VP Biden Stumps In Delco For Congressional Hopeful Lentz
WAYNE, Pa. (CBS) -- Democrats in Delaware County, Pa. brought in a Washington, DC power hitter on Wednesday to campaign for Congressional candidate Bryan Lentz, who is locked in a hotly contested race with Republican Pat Meehan.
At the same time, local Democratic leaders in Radnor Township are now calling Republican members of the township school board hypocrites for forcing a relocation of the planned rally.
Vice President Joe Biden made a passionate plea to the audience of about 300 people, telling them Lentz will protect and defend the middle class. He said that failed Republican policies put this country into a recession, and it's the Democrats who will continue to dig us out of the hole.
Biden spotted four-year-old Abby Anderson on her father's shoulders in the middle of the crowd (right) and said it's all about her future:
"Look at that beautiful child and ask yourself the question, what's her future going to be like if we don't continue to turn this country around? What's her future going to be like if we continue the policies that existed before?"
Biden told the crowd that reports of the death of the Democratic party are exaggerated, and not to give in to predictions of widespread Democratic losses next Tuesday.
Meanwhile, shortly before the rally, Radnor Democratic Committee chairman George Badey said it was bad enough that the Republican-led school board had rejected VP Biden's scheduled visit to the township high school:
"I'm outraged by this."
What's worse, he says, is that two years ago the board was much more accomodating to Republican State Representative Bill Adolph:
"He came to Radnor Middle School the week before Election Day in 2008 and had a forum for all the children. And it was a good thing for the kids to see that. But I think it would be a thrill that the kids would remember their whole lives if the vice president of the US came to their school and these petty Republicans said, 'No, no, no, you're not welcome here in our school.' How dare they do that."
Radnor School District spoksewoman Lisa Williamson maintains that a visit by the vice president has far more moving parts:
"The logistics just started getting out of control and a little more than we were able to deal with."
When asked if there was any political pressure from Republicans, Williamsons replied, "That's above my pay grade."
Reported by Brad Segall and Paul Kurtz, KYW Newsradio.
