I have enormous respect for Sen. Biden. I shared a diary about an Acela trip I took with him at this site when he was first selected by Sen. Obama as the Vice Presidential Candidate.
Diary of my Acela Ride with Sen. Biden.
I also know he can be an extremely effective, personal and wide ranging speaker. While this week has been an unmitigated disaster for many of my clients, I have taken a little time to keep up with how his tour of Ohio was being received.
Extremely well. Joe Biden is drawing crowds ranging from a few hundred, to over 4500. He is giving multiple stumps and interviews every day. And his speeches are hitting brilliant core points.
Jobs, Energy, Need for Financial Regulation, SE Asian Nuclear Proliferation, Russian Policy. High Speed Rail. And a loud, strong promise to get out of Iraq NOW. Below is an update and links.
According to local accounts Sen. Biden is drawing sizable crowds, and changing the minds of the voters many assume are McCain supporters in Ohio.
On Wednesday Morning he drew over 1500 to a speech in Maumee Ohio, according to an account in the Toledo Blade. (Props to fellow Kossacks for link and data added here)
Toledo Coverage of Biden's 9AM Rally...
Toledo/Maumee has seen a very hard few years with job losses and a good deal of local conflict over statements by local politicians about Iraq. Sen. Biden pounds the issue promising to end the war.
Sen. Biden new Account, Maumee Ohio.
On Wednesday Evening he drew 4500 for a speech in Wooster Ohio.
4500 Attend Sen. Biden Speech in Wooster Ohio
There is an excellent YouTube Video posted of this speech. Sen. Biden asks the Audience to focus on a series of issues and then simply asks them if they can imagine Sen. McCain making these issues better. He then explains with some very pointed specifics how Sen. Obama and he would do so if given the vote.
YouTube Link to Sen. Biden Speech in Wooster Ohio
In this speech, about the 10 minute mark, Sen. Biden again talks about infrastructure and High Speed Rail. He contracts the MagLev and Bullet Trains in China that go faster than 200mph, and asks the serious question of whether the US or China is the 2nd World Nation. It's good. It's meaty. It's an issue. It's a serious concern. Sen. Biden adds a lot of thoughts to his speech about Education
Thursday Biden drew over 2500 at a speech at the Football Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio.
The Akron Beacon Journal front paged a respectable article on the visit.
Biden draws 2500 to Speech at FootBall Hall of Fame
I found this link to a great Video of Biden's speech at Hall of Fame and talked about his love the Philadelphia Eagles and has a great line about Gayle Sayers. Who he quotes giving credit to his linemen. He also hits his experience playing Catholic School Football as a kid. It's good. Great speech. Totally connects to the crowd... including when he got knocked out cold and as he came to...
I heard my father saying: "Joey! Joey...If nothing's broken son...GET UP. GET UP."
Sen. Biden then gave a Labor Rally Speech in front of 400 Union Workers. Interesting to not the AP reports it as a "small private event" the Beacon Journal said 200 invited Labor Leaders, a friend I called who attended said they were supposed to be only 200 tickets, but that everyone there brought at least one friend and it was an SRO event. He counted and said it was over 400 Labor leaders. He said it was a Great Speech. He hammers the GOP for destroying the middle class, labor unions and he makes it clear the GOP wants to destroy the NLRB and completely destroy the ability to regulate and restrain big business. He also adds on the real reasons the GOP hates Amtrak is the Rail Road Workers are well paid Union Labor. This is a great speech. Sen. Biden even adds a great story about how much he likes Sen. McCain as a person, and talks about how much he respects Sen. McCain, and then uses this knowledge to SHRED SEN. MCCAIN with a full throated, bark-stripping, red-meat indictment of him. He leaves no doubt among the Catholic Labor Crowd...many of whom have supported GOP in the past...that McCain is incapable of solving the problems facing the nation.
My friend who attended...a die hard D...said when he went for beers after the speech four guys who had voted Bush TWICE before both swore to him they were behind Biden 100% and would vote for Obama/Biden. This matters folks. Sen. Biden hits these people where they live. See the speech below.
Link to YouTube - LABOR RALLY SPEECH - Akron Ohio
In any case. Sen. Biden is not flashy. He is not new. But at numerous events in 7 cities across Ohio in three days he gave targeted, effective and interesting speeches. Gave interviews to local press. Ended up with the Democratic Message and local impact on the front of dozens of papers...in Ohio.
Meanwhile...The VP coverage by the MSM seems to have revolved around Ms. Palin's impact on Titanium Eyeglass Sales (Made in Japan, not the US) those hoping to exterminate wolves (In the US, not Japan), the "eat more moose stew" crowd (which I had never realized was a constituency until now), or those await Jesus to return via his star-gate (they seem to believe Ms. Palin is somehow part of the plan to unlock the Star-Gate in the "Sanctuary State of Alaska") And of course Ms. Palin's growing efforts to obstruct justice, avoid oversite, lie about her actions, and protect cronies from justice.
I wasn't sure about Sen. Obama. But I remain a deep admirer of Sen. Biden. And while he may not be getting the national exposure desired by some on this site. He is doing amazing, targeted work. His work is hitting the sliver of votes needed to be move GOP leaning conservative D's and disgruntled ethnic moderates in the GOP into the Dem Column. And he takes questions.