, Biden said.

"He's on a very slippery slope," Biden said. "The question is: 'How much does he withdraw control before he loses control?' "

The United States should watch this situation, Biden said, in case Gorbachev's proposals lead to rebellion in the Warsaw Pact nations. Failure to respond to an Eastern European revolt could embarrass the United States while a strong policy could lead to war, he said.

Policies on Eastern Europe should be determined in advance so that United States leaders are not caught unaware by the changes, Biden said.

Biden said in a press conference prior to the speech that Bush has not yet defined his foreign policy and many world leaders are becoming concerned with his hesitation. However, he stressed then and in the speech a need for thoughtful examination of world issues.

"I think he still has time but not much more time," Biden said, citing mounting political pressures.

While taking audience questions, Biden criticized the emphasis during Ronald Reagan's term as president on a "take care of yourself first" mentality.

"Ronald Reagan sort of moved greed into an art form," he told a laughing crowd, though he noted the last president's personal generosity and compassion in dealing with others.

"I wish that a man with his magnificent abilities had appealed to our idealism," Biden said. Though critical, he praised Reagan on his leadership style which brought issues to the general public and stressed those issues in terms of "basic American values."

Biden also criticized Reagan's emphasis on military research projects which he said took valuable resources away from economic development.