Biden labels McCain 'Bush 44'
Posted: Monday, September 15, 2008 2:04 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Joe Biden
From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli
ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. -- In his first major speech since accepting the vice presidential nomination in August, Biden said that the McCain he once knew has been replaced by a new McCain, one who should really be called “Bush 44.”
“Folks, we’ve seen this movie before,” Biden said, reminding voters what George Bush had promised reform and a new tone in Washington as a candidate, but failed to deliver. “And we know, the sequel is always worse than the original.”
VIDEO: Sen. Joe Biden says Sen. John McCain's economic plan would provide additional tax breaks for the rich and the oil industry while hurting the middle class.Speaking here in Macomb County, referred to as the heart of
Reagan Democratic terrain, Biden focused primarily on the economy, pouncing especially on McCain saying again today that he fundamentals of the economy remain strong.
“That’s what John said,” Biden assured a booing crowd. “He says that, ‘We’ve made great progress economically’ in the Bush years. Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, I could walk from here to Lansing, and I wouldn’t run into a single person who thought our economy was doing well -- unless I ran into John McCain.”
Biden also referred to McCain once saying he did not understand the economy as well as he should, and he said McCain proved it by seeking advice from the likes of Phil Gramm and others, who have "cocooned" him from what middle-class Americans really face today.
"Remember, John’s the guy who when asked define the middle class said below $5 million in income," he said.
The speech was the first of two so-called framing speeches, in which Biden would use his longstanding friendship with McCain as ammo to remind voters of his true positions.
“I promise you, there is simply no daylight between John McCain and George Bush -- at least none that I’ve been able to discern,” he said. “Don’t take my word for it, look John McCain’s record. Ninety percent of the time, John has voted with George Bush.”
He specifically pointed to his support for privatizing Social Security, to opposing an investigation of Hurricane Katrina, and to a health-care plan that would tax the benefits Americans receive from their employers.
And although Biden said he remains McCain’s friend, he said he’s most disappointed with how he’s running his campaign today, one that he said distracts voters from the real issues -- just as voters need to make a serious decision. He said it’s reminiscent of the attacks McCain faced himself in 2000, but that he’s now employing some of the same people who executed them.
“What really bothers me is that every punch that’s thrown at us -- it’s an attempt to distract you, to distract the American people from the very important issues that face this country,” he said. “It’s disappointing to me, it’s disappointing to me literally to think that the guy I knew, John McCain really does approve this message, as he says at the end of every one of these things.”
Biden closed by offering in brief some of the Obama-Biden ticket’s plans, which he said are based on the idea that this generation should leave the nation in a better place than it found.
“This is what we mean when we talk about change. This is the change we need,” he said. “And yes, this campaign is about change. But it’s even about more than that. It’s about what we value as a people. It’s not just about jobs; it’s about dignity. It’s not just about a paycheck; it’s about pride. It’s not just about opportunity; it’s about respect.”
What Biden did not make much mention of was Palin. He did invoke her name, however, in referring an attack line she has used to attack the Democratic ticket, saying all senators do is vote. He countered by recalling many of McCain’s votes, against the crime bill, against funding of renewable energy, and against education benefits for National Guardsmen.
“All I can say is, to Sarah Palin, thank god John McCain’s votes didn’t count in the majority on all of those issues,” he said.
The McCain campaign responded by calling Biden’s comments “ridiculous” and “not credible,” and said the Democrats’ economic plan “raises taxes, kill jobs, increases spending.”
“It’s salesmanship not leadership for Barack Obama and his running mate to tell families in Michigan that they have plans to aid the middle class when they recently both voted in favor of higher taxes,” said McCain spokesman Ben Porritt.
