| VP Biden Goes Off Script Again, Or Did He? |
| Aug-14-2012 |
| Keywords: biden, chains, virginia, |
Vice President Biden is at it again, today telling supporters in the southern state of Virginia that Republicans want to put "ya'll back in chains."
The distasteful comment was made by Biden during a campaign stop in Danville, Va., and was meant to be a swipe at Romney's plans to ease regulations on banks if he wins the 2012 presidential elections.
"He said in the first 100 days, he's going to let the big banks once again write their own rules," Biden said. "Unchain Wall Street! They're gonna put y'all back in chains."
Biden's comments drew criticism from the Romney camp, which characterized his choice of phrasing as "new low" in the presidential race.
While no one can read the VP's mind, is choice to slip into a southern drawl and reference to chains is being viewed as many as a reference to slavery. Danville, aside from being the last capital of the Confederacy, is racially split -- the city is nearly half black and half white, which was reflected in the makeup of the Biden's audience.
Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul fired back at Biden after the event, without accusing Biden of any racial reference.
"After weeks of slanderous and baseless accusations leveled against Governor Romney, the Obama campaign has reached a new low," she said. "The comments made by the vice president of the United States are not acceptable in our political discourse and demonstrate yet again that the Obama campaign will say and do anything to win this election. President Obama should tell the American people whether he agrees with Joe Biden's comments."
The Obama campaign, though, likened the language Biden used to language used repeatedly by GOP officials.
"For months, Speaker Boehner, Congressman Ryan and other Republicans have called for the 'unshackling' of the private sector from regulations that protect Americans from risky financial deals and other reckless behavior that crashed our economy," Stephanie Cutter, deputy campaign manager, said in a statement. "Since then, the vice president has often used a similar metaphor to describe the need to 'unshackle' the middle class."
Biden didn't limit his attacks to the nation's finances Tuesday.
He continued to jab Romney for only releasing two years of tax returns, again noting the practice of providing more information that was started by Romney's father during his presidential bid.
"This is not your father's Republican Party. ... This is not even Mitt Romney's father's Republican Party."
Biden also said Romney's plan to repeal the health care overhaul would take the country back to a time when being a woman is a "pre-existing condition." |
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Posted by Lou Dobbs Staff at 7:00 PM Email to a friend |
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