Vice President Biden woos young voters during Eau Claire stop

EAU CLAIRE -- Vice President Joe Biden spoke on the UW-Eau Claire campus Thursday afternoon, September 13th -- one day after vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan answered voters' questions in De Pere. In Eau Claire, Biden told voters there's a clear choice in this election.

Biden rallied voters Thursday in western Wisconsin -- outside the traditional Democratic bases of Milwaukee and Madison.

Biden made the case Thursday that President Barack Obama's policies have been good for places like Eau Claire -- a mostly white, working-class city hit hard by job losses in manufacturing over the last decade. Biden said November's election is a choice about moving the economy forward.

Biden set an informal tone during his remarks Thursday.

"We used to have to say this to my dad -- with your permission, can I take my coat off?" Biden said.

Biden spoke to an audience largely made up of UW-Eau Claire students, explaining that education would be the Obama Administration's top priority.

"Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan hardly talk about education at all.  Literally, think about it.  Listen to what they say.  They hardly mention education at all except in a negative context. The so-called Romney-Ryan plan calls for massive cuts in elementary and secondary education. Cut by four billion, 900 million dollars," Biden said.

In Wisconsin Wednesday, Ryan discussed how federal programs would have to be cut, or the nation will be plunged into a fiscal crisis.

"You've got to get spending under control. We have a fiscal crisis. You can't keep borrowing money we don't have," Ryan said.

Biden described the Romney-Ryan plan for America as a negative vision for the country.

"I've got news for you, Mr. Romney. It is never a good bet to bet against the American people," Biden said.

Biden's appearance Thursday may be just the beginning of more high-profile visits to the state in the coming days prior to November's election. Both Republican and Democratic insiders say it's likely in the near future both Romney and Obama will campaign in person in the state.