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Joe Biden & Michelle Obama Vow to Support Women
August 26, 2008 6:14 PM
ABC News' Matthew Jaffe reports: At an economic roundtable in Denver today, Michelle Obama and her husband's veep nominee, Joe Biden, outlined how an Obama administration would help resolve the struggles of working women, from universal health care to the appointment of Supreme Court justices.
In her introduction of the senator, Obama highlighted Biden's every man roots and family man devotion, as she welcomed him onto a stage with nine women, including Govs. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Janet Napolitano of Arizona.
"Both Barack and Joe grew up in families that, at times, struggled at times, to make ends meet," said Obama. "Barack, as you know, was raised by a young single mother who put herself through school while trying to raise Barack and his sister. Money was often so tight that sometimes they had to resort to food stamps. And Joe's parents raised four children on one salary in Scranton, Pa. And every night for the 35 years that he's been a senator in the United States, Joe takes the Amtrak train from Washington back to Wilmington to be with his family. This is a man who knows first-hand how hard it can be to balance work and family."
Obama touted her husband's fight for equal pay for women and Biden's work to combat domestic violence against women.
Upon taking the stage himself, Biden described the "very strong women" in his life, singling out three of them in particular: his daughter Ashley, his wife Jill, and his sister Valerie.
Perhaps because he caught some flak for joking on Saturday that his wife's PhD is "a problem," Biden today struck a more serious tone.
"I think you can tell the comfort a man has with women and whether or not he gets it or not by the women, if the women around him are strong," he said.
As he has done since the moment Obama ended her speech last night, the senator continued to give her remarks rave reviews.
"I heard last night the most remarkable speech I have heard in my entire career. You know, I’m not engaging in hyperbole, there are eloquent speeches and Michelle’s speech was eloquent. I mean this sincerely. There are speeches that are profound in the things that they say and what they communicate, and hers did. But the mark of a truly incredible speech is when it’s able to change the perception of a nation about not only an individual, but a circumstance. That’s what was so profound about Michelle’s speech last night."
The Democratic number two man went on to tout what the Obama administration would do to help the plights of working women, such as providing universal health care.
"What is the greater obligation of the country?" Biden asked. "To give some very, very wealthy people, who are good people, an additional $100 billion in tax cuts, or provide health care for every American, solve every story you've heard up here?"
He also emphasized how vital this election would be for the Supreme Court, with as many as three justices to be appointed during the next administration.
"Ladies and gentlemen, other than ending the war in Iraq, the single most significant thing that Barack Obama will do, and I hope I’ll be able to help him, will be to determine who the next members of the Supreme Court are going to be."
"It's not merely a woman's right to choose which is at stake," he continued. "It's whether or not you're gonna be able to have a fair shot at a fair wage, it's whether or not you're going to be able to demand that you are treated equally in every aspect of your life; it is literally, literally, literally at stake, so please help us, please help us, the country needs Barack Obama as president."
Throughout the event, Biden drew on some of his personal experiences to connect with the women. He told Abby Dart, a widow, about when he lost his first wife and daughter in a car wreck during his first year in the Senate. And he also referenced his bout with two brain aneurysms in 1988, joking that it's bad publicity for a doctor if a senator dies on their operating table.
August 26, 2008 in Biden, Joe, Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (75)
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I believe in Biden.
Michelle? The angry and mean woman? Not a chance.
Posted by: fact check | Aug 26, 2008 6:28:33 PM
If I have to hear this "woe-is-me" story about Obama being raised by a single mother, blah, blah, I will scream! What a liar, this Michele, how dare she claim that, when there are true struggling families out there! The Obamas will use anyone and anything to get what they want!
Let's get this straight: Obama's mother married an oil executive and moved to Indonesia. Got that? Oil executive....ie...rich. Obama then came back to Hawaii, to be raised by rich grandparents, and went to the most exclusive school in Hawaii.
everybody knows this by now, so the fact that she tells bold faced lies is both daring and stupid. What is wrong with her? And what is wrong with the people who still believe her?
obama had a privleged life, he is an elitist, and completely out of touch with the common man and woman.
It's the facts; search the truth.
Posted by: decentAmerican | Aug 26, 2008 6:33:18 PM
LOVE HILLARY, LIKE BIDEN, HATE THE OBAMAS FOR WHITE HOUSE....BOZO JUST NOT WRIGHT FOR THE JOB
Posted by: DLM | Aug 26, 2008 6:36:42 PM
So Biden and Barak came from families who had to struggle, are they promising that if they are elected no one will ever have to struggle? Look at how the struggles of the Bidens and Obamas have paid off for them.
Ups and downs are part of life and anyone promising otherwise is simply not being truthful.
Posted by: david | Aug 26, 2008 6:38:23 PM
WORDS JUST WORDS. THE HEAVENS WILL OPEN, THE MESSIAH WILL APPEAR, AND WHAMMO, WE'LL HAVE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE, EQUAL PAY, AND WOMEN WILL BE FOREVER UPLIFTED.
SPARE THE RHETORIC FOR SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVES THIS NONSENSE.
THEY'RE REALLY CLINGING TO THOSE SKIRTS B/C THEY ARE LOSING THIS RACE.
AND I'M A REGISTERED DEM, HE'LL NEVER GET MY VOTE.
NO HILLARY, NO VOTE.
HILLARY 2012
Posted by: nobama | Aug 26, 2008 6:38:34 PM
Michelle is not an angry or mean woman. She is a strong and compassionate woman. Her family is the most important priority in her life. She loves her husband and children. She is intelligent and beautiful. If you want angry and mean you can find it in the McCain family.
Posted by: jennie | Aug 26, 2008 6:39:16 PM
dear i am respect every one you are my friend but when I find out you turn around play around all my Kids allover the World that Danger that all my Kids get Hurt I lost all my life no place to live next a minute lost my wonder full wife rest my life i never find again I will die for all my Kids care and want them have good Future then they can handle own they country
Please dont take money from my Kids I dont even have 1 dollars But I never bring on let allmy KIds lost Blance
I respect them
Posted by: Mua V Nguyen | Aug 26, 2008 6:39:40 PM
When did class warfare become part of the process for rich political candidates?
When did struggling parents become a prerequisite? What a load.
HILLARY SUPPORTER FOR McCAIN!
Posted by: DLM | Aug 26, 2008 6:40:15 PM
decentAmerican..there you go again spouting out complete lies. You, my friend, are an idiot.
Posted by: jennie | Aug 26, 2008 6:40:33 PM
jennie....what pray tell makes Michelle so compassionate.
Has she travelled around the world for charities (Operation Smile) and given more than 1% of their income to charities aside from Trinity church? McCains have given millions over the years and done more in any one year than Obamas in their lifetime...as they should.
Posted by: DLM | Aug 26, 2008 6:44:02 PM
Michelle is not an angry or mean woman. She is a strong and compassionate woman.
Posted by: jennie | Aug 26, 2008
---
Oh, yeah? If she is not angry, she would have not said that American is a darn mean country. If she is not mean, she would have not said she had not been proud of her country in her adult life.
It's strong alright, strongly mean and angry, but not compassionate.
Posted by: fact check | Aug 26, 2008 6:47:28 PM
DLM...I didn't realize that you have to travel around the world to be compasionate. Haven't you ever heard the saying "Charity begins at home"? Michelle Obama made the decision to stay and help the people in the neighborhood she grew up in. She worked for the non-profit group "Project Allies" to help young people. She also founded a service organization at University of Chicago to help the people in the south side of Chicago. The money her and Barack have is the money they earned themselves. They donate more money to charity than most Americans. They have only recently paid off their school loans. Cindy McCain was born into a wealthy family. She's not donating money she earned. She's donating Daddy's money.
Posted by: jennie | Aug 26, 2008 6:56:28 PM
factcheck...she said people in politics are mean. All the smart Republicans must be off tonight.
Posted by: jennie | Aug 26, 2008 7:01:09 PM
jennie,
Two Harvard lawyers gave only $1050 combined charity donations, to their Trinity Church, until the phony was planning on a run for the pres.
How compassionate are they to their beloved "neighborhood she grew up in?"
Action is more persuasive than "words".
Posted by: fact check | Aug 26, 2008 7:03:16 PM
jennie,
Talks check "charity". U Chicago hospital invested in Michelle, immediately after her husband went to the US Senate, by promoting her to be a VP, and increasing her salary by 260% to > $315,000 per year. In return, 0-bama earmarked a cool $1M for the hospital, $1M your money, for which the hospital had a nice return of 513% return in profit.
It's not sure what you'd call this deal.
Posted by: fact check | Aug 26, 2008 7:08:21 PM
Obama had a scholarship to Punahou as far as I know. The right wing nuts are so busy digging up dirt it is pathetic. I got an email from Gigrich today that said Obama voted to kill babies. Day before yesterday I got a hate Muslims, hate Obama poster. For Gods sake people, isn't it possible to find some better ground or should we all start talking about incest among white supremicists and Republicans who have had affairs, abortions or used birth control? This trash talk is no way to give a future to our children. We demean the very concepts upon which our country is based. If ups and downs are a part of life, why do we hear about the Hanoi Hilton 24/7? Because ups and downs and how you handle them matter. Give it a rest - everyone has their history and the hatred we see against Obama seems to come mostly from people who are jealous of anyone elses experience because they haven't come to love their own upbringing. At ease, guys. Look in a mirror. Love yourselves and stop being so creepy. Go Obama.
Posted by: bubbahunk08 | Aug 26, 2008 7:08:41 PM
jennie -- how DARE you call me a liar, when you have nothing to support your claims! What part of what i said was a lie? Did Obama's mother not marry an oil executive? Did they not live in Indonesia? Did Obama not attend the most exclusive school in Hawaii?
Where it the lie? I find it horrific and low that Obama supporters will try to twist anything negative against their messiah.
As for Michele, she came from a middle class background. She was on the board of U of Chicago hosptials, making 6 figures for a part time job, while the hospital made hundreds of millions, and many in her husband's district went without healthcare.
Would you like to call that a lie too? Check the facts, it's true.
As for Cindy McCain, her father barely finsihed high school, went to SERVE HIS COUNTRY in the war, and came back, and built his business from scratch. True American dream. ARe you saying that his children should not partake of their father's success? They didn't win the money, they earned it. Why is that bad?
This is all true, and I dare you to dispute it. The fact that your love for Obama is so obsessive that you obscure the truth, makes you the real idiot.
For goodness sakes, what is happening to America?
Posted by: decentAmerican | Aug 26, 2008 7:08:51 PM
Why do McCain supporters like to engage in lies and smears against Obama? Nobody is buying them.
Posted by: keith | Aug 26, 2008 7:09:53 PM
Indicate the "lie" Keith, and then show proof that it is, or else you have no credibility.
it is not a "smear" if it is true.
Posted by: decentAmerican | Aug 26, 2008 7:12:20 PM
The Hospital Michelle works for --
Sen. Barack Obama's wife and three close advisers (one of them is Axlerod) have been involved with a program at the University of Chicago Medical Center that steers patients who don't have private insurance -- primarily poor, black people -- to other health care facilities.
This is known as patient dumping --
Posted by: Gracie | Aug 26, 2008 7:14:47 PM
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