Biden Calls PA a Must-Win State
EmailABC News’ Matthew Jaffe reports: Democratic vice-presidential nominee and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden emphasized Pennsylvania’s importance in the upcoming election as he returned to his roots Thursday for a visit with delegates from the state of his birth.
"You are the ones that are going to determine whether or not this world gets turned around," the Scranton-born senator said to the crowd at the Denver Marriott Tech Center. "It’s not hyperbole. We cannot win without Pennsylvania — it’s that simple.
"As they say, ya brung me up," Biden told the delegates. And in the coming months, as Obama’s running mate, he’s coming back home.
"The Obama-Biden campaign, we are devoting, we are going to devote an inordinate amount of resources, hundreds of permanent staff, significant office openings. We’re going to have, you’re going to have all the resources this campaign has available to us. That’s the good news. And the bad news is you’re going to have a whole hell of a lot of me because I’m coming home."
As he will likely do when he campaigns in the state, Biden repeatedly appealed to the working-class ethic of Pennsylvanians.
"Nobody’s better than you. You’re as good as anybody else," he said after he was introduced by Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and fellow Scranton boy Sen. Bob Casey.
"If there’s anything I learned from my roots, it’s trust the people," Biden said. "They’re a hell of a lot smarter than you think they are. They know what’s good for them, they know what’s good for the country. And we don’t seem to trust the folks, but you know, if you think about it, that’s what the Obama campaign’s all about."
It is precisely these folks, he said, whom he trusts to make sure that the country does not "careen off the edge."
"We’ve never been in a deeper hole, internationally, and I’ve never seen, in five decades, the American people, the middle class, so uncertain about their future and folks," Biden said. "We either fix it or we don’t, we change that direction or -– we’re not gonna fix it all –- but we change that direction or we’re gonna careen off the edge, and it’s gonna be for the better part of a generation."
However, in response to Biden’s remarks, the Republican campaign of Sen. John McCain criticized the Obama-Biden ticket for planning to raise taxes on Pennsylvanians.
"Joe Biden’s effort to create a record out of thin air for Barack Obama will not be enough to make up for Barack Obama’s lack of experience, lack of judgment, and plans to raise taxes on the hard working families of Pennsylvania," said McCain campaign spokesman Ben Porritt.
While emphasizing how crucial this election is, Biden also mixed in some lighter moments, such as when he joked about his age, something he has done at various times in the past week.
"Barack Obama could have made that speech, were he alive in 1972," Biden said about a speech he gave when he ran for the Senate in 1972. "No, he was alive. He was alive. By the way, if I hear one more time he was 11 years old when I went to the Senate, I’m going to smack somebody."
Biden loves to joke that only four senators have more seniority than him, but 44 are older.
Along with his sense of humor, one common Biden trait is his penchant for hyperbole, which was also on display Thursday when he said that "hundreds of thousands" of people attended his Senate campaign launch event in 1972.
"There was somewhere between six and ten busloads of people from Scranton who just spontaneously got on a bus and came down to Wilmington, Del., to the train station, uh, and I mean, and … there were, there were hundreds of thousands of people.
"Scranton never leaves you and Pennsylvania never leaves you," said the senator. "It’s been something that’s been — I probably campaigned in Pennsylvania I can’t tell ya how many times, literally hundreds of times, hundreds of times, because part of my heart has always been there."
Biden’s wife, Jill, raised in Willow Grove, is a fellow Keystone Stater, but she kept her remarks about the state more brief than her husband’s. "I do love Pennsylvania," was all the camera-shy professor said.
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Yawn! Republicans haven’t won PA
since Bush’s father ran against
Dukakis!
It’s a must-win state for Obama not
McCain!
Posted by: reaganfan | August 28, 2008, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
I do not remember anyone asking me who I am voting for, nor anyone I know. So, the way I see it, is your map will truly be wrong come November. I believe that Obama will take almost every state you have down for McCain. McCain is an empty suite with nothing to give us but what he already has. People know that if McCain gets into office the middle class will no longer exist and our Nation will fall. We are not stupid people.
Posted by: beck | August 28, 2008, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm
Let’s show some grit and use our votes as the grand weapons they are, let no one deter us from our fight for a better America.
I always hate a sports reference, BUT! Why the hell would you take a loser with NO batting average from the minors and put in the line up of the MAJORS with no ball and no glove nor bat!! WHY?? THAT IS BO!
18 millon votes up for grabs….GO McCain!!!
NADER UP 10%!!!!!
DID YOU HEAR THAT BO>>>18 million votes and not for you sweetie!!!
Posted by: HP Boston | August 28, 2008, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm
The problem with democrats is Obama.
He cannot close the deal……
PA or any other toss-up state can
go red…..
Democrats do vote republican,if they
don’t like the candidate……
Dukakis lost 45 states……
Posted by: NICHOLAS | August 28, 2008, 3:53 pm 3:53 pm
Why would the citizens of PA vote the Obama after the racist, vile comments he made about the hard-working , honest people of that state? Obama has no shame, no credibility and no honesty.
LIE. LIE. LIE. LIE. DISTORT, DISTORT. LIE LIE, DECEIVE. The CHANGE I would like to see from the Obama camp is total honesty but that is a mirage just like his vision for America. He is a socialist, communist, Marxist and the most corrupt candidate in the last 100 years. He wants Power just like Hitler did.
Posted by: Mary | August 28, 2008, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
I’m an Pennsylvania Independent who didn’t vote in the primaries, nor have ever been polled – and I’m sure you can guess who has my vote.
I know I’m not the only one, and come November… it’s not even gonna be close.
Posted by: Deep Release | August 28, 2008, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm
Biden is changing the theme of the campaign. It is now “It’s not hyperbole”. Sadly enough he has to say it often just so people don’t think he is spouting words from his fantasyland. Obama’s pick here really shows his want of change. Biden is a straight down the line partisan Democrat with no history of bipartisan efforts. He relishes his lobbyist money. And half the time he is full of it…AND HE ADMITS IT. If that’s the change you want you should really ask yourself why.
Posted by: Nevada Pundit | August 28, 2008, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
Barack Obama could have made that speech were he alive in 1972,” Biden said about a speech he gave when he ran for Senate in 1972. “No, he was alive. He was alive. By the way, if I hear one more time he was 11 years old when I went to the Senate, I’m going to smack somebody
The Dumb and Dumber gaffe machine keeps on rolling.
Posted by: geevill | August 28, 2008, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
There was somewhere between six and ten bus-loads of people from Scranton who just spontaneously got on a bus and came down to Wilmington, Delaware to the train station, uh, and I mean, and…there were, there were hundreds of thousands of people.”
It could be true. Hundreds of thouusands of people have been kicked under OBama’s bus it seems.
Posted by: geevill | August 28, 2008, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm
I’m originally from the Scranton area. The dems have little chance of taking the state now because of Obama because – in addition to the comments that I (mostly) agree with made by “Nicholas” – there is still some serious racial tension out there and it lives quite well in PA. Did you know the second largest population of retired people in the US live in NEPA (noreast PA)? Do you think these old timers are going to vote his way? On the one hand the health care “plan” may make them think twice; on the other, they are not going to let someone who is still wet behind the ears let alone black into office on their watch.
Posted by: MARK | August 28, 2008, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm
This is a first for me. I was watching the convention on T.V. last night and i acually had HOPE. but i really feel sorry for people like Trump and all the reset of the people that think that they are doing something smart by supporting mccain my mother use to say this to me ” keep on doing what your doing and you will keep getting what your getting” you guys better hope and pray that mccain does not get in office! hey Trump i know that your casino’s and other businesses are hurting because people can’t afford to dump money in to those non payment slot machines you have and live in that lavish hotel you have because gas is too high thanks to bush and the rest of his cronies like mccain. if you have made all the money that you need please think about us who have’nt you are acting like a really republican now looking out for your self. you guy’s make me sick talking talking about President Obama in a negative way being in experienced, but you had no! problems putting that so call president named bush in office and we see how that has turned out. you guys need to get a real life and embrace some real change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: sue | August 28, 2008, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
By the way, for the youth vote or otherwise, who think that Obama’s “change” will really do something for them, think about this: adding billions, and eventually trillions more to the deficit over the next 4 years for “health care for everoyne” and other socialist based programs (and beyond because policies linger) is going to put further pressure on the dollar. Both McCain and Obama want to do it – in fact – they have to, we’ve already dug the whole, there is no use pointing figers at the past. So the question becomes character, experience, and having balance between the executive and legislative branch. You put Dems in both places and you’ll see the true extreme visions of Obama take root.
High gas prices? Thank, in part, the dollar for that. The recent rally in the dollar has ZERO to do with Obama – it’s Europe’s economy falling apart. You combine the spending that both of them have to do, regardless of what they say, with continued pressure on the dollar and someone like Obama who won’t sign up for more nuclear or more drilling, we’ll have $6/gallon gas in two years or less. Just wait.
McCain may not be the young whipper snapper that Obama is, but you know, once I passed the age of 25 I realized my parents were mostly right. Their experience trumped my “vision for change” based on the mistakes I made in my life thus far. I hope we don’t get what “change” wishes for us.
Posted by: Mark | August 28, 2008, 4:31 pm 4:31 pm
Duh.
Posted by: united we can | August 28, 2008, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
I am 21 years old and currently enrolled in a major public university. To me every time I here a democrat speak I hear the same thing. The Bush administration did this wrong and did that wrong. The last time I checked ur party controled congress and the approval rating was lower than Bush’s. People on both sides need to stop blaming and start doing something about our nations problems. I would like one of these candidates to record a new record instead of breaking the old one, again and again. Obama’s speeches arn’t anything new, they just have a couple new words. HOPE CHANGE. Thats great but i dont want a promise, I want a plan!!!!
Posted by: RICH | August 28, 2008, 4:55 pm 4:55 pm
Obama bought his million dollar house with the help of felon Tony Rezko in a sleazy crooked deal.
/
Posted by: Carl | August 28, 2008, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm
Obama won’t be winning any PA votes tonight. The Steelers are on TV
Posted by: Gracegirl | August 28, 2008, 6:45 pm 6:45 pm
HEY BIDEN….Hillary knew about PA months ago and blew Obama away!
Posted by: Darla | August 28, 2008, 8:47 pm 8:47 pm
HEY “RICH” a lot of people need substance and plans….18 million of them voted for Hillary’s plans. Edwards had some plans too, but the media made Obama king and the DNC knighted him to carry the DEM torch. ( They chose Kerry too) Why won’t the people choose who they want…then the DEMS wouldn’t have such a loss in NOVEMBER!
Posted by: Dar | August 28, 2008, 8:50 pm 8:50 pm
All we need to know about Joe Biden and his supposed expertise in foreign
policy is that he opposed “the surge”
which has been successful on the ground
and politically and he that his
alternative was to divide Iraq into
3 parts! That policy if implemented would have resulted in an Iranian takeover of Iraq!
It’s bad enough that he opposed
“the surge” but his solution was so
dumb that even someone as naive and
inexperienced as Obama is would have come up with a better solution!
Clueless Joe Biden is Obama’s gift to
John McCain!
Posted by: reaganfan | August 29, 2008, 12:30 am 12:30 am
Huh! Obama told us he had all the states he needed and was headed for a big win. Now he needs Pennsylvania to win, what gives? Somebody must not be able to count at the Obama headquarters. Shouldn’t he have had Hillary on the ticket if he really needed PA? Hillary was up 30% over Obama in PA during the primary. In PA, neighbors to Delaware state, the voters already know Biden and he will not pull voters.
Posted by: Jerry | August 29, 2008, 12:31 am 12:31 am
In my humble opinion, I don’t think that this election really matters.
Let’s look at the issues that the Republicans and Democrats both Support:
• Invasion and Occupation of Iraq
• Patriot Act
• Invasion of Afghanistan
• Kosovo War
• Increased Military Budget
• Death Penalty
• Corporate Agriculture
• Drug War
• Telecommunications Deregulation – Giveaway of public broadcast spectrum to private companies.
• Bank Deregulation and Banking Reform – Do I hear sub prime mortgage anyone?
• Expanded (Global) Corporate Power Trade Agreements and Institutions (NAFTA, FTAA, CAFTA, WTO)
Now look at the issues that both the Republicans and Democrats both oppose:
• Global Warming – Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• National Health Insurance
• Real Campaign Finance Reform & Publicly Financed Elections
• Electoral Reforms & Democracy
• 2000 Florida Election – Congressional Investigation
• Reform of the Presidential Debate Commission
• Strict Standards on Genetically Modified Organisms
Now let’s look at where the Republicans and Democrats differ but only slightly and not enough to make a difference in our lives:
• Increased Accounting Oversight
o Republicans oppose
o Democrats opposed until the Enron scandal broke and then they changed their stance in order to grandstand
• Labor: Wages and Unions
o Republicans Oppose raising minimum wages and have worked to weaken unions and labor standards.
o Democrats have very minimal support for workers through incremental minimum wages increases, claim to support worker’s rights but refuse to overturn Taft-Hartley Act restrictions on union organizing. Democrat Platform is silent on Taft-Hartley and living wages.
• Clean Water
o Republicans oppose clean water. President Bush wants to delay a 9 month order to reduce arsenic in drinking water.
o Democrats have weak support for clean water. Bill Clinton delayed action for 8 years before signing an order just before Bush took office.
There is one issue however that there is enough difference between the two parties to merit a reasonable debate:
• Right to choose
o Republicans oppose,
o Questionable support for the right to choose in the Democratic Party. Former President Bill Clinton signed the same ban in November, 1999. Al Gore favored outlawing late-term abortion in the US. Sen. John Kerry is opposed to a ban on partial-birth abortions.
Is this REALLY the only issue that matters? No wonder why Corporate America has been steadily eroding the quality of our lives and the security of our nation is at an all time low. Come on people. Wake up! Stop bickering over the color of the paint while the termites are eating away at the foundation of our society.
Posted by: Ray DeMuth | August 29, 2008, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
The election matters greatly.
Posted by: joe | August 29, 2008, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm