The Superior Middle School auditorium was packed Friday afternoon with students and community members all patiently waiting to hear Democratic incumbent Vice President Joe Biden. Blue campaign signs with the word “Forward” displayed waved from crowd members surrounding the stage set at the center of the room. Hilary Peterson, a UWS student, spoke about women’s and students’ rights being affected by this election, she introduced the vice president to the 1,100 waiting voters surrounding the stage.
“There are such gigantic opportunities,” Biden said. “This country has such gigantic opportunities. It’s time for us to pull together.”
Biden took a few moments to express his sympathy to those on the East Coast affected by Hurricane Sandy.
“First of all I’m proud of the way the president handled this,” Biden said. “But, I’m also equally as proud of the Democrats and Republicans. My mom used to have an expression she would say, ‘Joey, with everything bad, something good will come if you look hard enough.’ It reinforced my faith since this hurricane hit to watch the way in which Democrats and Republicans have been working together on the East Coast.”
Biden moved swiftly onto the big issues affecting voters this election, and combated arguments made by Romney and Ryan over the past few presidential debates.
“If you saw the debates lately, all of the sudden you’d think Romney and Ryan are converted; they sound like Democrats,” Biden said. “With these guys it depends on the weather, it depends on the state, it depends on the polls; it depends on the time of day. It always just depends.”
He strongly criticized what he called malarkey and lies from the campaign of Republican Mitt Romney, saying that Romney is not a bad guy, but in a different place on social issues than the rest of the country.
“I want to make one thing absolutely clear to you,” Biden said. “Barack and I from the beginning are absolutely committed and this is as much in our gut as it is in our intellect. My daughters, and his daughters, and my four granddaughters are entitled to every single opportunity my grandsons are. That is non-negotiable.”
Biden spoke passionately about what he said are lies being spread by Romney about President Obama’s plans for next term.
“Ladies and gentleman,” Biden said, “presidential elections first and foremost are about the character of a man or woman. Unlike any other office, it’s the single most important ingredient a president has to possess, to lead a great nation and lead the world. It’s clear, it’s absolutely clear in the waning days of this campaign who has character and who does not have character. Barack Obama has character. He has the character of his conviction, he does not mislead, he says what he means, and he means what he says, and he does it.”
Biden criticized the recent contradicting statements made by Romney, saying a president’s job is to not to sow confusion, but to plant seeds of confidence in the people. Biden emphasized his concern for the middle class, saying that Romney and Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan believe their policy changes will not affect the middle class.
“There is no quit in America,” Biden said. “It has never occurred in American history where the American people have ever quit, never. I have a message for Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan: it’s never been a good bet to bet against the American people.
BY KAITLIN LOKOWICH and ALEX LEONE lokow003@d.umn.edu | leone033@d.umn.edu