Posted on 09/06/2008 1:48:05 PM PDT by Chet 99
Posted on Sat, Sep. 6, 2008
Biden gets mixed welcome in Northeast Local Dem leaders say race is issue for many voters
By DAVE DAVIES Philadelphia Daily News
daviesd@phillynews.com 215-854-2595 DEMOCRATIC vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden went stumping for votes yesterday in Northeast Philadelphia, where Democrats need to earn the love of Democrats who voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama in the April primary.
He worked a diner, gave a rousing speech on bread-and-butter issues at a union hall, and reeled off a memorable line tying the Republican candidate to the unpopular team in the White House.
"My friend John McCain and George Bush are joined at the hip," Biden said. "And we need a hip replacement very, very badly."
So how is the ticket doing with the Northeast's white working and middle-class voters?
Mike McAleer, the veteran Democratic ward leader of the 66th ward in the far Northeast, said Obama and Biden haven't closed the deal yet.
"The Dunkin' Donut crowd tells me that we've got everything going for us but Obama," McAleer said. "They can't give me a direct answer. Do I have them right now in the 66th ward? No. But I got 60 days to get them."
Asked what the problem is with Obama, McAleer paused and said: "It's his color . . . I tell them he's half white and half black. He's got a better perspective for everything in this country."
Joe Dougherty, business manager for Ironworkers Local 401, which hosted Biden's morning event, also said race is an issue for many Democrats.
"I hear it in the neighborhood, and I hear it in the union," Dougherty said. "But I remind them (Obama's) mother was white. He sees all sides, and he could be just what we need to bring this country together."
Biden talked to the crowd of about 200 senior citizens and union members about lower taxes, trade agreements that protect American jobs, and ending what he called the Republicans' "war on unions."
Later, Biden and Gov. Rendell worked the lunchtime crowd at The Dining Car, a neighborhood spot on Frankford Avenue.
Biden smiled, laughed, shook hands and sometimes hugged diners or slid into booths next to them. Sometimes he felt the love coming back, and sometimes he didn't.
Charles Daukas said he'd vote for the Obama-Biden team.
"Put it this way, if Hillary was running I would have really went hard for it," Daukas said. "But I'm a Democrat."
In a corner booth, Biden sat down and, after a moment's conversation, planted a kiss on the forehead of Carolyn Bauer, age 89. Bauer explained afterward it wasn't such a friendly encounter.
"I told him I'm not going to vote for him," Bauer said. "Anybody who runs with a guy with a name like that is not going to get my vote. It'd be disgusting to get a man named Barack Obama as president of the United States. No way. I mean it . . . I'm going to vote for McCain and the lady."
"[Obama's] a Muslim," Bauer added. "He pretends to be a Christian, and he isn't, he's a Muslim."
Obama has attended Christian churches for years, and his children are baptized.
After his stops in Northeast Philadelphia, Biden attended a rally in Langhorne. *
I can’t wait to hear Obama explain to those autoworkers losing their jobs about the nice Toyota Prius he has in his garage.
Wow, the bit about his race stunned me. And these are supposed to be the all-inclusive Democrats??
I’m with you, it’s all about his core beliefs. I could give a rip about the color of his skin or sex.
That’s Crazy Joe Biden.
It was the Jim Beam talking.
Oh, Michelle, please - TMI. Wear a longer skirt or don’t cross your legs.
"I hear it in the neighborhood, and I hear it in the union," Dougherty said. "But I remind them (Obama's) mother was white. He sees all sides, and he could be just what we need to bring this country together."
"I told him I'm not going to vote for him," Bauer said. "Anybody who runs with a guy with a name like that is not going to get my vote. It'd be disgusting to get a man named Barack Obama as president of the United States. No way. I mean it . . . I'm going to vote for McCain and the lady."
"[Obama's] a Muslim," Bauer added. "He pretends to be a Christian, and he isn't, he's a Muslim."
----------------------------
Live by the sword, die by the sword, Barry Baby. If your folks are going to go out and say that your race is important, and somehow it makes you a better choice, some other folks are going to go out and say that your race is important, and somehow it makes you a worse choice.
But, before you complain, remember who it is who keeps bringing up race all the time...
To my mind, both arguments are irrelevant. The reason I am not going to vote for Barack Obama is that his color, politically speaking, is Pink-O and tending to Red.
Get your ass kicked on 13th an Wolf sometime for a couple of bucks. Have an old woman beaten to death with an umbrella stand a block away for her Social Security money. I think Dinesh D'Souza called it rational discrimination.
I liked the way he played nearly a whole deck of race cards in two sentences.
Oops,I meant fourscore and SEVEN years ago!
Where’s an editor when you need one?
If Osama can’t win Pennsylvania, it is all over. I see McCain/Palin getting close to 400 electoral votes.
"[Obama's] a Muslim," Bauer added. "He pretends to be a Christian, and he isn't, he's a Muslim."
Do you mean the old woman who said those words to joe biden? I would prefer that Carolyn be given something more like a medal.
HOLY SMOKES! This speaks VOLUMES!! I thought it was only us pubs knowing that.
She’s almost in Britney Spears country there!
Barack should put a burqa on her!!
“There are Republicans and Democrats who will vote against him because of his race.”
I don’t agree. The Republicans for McCain % are really no different than the usual Republican percentages for a Republican candidate.
I know the city, New York City to be exact. I grew up there. My Father and Uncles were tradesmen in New York. I also know Boston well since I live in Ct. Bussing didn’t go over there too well at all. IOW’s I know the why’s and wherefores.
My Grandma is 89 and a life-long democrat.
On more than one occasion she has said, “you Republicans,” to me.
She is terrified of barry obama.
With both conventions now over, who are you voting for?
McCain-Palin
85%
Obama-Biden
11%
Won’t Vote
5%
votes: 2982
The headline is misleading.....it wasn’t really a “ixed” reception, was it?
That’s OK, there’s a place in the world for idealists too.
What a MAROON!!
When someone is saying they do not want to vote for a candidate and they cite the reason as being because the candidate is black, claiming the candidates mother was white is NOT the way to change their mind. Trust me on this.
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