Biden Stumps for Clinton With Emotional Speech in Pennsylvania Hometown
Vice President Joe Biden brought his folksy charm to Scranton, Pennsylvania, to personally appeal to his hometown on behalf of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Speaking of his many experiences in “the valley,” the vice president shared the lessons he learned from his family and the people of Scranton. He even became choked up and wiped a tear away early in the largely impromptu speech.
“All over the world, I’m referred to as the guy from Scranton because in this valley there is a value set,” he said. “It’s because in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre and the valley, you really do treat people by their worth.”
He used these lessons to reflect on his determination to have women seen as equals in an America with limitless potential — a determination matched by Clinton and Democratic Senate Candidate Katy McGinty.
Biden also referenced his controversial declaration that he wished he were in high school, so that he could take Donald Trump “behind the gym.” This comment came after the release of the Access Hollywood tape, in which Trump made lewd comments about groping women.
“I’m a lawyer, I chose my words carefully. That wasn’t assault. I said, ‘If we were in high school,’” he said to laughs from the crowd.
Biden set out an optimistic view for America’s future and used this as a means to criticize the Republican Party as well as Trump, questioning their message that Americans should fear the future.
“We are America, and we will own the finish line of the 21st century,” Biden said near the end of his speech, after referring to his cancer moonshot and energy initiative.
Biden is expected to make additional stops in support of Clinton during this final campaign push and will appear in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, later in the day.