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Joe Biden: middle class has been 'buried' during Obama's presidency Joe Biden: middle class has been 'buried' during Obama's presidency
(6 months later)
Vice-president Joe Biden has given Mitt Romney an unexpected gift on the eve of the first presidential debate: telling supporters at a campaign rally that the the middle class had been "buried" during Barack Obama's presidency.Vice-president Joe Biden has given Mitt Romney an unexpected gift on the eve of the first presidential debate: telling supporters at a campaign rally that the the middle class had been "buried" during Barack Obama's presidency.
In a speech to supporters in Charlotte, North Carolina, Biden criticised Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan's tax plan, asking: "How can they justify raising taxes on the middle class that has been buried the last four years?"In a speech to supporters in Charlotte, North Carolina, Biden criticised Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan's tax plan, asking: "How can they justify raising taxes on the middle class that has been buried the last four years?"
The remarks were immediately seized upon by Romney's campaign team, who said Biden's remarks were a "stunning admission". Biden was forced to try and row back from his comments, telling a crowd in Asheville, North Carolina, that the "middle class was buried by the policies that Romney and Ryan have supported".The remarks were immediately seized upon by Romney's campaign team, who said Biden's remarks were a "stunning admission". Biden was forced to try and row back from his comments, telling a crowd in Asheville, North Carolina, that the "middle class was buried by the policies that Romney and Ryan have supported".
Biden was attempting to use his speech in Charlotte to attack Ryan ahead of the vice-presidential debate next week. Biden linked Ryan to Romney's leaked comments about the supposed dependency of 47% of Americans and said Republicans would increase taxes on most Americans to fund tax cuts for the wealthy.Biden was attempting to use his speech in Charlotte to attack Ryan ahead of the vice-presidential debate next week. Biden linked Ryan to Romney's leaked comments about the supposed dependency of 47% of Americans and said Republicans would increase taxes on most Americans to fund tax cuts for the wealthy.
"This is deadly earnest. How they can justify raising taxes on the middle class that has been buried the last four years? How in the Lord's name can they justify raising their taxes and these tax cuts?" he said."This is deadly earnest. How they can justify raising taxes on the middle class that has been buried the last four years? How in the Lord's name can they justify raising their taxes and these tax cuts?" he said.
The Romney campaign was swiftly into action. "Vice-president Biden made a stunning admission today and we couldn't agree more: the middle class has been 'buried' under the last four years of this president's policies," said spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg.The Romney campaign was swiftly into action. "Vice-president Biden made a stunning admission today and we couldn't agree more: the middle class has been 'buried' under the last four years of this president's policies," said spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg.
"Under President Obama, the middle class has suffered from crushing unemployment, rising prices and falling incomes.""Under President Obama, the middle class has suffered from crushing unemployment, rising prices and falling incomes."
Mitt Romney's twitter feed posted: "Agree with @JoeBiden, the middle class has been buried the last 4 years, which is why we need a change in November."Mitt Romney's twitter feed posted: "Agree with @JoeBiden, the middle class has been buried the last 4 years, which is why we need a change in November."
Democrats defended Biden's comments however, with spokeswoman Lis Smith criticising "another desperate and out-of-context attack from the Romney campaign".Democrats defended Biden's comments however, with spokeswoman Lis Smith criticising "another desperate and out-of-context attack from the Romney campaign".
"As the vice-president has been saying all year and again in his remarks today, the middle class was punished by the failed Bush policies that crashed our economy – and a vote for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan is a return to those failed policies.""As the vice-president has been saying all year and again in his remarks today, the middle class was punished by the failed Bush policies that crashed our economy – and a vote for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan is a return to those failed policies."
Still, Biden was careful not to repeat the "last four years" line at his next stop on Tuesday. "The middle class was buried by the policies that Romney and Ryan have supported," he told the crowd in Asheville, North Carolina, according to the Washington Post.Still, Biden was careful not to repeat the "last four years" line at his next stop on Tuesday. "The middle class was buried by the policies that Romney and Ryan have supported," he told the crowd in Asheville, North Carolina, according to the Washington Post.
It is not the first time Biden has been criticised for comments made at the stump. In August he told a crowd in Danville, Virginia, that Romney's plans to loosen bank deregulation would harm ordinary people. "They're going to put y'all back in chains," he added.It is not the first time Biden has been criticised for comments made at the stump. In August he told a crowd in Danville, Virginia, that Romney's plans to loosen bank deregulation would harm ordinary people. "They're going to put y'all back in chains," he added.
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