Nostalgic, Hopeful Alum Biden Rallies Fellow Blue Hens
EmailABC News’ Matt Jaffe Reports: Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden is running with Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., to seize back the Oval Office from Republican control, but lost in the race for the White House is the fact that Biden is also up for re-election as Delaware senator, a post he has held for 36 years.
Lest anyone in his home state forget, Biden Friday addressed home-state supporters at his alma mater, the University of Delaware, although the event was strictly on behalf of the Obama-Biden ticket as the Scranton-born, Wilmington-based Biden urged volunteers to bus north to Philadelphia to rally Keystone State voters.
"Today I return here 36 years after you first gave me the honor of serving you, and four days before our nation chooses the 44th President of the United States of America," Biden told the crowd of 5,700 gathered on the Newark college quad.
"But I come today with greater confidence and passion about the ability of this country to change and make things better," he said. "I believe we are literally on the cusp of a new era of American leadership in the 21st century. I believe that with every fiber in my being, for I believe, I believe this country is ready to make the sacrifices necessary, and to affect the change we need to restore the hope of our people and once again, once again become the beacon of light for the entire world."
"That’s our responsibility, that’s our possibility. That’s what we must do," charged the Delaware lawmaker. "Ladies and gentlemen, I would not have joined this ticket did I not believe Barack Obama will be the president this moment demands."
A nostalgic Biden recalled that he was on campus when John F. Kennedy addressed the nation about the Cuban missile crisis and later when the former president was assassinated. "During my years on campus here, some of the most transformative events of my generation took place," Biden told students.
Fellow Blue Hen Biden is expected to easily win re-election for his seventh Senate term representing Delaware, a post he would have to resign were he and Obama to capture the White House. The Democratic veep candidate has only mentioned his Senate campaign once while stumping for Obama, at the state’s Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Dover two weeks ago.
"Remember, folks, I am on the ballot,” Biden said October 13. "Don’t be carried away with this vice-president stuff. I am on the ballot running for my seventh term, Nancy. So don’t forget, don’t stop at the top of that ticket, walk your way down. You can vote twice for the first time in your life for the same guy and it be legal."
Today was a Biden family affair on the campus quad, with Jill and Biden’s sister Valerie Biden Owens introducing him.
"I can’t think of a better place for us to kick off the final sprint of this campaign than here at the University of Delaware," said Jill.
In his hopeful address, Biden noted the presence of another family member, his 91-year old mother Jean, "God love ya, Mom", he said.
"Fortunately for me, my mom lives with me," Biden stated. "And ladies and gentlemen, literally, literally, as I come down the driveway and stop to kiss her goodnight or to say hello in the morning, my mother, like your mothers and grandmothers, they believe, they believe in our possibilities because they know their generation weathered tougher times than we have seen and they emerged from each of the crises they faced stronger."
"Ladies and gentlemen, never ever ever in all of American history have the American people ever let their country down," he said. "Not once. And not now either."
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I used to support Sen. Obama, but Sen. Obama said those that stand for lower taxes are “selfish” and Sen. Biden said those who pay higher taxes are the only “patriotic” Americans. I’m for lower taxes, and I think that’s good for America. Not me, not you, not him, not them… us, I think lower taxes is better for us. and Sen. Biden calls me unpatriotic. I believe lower taxes is the engine of economic opportunity. I don’t call tax-hikers “selfish” because they want to lock the less fortunate into the permanent underclass of the poor and dependent. I don’t call welfare recipients who vote for the welfare monger “selfish” because they have no problem taking hard earned tax-payer money from hard-working taxpayers. But I guess that’s just because I’m not as dirty as that angry man Barack Obama.
Posted by: Obamacrat for McCain | October 31, 2008, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
I believe lower taxes is the engine of economic opportunity.
Posted by: Obamacrat for McCain | Oct 31, 2008 3:52:37 PM
And instead, all it has gotten us is a rescesion and sky high national debt. It’s never worked before, isn’t working now, and will continue not working under McCain. Amazing how so many people just don’t get it.
Posted by: jdb | October 31, 2008, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
Obamacrat for McCain, that’s BS and you know it. This is a blog. Why sit there an lie like McCain? It’s ok to tell the truth. You never were going to vote for Obama. We all know that.
Posted by: Craig | October 31, 2008, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/MutualFunds/HowTaxBoostingObamaCutsHisOwn.aspx
John McCain, click here.
“Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama wants to raises taxes on the wealthy, but as a member of that social class, he isn’t eager to fall victim himself. He has invested at least $1 million in a fund that yields tax-free income.’
Obama is unpatriotic and selfish.
Posted by: geevill | October 31, 2008, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
Hey Obamacrat.. if you want to pay more taxes so the wealthy can pay less, that is your choice. But don’t go around saying it’s better for the economy or good for America. That movie failed at the box office, and we are currently seeing what happens when you make people watch it anyway.
Trickle down – failed back when it was first coined, fails us today. Want to continue doing the same thing, vote McCain.
Posted by: Concerned American | October 31, 2008, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm
Why did Joe meet with the finacier of 911 hijacker Mohammed Atta (Mahmoud Ahmed, 100,000) On the DAY of 911??? C’mon Joe the victims families have RIGHT to know… don’t they???
Posted by: hmn | October 31, 2008, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
Its now down to 120,000 and less is middle class wonder what it will be January 20 2009
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
gevill – you left out ‘the other part’ of the story :)
If Republican presidential hopeful John McCain knows much about handling money, you couldn’t tell it from his campaign finance papers.
John McCain’s 2006 disclosure pegged the family’s assets between $36.6 million and $53.4 million, so the McCains apparently had a better 2007 than Democratic rival Barack Obama and his wife. The Obamas nearly tripled their net worth in the past two years, but their income in 2007 was just more than $4 million.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/MutualFunds/McCainsHisAndMostlyHerMoney.aspx
Posted by: Concerned American | October 31, 2008, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
– Its now down to 120,000 and less is middle class wonder what it will be January 20 2009 –
No, according to McCain it’s $150,000 or above.. Under Obama, it is and has always been $250K and below.
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/
Posted by: Concerned American | October 31, 2008, 4:19 pm 4:19 pm
Concerned American ,
Uhm you may want to listen to what he and his running mate are now saying even in his infomercial the other night it was working families under 200,000 biden said the other day 150,000 now governor richardson says 120,000
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 4:22 pm 4:22 pm
– governor richardson says 120,000 –
Good thing he isn’t running for president then, isn’t it?
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/
Posted by: Concerned American | October 31, 2008, 4:26 pm 4:26 pm
– governor richardson says 120,000 –
Good thing he isn’t running for president then, isn’t it?
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/
Posted by: Concerned American | Oct 31, 2008 4:26:33 PM
My point is yes he said 250,000 and that is what he presented to the tax policy center but that is not what he is saying now.It seems to be a pattern I will withdraw the troops imediately well under further review I will set a time frame according to the people who know best
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 4:30 pm 4:30 pm
McSame does not want to pay taxes from money he got from the Keating 5 saga, what a dishonor, even from money he has stolen, he does not want to pay a bit for taxes so that soldiers can fight the war in Irak so dear to him. God save America from McSame and Sarah Ms Congeniality
Posted by: Panama Canal | October 31, 2008, 4:31 pm 4:31 pm
Panama Canal,
Why not get the facts he did not get one dollar from the keating 5 scandal
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm
Pulling a McCain, straight from his play book :) It’s true those making $150K or less will get a tax cut.. doesn’t change the $250K number.. as pointed out several times over and over and over ad infinitum.. and from the TPC:
$0-$18,891 = $567 tax cut
$18,982-$37,595 = $892 tax cut
$37,596-$66,354 = $1,118 tax cut
$66,355-$111,645 = $1,264 tax cut
$111,646-$160,972 = $2,135 tax cut
$160,973-$226,918 = $2,796 tax cut
$226,919-$603,402 = $121 tax increase
$603,403-$2.87 million = $93,709 tax increase
$2.87 million-plus = $542,882 tax increase
As for troop withdrawal.. no need to harp on that since apparently Bush and Co. had adopted Obamas plan and are now leading it’s charge :)
Posted by: Concerned American | October 31, 2008, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm
– Why not get the facts he did not get one dollar from the keating 5 scandal –
Most certainly did.. flew for free on keatings jet multiple times, and he and his family vacationed on keatings private island in the Bahamas on at least three seperate occasions. It wasn’t until Keating came under fire that McCain paid him back some of the money for the plane trips.
Posted by: Concerned American | October 31, 2008, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm
Concerned American,
How pulling a play out of McCains playbook this is what he is saying now I guess it does not matter what he says now because he said this to the TPC in the past
As far as the troop withdrawal if it was not for McCain we would wave the white flag and leave and possibly risk having to go back
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm
– As far as the troop withdrawal if it was not for McCain we would wave the white flag and leave and possibly risk having to go back –
If it were not for McCain, we may have never had an unprovoked invasion of Iraq in the first place.
Posted by: Concerned American | October 31, 2008, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
Concerned American ,
He admitted he was a friend of charles keatings so every time I go to one of my friends house for dinner I should pay taxes on what the dinner would of cost me?????
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 4:41 pm 4:41 pm
As far as the troop withdrawal if it was not for McCain we would wave the white flag and leave and possibly risk having to go back –
If it were not for McCain, we may have never had an unprovoked invasion of Iraq in the first place.
Posted by: Concerned American | Oct 31, 2008 4:40:58 PM
Oh I am sorry did you forget HRC and company well prior to 2000 saying that saddam was a threat and probably had WMDS and did you forget that saddam refused to allow inspections as per the UN
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 4:42 pm 4:42 pm
Keep clinging reddog.. your revisionist history won’t change reality..
Posted by: Concerned American | October 31, 2008, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm
– every time I go to one of my friends house for dinner –
It was a bit more than just going over for dinner, but of course, you will never admit to it. McCain is your man for whatever irrational reason that you have yet been able to articulate in any reasonable fashion other than to attack Obama :)
May Allah be with you !
Posted by: Concerned American | October 31, 2008, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
Concerned American ,
What is not true from what I have said???
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
Concerned American ,
What is not true from what I have said???
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
Concerned American,
Again how am I attacking him pointing out the facts of things??
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
*************************************
Again how am I attacking him pointing out the facts of things??
Posted by: reddog0216 | Oct 31, 2008 4:52:44 PM
*************************************
YOUR ‘FACTS’ ARE NOT. PRETTY SIMPLE.
Posted by: Mack | October 31, 2008, 4:55 pm 4:55 pm
Mack ,
Show me where or how my facts are wrong. He has changed his tax plan yes or no he has backed away from nuclear power yes or no
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 5:00 pm 5:00 pm
The tone of Biden and Obama is refreshing to see in an election. Compared to McCain who just seems angry and on the attack. I am happy we will finally have a smart president who will think out options instead of one who just acts on impulse without reason. It’s time for McCain to retire and live out the remainder of his life in peace.
Obama/Biden ’08!!!!
Posted by: Janice | October 31, 2008, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm
If Obama is elected the market will tank further people are hiding their money with the anticipation of a Democratic majority. If your smart change your strategy regarding your 401 K or other investments. You have been warned.
Posted by: Hippie Smasher | October 31, 2008, 7:00 pm 7:00 pm
Hippie Smasher,
you forgot he want’s to take your 401K money and give it back to you as he sees fit.
Look what the stockmarket does, everytime Dem. like or got into the White House our economy goes down the drain.
Go out and vote, vote, vote.
Posted by: USAfirst | November 1, 2008, 12:22 pm 12:22 pm
What Obama needs to explain, over and over again, is that Democratic economic programs have succeeded in promoting growth precisely because they distribute national wealth more widely than the Republican tradition of trickle-down. The numbers have told the story for decades — and the statistics detailing the Clinton administration’s success and the Bush administration’s failure have only reinforced the narrative.
Consider the cumulative performance of the stock market. Until this year, the best data available showed that on average, equities increased in value by more than 12 percent during Democratic administrations, and by around 8 percent when Republicans were in power. The largest gains in the past 80 years occurred under FDR, Truman, Johnson and Clinton — and when the awful declines of the past few months are factored in, the Democratic record will look even better.
Of course, stock prices alone provide an imperfect measure of national progress, especially from a liberal perspective. So Obama should point to similar statistics proving the superiority of the Democratic record on gross domestic product, job creation, unemployment, poverty, budget discipline, disposable income and inflation. His purpose should not be to score partisan points but to prepare the public for the struggle over spending and taxes that will mark his first two years.
For the moment, scaring voters is no longer so easy. The Republican administration is nationalizing financial institutions and Republican economists are demanding big federal spending initiatives. But if Obama wants to avoid the defeats of Clinton’s first two years, he must consistently remind Americans what has succeeded and who has failed — and why.
Posted by: cowgirlblues | November 1, 2008, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm
and let me add–If free markets work so well–why did those institutions make huge profits and spend wildly-and yet in the end we-the taxpayer have to bail them out-its “free loading-not free marketing-aren’t they supposed to fail if they have improper business practices???And how are they to learn from this mistake if they are not punished–but rescued???
Posted by: cowgirlblues | November 1, 2008, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm