Biden: Midterms are 'a battle for the soul of America'
MONTCLAIR, N.J. — Joe Biden, calling the midterm elections "a battle for the soul of America," said Wednesday that electing a Democratic Congress would give more Republicans the courage to speak out against what he called the degradation of the nation’s values under the Trump administration.
"I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired of what’s going on in this country today," Biden said at a campaign rally for Mikie Sherrill, a Democratic House candidate. "This is not who we are. We are a generous people, we are an honorable people, we are an inclusive people. That’s who we are."
Biden noted that as a young senator more than four decades ago, he saw as Republican senators like Barry Goldwater helped push Richard Nixon to ultimately resign during the Watergate scandal. But too many in the GOP are silent today, afraid of the backlash that would inevitably come if they spoke out about what they believed was wrong.
"The consequence of gerrymandering and unlimited campaign contributions has cowered them into remaining silent," he said. "You’ve got to give these Republicans who know better — and most of them do — the courage to stand up. Now, if they stand up, if they stand up they’re fearful they may be alone and isolated. But we get enough of a critical mass in the United States Congress I promise you you’re going to see an awful lot of decent Republicans I know screwing up the courage."
His remarks also included sharp attacks on the GOP on policy, warning that they would seek to gut Social Security under the guise of cutting the deficit despite having just enacted tax cuts for the wealthy. And he pushed for a focus on the middle class, understanding the genuine fear many Americans have about their ability to make ends meet.
"They’re not deplorables, they’re simple people, they’re people I grew up with. They’re not stupid. They understand we’re in the midst of a fundamental industrial change," he said. ""t’s legitimate for them to be scared. But the answer is, we’ve got to speak to them. It’s not enough to point out how dangerous this administration’s philosophy is. What are we as Democrats going to do?"