VP Joe Biden makes campaign stop in Green Bay Sunday afternoon
GREEN BAY -- Vice President Joe Biden took the podium in Green Bay Sunday, September 2nd -- two days before the Democratic National Convention officially kicks off in Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday, September 4th.
Biden spoke Sunday at a campaign event with supporters at the National Railroad Museum.
Thousands showed up Sunday afternoon to see Biden speak. He is a big weapon and at times a liability to President Obama's re-election chances. Biden has made noticeable gaffes already this election season.
Sunday, Biden was on message, touting the accomplishments of President Obama and firing up the crowd by ripping into Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney -- following the recently wrapped GOP Convention, claiming the Romney/Ryan concern for the middle class is not reflected by their track records.
"Help us finish what we started. With your help, we will win Wisconsin and we will win the presidency," Biden said.
The visit is part of the Obama campaign's "Road to Charlotte" tours, "where President Barack Obama and Biden continue to lay out what’s at stake for the middle class in this election – the choice between continuing to move forward to an economy built to last that’s grounded in a strong middle class, and going back to the same “top-down” economic policies of the last decade that crashed our economy and punished the middle class" -- according to a press release issued by the campaign.
Throughout the tours, the President and Vice President will highlight “American Heroes” – people who exemplify the importance of this choice and understand why our economy needs to be built from the middle out, not the top down.
Republicans, like former state Senator Ted Kanavas say Biden came to Wisconsin to get Democrats excited while not really talking about the issues.
"What he's trying to do -- trying to speak to the base, they're trying to lock down as many left-leaning voters as early as possible. I think we've been very specific about what to do to grow the economy. If you listened to Gov. Romney's speech, he listed five very specific points of things we have to do," Kanavas said.
In response to Biden's visit to Green Bay, the Republican Party of Wisconsin issued the following statement: "As the state of Wisconsin is about to eclipse 200 days since the last visit from President Obama, we gladly welcome Vice President Biden and his gaffe-a-minute responses to the challenges facing the Badger State.
The Obama campaign machine opines on the 'sugar high' of Congressman Paul Ryan being added to the Republican ticket this fall, yet are clearly frightened about losing our 10 electoral votes by sending in surrogates who have nothing of substance to talk about and run from their record as if it were the plague.
For 43 months the people of this great nation have faced an unemployment rate above 8 percent, we have seen our national debt skyrocket to $16 trillion and this administration has only one answer: spend more money and raise our taxes.
It is time to retire the 44th president of the United States and bring forth a time of true economic reform with the Romney/Ryan ticket on November 6."
The Romney/Ryan campaign issued the following statement in response to Biden's appearance in Green Bay: "Vice President Biden today offered no solutions to our country’s problems, just false attacks and failed policy proposals that have led the country in the wrong direction. The fact is Americans are not better off today than they were four years ago, something even the President’s own surrogates concede. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan’s economic plan will bring relief to the middle class and ensure that the next four years are better than the last.”
While in Green Bay, Biden visited Kroll's West Restaurant across from Lambeau Field. The restaurant is known for its butterburgers and chili.
Biden greeted patrons at the restaurant, including a group celebrating friends' wedding. Biden stayed at the restaurant for about 15 minutes, taking pictures and chatting with diners.
Biden asked for a prediction of Sunday's Green Bay Packers' game from a young boy.
Biden ordered a well-done burger and thanked the kitchen crew. He also added his signature to the Kroll's West "Signature Wall," joining other Packers' greats, including Bart Starr.