Democratic vice presidential candidate, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and his wife Jill wave to the crowd at Maple Point Middle School, Friday in Middletown, Pa.
Melanie R. Holmes
Tribune Staff Writer
During his address to a diverse crowd at the Ironworkers Local Union 401 in Northeast Philadelphia Friday morning, Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden said, for him, the campaign is all about two words: Dignity and respect.
“The dignity of my word and the respect for what I do,” he said.
That’s where he and Republican presidential nominee John McCain differ.
“As I look back at the Republican convention, and it’s nice to say ‘to look back at it,’ it was about John’s bravery,” the Delaware senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said. “America needs more than a great soldier. America needs a great leader.”
After reciprocating the energetic welcome he received from about 200 union workers, senior citizens, politicians and youth, Biden jabbed back at his opponents, McCain and Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, for their blows to the Obama campaign during the Republican National Convention on Wednesday and Thursday night. Shamelessly admitting to his friendship with McCain, Biden emphasized that they have always had their share of differences ranging “from Amtrak to Iraq.”
Biden continued to say that he and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama focus on the issues, whereas the Republican Party pays no attention to them.
“John’s campaign manager [Rick Davis] said … ‘There’s one thing you need to know: This election is not about issues,’” Biden said. “Did you hear the word health care from their vice presidential candidate? I didn’t hear it. I didn’t hear anything about keeping costs down, which literally kills us. I didn’t hear anything about how to strengthen Social Security or how to solve the mortgage and housing crisis that exists. Sometimes what is not said is even more powerful than what is said. That’s what Davis meant when he said it’s not about issues.”
Biden went on to criticize President George W. Bush for his eight years in the White House, claiming that Bush’s notion of ownership is “You’re on your own.”
“I’ve never seen a time in American history where so many people have been knocked down and the government has done nothing to help them get up,” he said. “My friends, John and George are joined at the hip, and we need a hip replacement.”
Biden is confident that he and Obama are the cure to what many Democrats call “the failed Bush administration” and deny claims that taxes will be raised during their tenure.
“You heard Sarah Palin and John McCain say Barack Obama is going to raise taxes,” Biden said, referring to their speeches at the RNC held in St. Paul, Minn. “Your taxes are going to be lower; they’re not going to be higher.”
The Obama/Biden ticket promises that families will receive a $4,000 tax credit for every child they have in college, a 50 percent match for every $1,000 saved for retirement and no taxes for seniors making $50,000 or less.
“John’s going to help seniors by privatizing Social Security,” Biden said, facetiously. “John and his running mate are going to help you by giving the companies taking your jobs overseas a tax break. We’re going to give a tax break to companies that stay here. Don’t let the Republicans say, ‘That’s a good idea, but how are you going to pay for it?’ We’ll pay for it by changing our priorities. John and I have such a different view on the world.”
Taking note of the troubled job market, Biden said that he and Obama will create more employment opportunities with affordable pay scales.
“People are working harder for less money,” Biden said. “You look at how jobs are disappearing: 605,000 Americans lost their job this year; 84,000 lost their jobs last month. Is there anything out there you might see that says it’s not going to be a ninth, 10th or 11th month? You need help right now. People need help right now.”
One of the reasons Biden said he joined with Obama is because he’s never seen an election this consequential. Through running for vice presidency, he hopes to restore America’s place in the world and raise up the middle class.
“The fate of the country and the direction of the world is going to be decided in the next 60 days,” Biden said. “As Barack says, this election is not about us; it’s about you.”
As for McCain and Palin, Biden quotes President Harry Truman in saying, “I’m not going to give them hell. I’m going to give them the truth, and they’re going to think they’re in hell.”
In attendance at the speech were Gov. Ed Rendell, U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, Mayor Michael Nutter, state Rep. Tony Payton Jr. and Biden’s wife Jill Biden.
“Boy, I gotta tell you something,” Nutter said. “I sat in my office and I was astounded by the repulsive national convention, the RNC, on Wednesday night. Insults have replaced ideas. Personal attacks have replaced policy plans. What they showed themselves to be on Wednesday and Thursday night, they’re not ready for prime time. They’re not ready for any time. The only time we should be talking about is Obama/Biden time. There has never been a better team.”
