Biden: 'America is better off' after first Obama term

In Charlotte, Democrats are poised to insist that their economic vision is better for America than that outlined by Mitt Romney; they insist the country is better off than it was four years ago. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.

 

DETROIT -- Amid a GOP-driven effort asking whether Americans are better off than they were four years ago, Vice President Joe Biden emphatically declared that "America is better off" now than at the end of the Bush administration.

"Folks, let me say something to you, say it to the press," Biden said at the conclusion of his remarks at a Labor Day rally here in the Motor City. "America is better off today than they left us when they left!"

The question, a staple of elections in which an incumbent is seeking re-election, has developed into a small media imbroglio since surrogates for President Barack Obama appeared hesitant this weekend to give a positive answer.

Democratic Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley answered that question with a "no"; Obama advisers David Axelrod and David Plouffe offered nuanced responses but not a flat "yes."

Republicans pounced in the meanwhile, and the GOP held a press conference today in Charlotte, the site of the Democratic National Convention, to push that very question.

Biden's statement makes him the highest-ranking Obama surrogate to weigh in on the back and forth. 

Repeating his frequent "bumper sticker" mantra, Biden said in Detroit: "If you want to know whether we're better off, I got a bumper sticker for you: Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive!"

Romney spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said in response: "Today, Vice President Biden claimed that Americans are better off than they were four years ago, directly contradicting what President Obama and his campaign surrogates have said. The truth is that the middle class has been crushed in the Obama economy."

Biden, who spoke to several hundred supporters at the AFL-CIO-sponsored event, focused heavily on labor issues in his remarks and blasted Romney for opposing the Obama-backed bailout of the auto industry.

"Folks, you can't say you're going to create jobs in the United States of America when you were willing to let 1m jobs go under by the liquidation of the automobile plants he suggested," Biden said.

He also went after Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, repeating a line first debuted yesterday in Pennsylvania to attack the Wisconsin congressman's Medicare plans.

"We're talking about making sure to protect Medicare. They're talking about creating an entire new system, 'Vouchercare,'" he said, warning "if they win, people are in trouble."

 

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Biden is a vapid, inane moron; and DumbO has accomplished nothing to warrant verbalizing that WE are better off almost 4 years after is election.

It is high time that Hussein took the responsibility for the mess we are in... useless bugger with even more useless peeps surrounding him.

  • 10 votes
Reply#26 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 5:44 PM EDT

There are some minor upticks, however these are despite Obama. Many of the upticks are expected cyclical behavior. Unemployment is down because people have either fallen off the rolls (the majority of the decline) and/or have taken jobs that do not pay a living wage. Obama's first four years are as @!$%#ty as Bush's eight years and if the Black Bush is re-elected expect Obama to do just as bad of a job as his predecessor. We will continue to see Obama give away this country to the illegals that he loves so much as he is guilty of aiding and abetting these criminals within his own family.

  • 1 vote
Reply#27 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 5:47 PM EDT

Everybody says yes the stock market is up. Well I got some bad news to tell ya Obummer sheeple. The reason is is because they are printing money like its going out of style. The dollar is getting weaker. And if predicted the stock market bubble is going to burst just like the housing market did. The 16 trillion dollar debt they say if Obummer gets re-elected will be 20 trillion by 2016. Thus of course raising inflation and the lending rate is expected to go thru the roof. You ain't seen NOTHING yet! Better get all your ducks in order! Very soon! And yes Biden is a puppet.

  • 3 votes
Reply#28 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 5:50 PM EDT

Right Joe, pass me som tat Kool aid and Jack.

  • 2 votes
Reply#29 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 5:52 PM EDT

Obama has done more than any other President before him. He has an impressive list of
accomplishments: First President to apply for college aid as a foreign student,
then deny he was a foreigner. First President to have a social security number
from a state he has never lived in. First President to preside over a cut to the
credit-rating of the United States.
First President to violate the War Powers Act. First
President to be held in contempt of court for illegally obstructing oil drilling
in the Gulf of Mexico. First President to require
all Americans to purchase a product from a third party. First President to spend
a trillion dollars on 'shovel-ready' jobs when no such thing as 'shovel-ready'
job sexisted. First President to abrogate bankruptcy law to turn
over control of companies to his union supporters. First President to by-pass
Congress and implement the Dream Act through executive fiat. First President to
order a secret amnesty program that stopped the deportation of illegal
immigrants across the U.S. including those with
criminal convictions. First President to tell a CEO of a major
corporation (Chrysler) to resign. First President to terminate
America 's ability to put a man in space. First
President to cancel the National Day of Prayer and to say that
America is no longer a Christian nation. First
President to have a law signed by an auto-pen without being present. First
President to arbitrarily declare an existing law unconstitutional and refuse to
enforce it. First President to threaten insurance companies if they publicly
spoke-out on the reasons for their rate increases. First President to tell a
major manufacturing company in which state it is allowed to locate a factory.
First President to file lawsuits against the states he swore an oath to protect
(AZ, WI, OH, IN). First President to withdraw an existing coal
permit that had been properly issued years ago. First President to actively try
to bankrupt an American industry (coal). First President to fire
an inspector general of Ameri-Corps for catching one of his friends in a
corruption case. First President to appoint 45 czars to replace elected
officials in his office. First President to surround himself with radical left
wing anarchists. First President to golf 73 separate times in his first two and
a half years in office, 104 to date. First President to hide his medical,
educational and travel records. First President to win a Nobel Peace Prize for
doing NOTHING to earn it. First President to go on multiple global “apology
tours” and concurrent “insult our friends” tours. First President to go on 17
lavish vacations, including date nights and Wednesday evening White House
parties for his friends paid for by the taxpayer. First President to have 22
personal servants (taxpayer funded) for his wife. First President to keep a dog
trainer on retainer for $102,000 a year at taxpayer expense. First President to
repeat the Holy Quran & tell us the early morning call of the Azan (Islamic
call to worship) is the most beautiful sound on earth. First President to tell
the military men and women that they should pay for their own private insurance
because they “volunteered to go to war and knew the consequences.” Then he was
the First President to tell the members of the military that THEY were
UNPATRIOTIC for balking at the last suggestion. First President to side with a
foreign nation over one of the American 50 states (Mexico vs.
Arizona).

  • 2 votes
Reply#30 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:04 PM EDT

Where th @!$%# do U gret yur INFO? So sorry, U R so MISinformed. Tap

    #30.1 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:12 PM EDT
    Reply

    Obama has done more than any other President before him. He has an impressive list of accomplishments: First President to apply for college aid as a foreign student, then deny he was a foreigner. First President to have a social security number from a state he has never lived in. First President to preside over a cut to the credit-rating of the United States. First President to violate the War Powers Act. First President to be held in contempt of court for illegally obstructing oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. First President to require all Americans to purchase a product from a third party. First President to spend a trillion dollars on 'shovel-ready' jobs when no such thing as 'shovel-ready' job sexisted. First President to abrogate bankruptcy law to turn over control of companies to his union supporters. First President to by-pass Congress and implement the Dream Act through executive fiat. First President to order a secret amnesty program that stopped the deportation of illegal immigrants across the U.S. including those with criminal convictions. First President to tell a CEO of a major corporation (Chrysler) to resign. First President to terminate America 's ability to put a man in space. First President to cancel the National Day of Prayer and to say that America is no longer a Christian nation. First President to have a law signed by an auto-pen without being present. First President to arbitrarily declare an existing law unconstitutional and refuse to enforce it. First President to threaten insurance companies if they publicly spoke-out on the reasons for their rate increases. First President to tell a major manufacturing company in which state it is allowed to locate a factory. First President to file lawsuits against the states he swore an oath to protect (AZ, WI, OH, IN). First President to withdraw an existing coal permit that had been properly issued years ago. First President to actively try to bankrupt an American industry (coal). First President to fire an inspector general of Ameri-Corps for catching one of his friends in a corruption case. First President to appoint 45 czars to replace elected officials in his office. First President to surround himself with radical left wing anarchists. First President to golf 73 separate times in his first two and a half years in office, 104 to date. First President to hide his medical, educational and travel records. First President to win a Nobel Peace Prize for doing NOTHING to earn it. First President to go on multiple global "apology tours" and concurrent "insult our friends" tours. First President to go on 17 lavish vacations, including date nights and Wednesday evening White House parties for his friends paid for by the taxpayer. First President to have 22 personal servants (taxpayer funded) for his wife. First President to keep a dog trainer on retainer for $102,000 a year at taxpayer expense. First President to repeat the Holy Quran & tell us the early morning call of the Azan (Islamic call to worship) is the most beautiful sound on earth. First President to tell the military men and women that they should pay for their own private insurance because they "volunteered to go to war and knew the consequences." Then he was the First President to tell the members of the military that THEY were UNPATRIOTIC for balking at the last suggestion. First President to side with a foreign nation over one of the American 50 states (Mexico vs. Arizona).

      Reply#31 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:08 PM EDT

      Proof that Biden is insane - the stimulus bill had to pass according to Barry to prevent unemployment from going above 8% - thoise were his very words - hey Joe unemployment hasn't been BELOW 8% since - whover the idiot was that comment it was 10% when Bush was in office better go check his facts - factor the debt into the equation and we are WAY worse off today than 4 years ago and the US as we know may not be able to make it thru another 4 years with the idiots in the current adim staying in office - time for Barry and all those acedemia people who never worked in the public sector to take a hike.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#32 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:08 PM EDT

      WHAT ARE U USELESS @!$%#S SAYING? WE WERE AS CLOSE TO THE 2ND DEPRESSION IN 2008 as we HAD IN 1929, but you are to stup[id} NEVER learned to read. Stock Market 6800 in Baba Bush's days, NOW ,over 13,000!!!! Shut the f2ck UP!

        Reply#33 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:08 PM EDT

        Bobby Boy - your ignorance speaks volumes!

        • 1 vote
        #33.1 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:16 PM EDT

        And how much did you have in the stock market?

          #33.2 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:16 PM EDT
          Reply

          Republicans have a complex inferiority.

          • 3 votes
          Reply#34 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:10 PM EDT

          The right coarse WAS to let the big 2 go bankrupt!!! they still would have survived!!!! The U.S. gov't bailed out the UNIONS and now the U.S. OWNS most of Government Motors { GM } Socialism at it's best

          • 1 vote
          Reply#35 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:15 PM EDT

          Biden keep talking, you just continue to look like the dumba s s you are. You may actually be worse than you boss.

          God where is Jimmy Carter when we need him.

          • 1 vote
          Reply#36 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:17 PM EDT

          The Republicans have a treasure trove of ammo if they would just use it. A kindergarter could run a better campaign: he's not a citizen, his school records hide his status as a foreign exchange student and a plant, his father was a known communist as were everyone he grew up with, his associates and his pastor Jerimiah Wright is an American hater as he and Michelle both are, he is a muslim and will serve their purpose first, his job is to weaken and destroy America and he is well on his way. WAKE UP AMERICA; you are so dumbed down by the indoctrination of our schools you can't see the dangers. Stop with partisan crap and put America first.

          • 2 votes
          Reply#37 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:20 PM EDT

          RIGHT on syndy!

          • 1 vote
          #37.1 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:25 PM EDT

          Yeah Syndy, the Muslims are threatening to take over America. Sure. Go back to your padded room. Your hour of exercise is over.

          • 1 vote
          #37.2 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:32 PM EDT

          Hey sindy the Witch from Wasilla already tried that and she got sent her walking papers handed to her.

          • 1 vote
          #37.3 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 7:01 PM EDT
          Reply

          And this from a President who says [ I traveled the 56 states, but uh I think there was 2 I didn't get to Ah YOU KNOW AH ALASKA AND HAWAII ] You go Dumbocrats.....

            Reply#38 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:22 PM EDT

            There are 57 states, principalities, and territories including the DC. Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands. But you knew that, right?

            • 1 vote
            #38.1 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:30 PM EDT

            So which is it? states,principalities or territories? but your boy clearly said STATES, but you new that right?

              #38.2 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:34 PM EDT

              You need to read the FULL transcript of what he said. And then you need some new material.

              • 2 votes
              #38.3 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:37 PM EDT

              Hey football he has been the President for four years since he said that I think if it truly was a "sign" of something sinister as you imply we would know by now. By the way you remind me of a name of the outgoing Senior Senator from Indiana, Dick Lugar. It may be better to turn your attention toward the GOP if you want to uncover some Anti-American activities: You may well remember, during a time of two Wars overseas and while our brave men and women in uniform are dying for our country back home on inauguration night 2009 the GOP cowards who call themselves leaders chose as their party's official strategy to thwart our Nation's recovery and to subvert our President during a time of war for that they should be tried for treason. Anyone who supports the traitors who during a time of war while our brave men and women are over seas fighting for our Nation the GOP cowards were plotting to stab the Nation in the back and that is exactly what they did. The republicans have stabbed the Nation right in the back during a time of war. There should be calls for an independent Special Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute these traitors. Never before in our Nation's history have people gotten away with this behavior and they should be allowed to get away with it now.

              • 2 votes
              #38.4 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 7:03 PM EDT
              Reply

              LET'S SEE A SHOW OF HANDS..........How many are ready to watch the three stooges:

              Sandra Fluke, Jimmy Carter and Joe Biden?

                Reply#39 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:25 PM EDT

                As opposed to Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann and Herman Cain? Yeah, I'll go with the Dems...

                • 4 votes
                #39.1 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:28 PM EDT
                Reply

                The GoP continue to have amnesia. Absolutely nothing happened before Jan. 2009. We had no debt, no wars in the Middle East, and we absolutely needed to put two rounds of tax cuts for the rich on the credit card. Now, they want to go back to those "golden days" when the economy crashed and people are still feeling the effects. Romney would be Bush's third term. Never ever again...

                • 3 votes
                Reply#40 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:27 PM EDT

                well put SacredFire.

                • 1 vote
                #40.1 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 7:24 PM EDT
                Reply

                Are we supposed to believe Joe Lyin' Biden? He said we will be "back in chains" under the GOP ....

                Gee Joe, we ARE in chains now! GET REAL!!!

                • 1 vote
                Reply#41 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:30 PM EDT

                Remember Dick Cheney? Yeah you probably don't. Hope you're an American citizen.

                • 1 vote
                #41.1 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:33 PM EDT

                last time I checked he was not a traitor from the middle east.

                  #41.2 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 11:35 PM EDT
                  Reply

                  Of corse Biden said we are better off because he really wouldn't know about US the AMERICAN PEOPLE. All he knows is that HE is better off even with his stupid remarks when he makes them. Just keep your fingers crossed & everyone VOTES both of them OUT.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#42 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:32 PM EDT

                  Also, for Pigotry and you other left wing cheerleaders for Barry. It was NOT the failed policies of Bush but ratehr a Democrat controlled Congress the last 2 years that FROZE up and did everythign possible to shut the republican efforts [icluding Bush] down from 2006-2008.

                  Put that in your jackass pipe and smoke it, you lemings! Dodd, Reid & Frank are MORE to blame than Bush.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#43 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:33 PM EDT

                  Yeah, just keep telling that to yourself and you'll feel better. Are you going to blame 9/11 on the Dems too? And the two wars and tax cuts on the credit card? And TARP? Yeah, sure pal you're making sense.

                  • 2 votes
                  #43.1 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:36 PM EDT
                  Reply

                  Sorry Joe, we are all not lining our pockets like you.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#44 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:35 PM EDT

                  This is not about being better off than four years ago, but about being far worse off four years from now if Mutt wins! That is, unless you're wealthy, in which case you'll always be better off with four years of compounded, tax-advantaged gains.

                  • 2 votes
                  Reply#45 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:37 PM EDT

                  Im sorry but Biden makes me laugh. JOE! Did you really say that! "America is better off today than they left us when they left!" for God's sake someone proof read his speaches! And if it was off the Cuff Joe then stop it.

                  That was awful.

                  The truth is we are better off then we were 4 years ago. 4 years ago this country was heading for the depths of Hell and no return. Failing Banks, Failing infrustructure, Auto industry collapse, a ton of things caused by 8 years of Republican rule.

                  They screw it up and the Dems have to fix it. Happened when Clinton came into power after Republican rule.

                  Clinton leaves with a surplus and Bush destroy's it and the country in 8 short years.

                  The question should not be "Are you better off after 4 years of Obama" But "Would America still be here if Republicans had won?"

                  If the Republicans had defeted Obama 4 years ago, you still would be in Iraq. You still would be searching for Osama, The Auto and Banking industry would have collapsed and there would be no work as America would be in the worst depression it had ever seen.

                  No support from Republicans as they would cut all medical and Welfare and unemployment while giving Big Oil and Business and the wealthy Tax cuts they don't need.

                  You would be in soup lines. Or waiting for Government Cheese like under Regan.

                  Regan made a mess and it continued with Bush 1 and it wasn't till Clinton that the U.S. was able to climb out of the funk.

                  Along comes Bush 2 and in the crapper again but 8 years really hurt.

                  It has taken Obama 4 years to get us this far. $ more years we are better off as a nation.

                  History repeats itself and if Romney gets in. Forget about it.

                  • 3 votes
                  Reply#46 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:56 PM EDT

                  Ryan supported all the decisions that trashed the economy in 2008 and onward. He has a lot of nerve asking if people are better off four years into the debacle. On top of that, he has been in the forefront of blocking recovery, threatening the safety net for the poor, attempting to neuter entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, and heaping more and more benefits on the richest Americans.

                  • Asking us if we are better off sounds like a snotty, out-of-touch taunt from a perpetrator of economic mayhem and new attacks.
                  • 2 votes
                  Reply#47 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:56 PM EDT

                  Yes, he is right we'all could be in chains. This guy needs a new job.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#48 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:57 PM EDT

                  The Nation is better and my family is better now than four years ago without question. We have paid off all our credit cards and vehicles since then and, therefore, we don't have as much overall household debt and we refinanced at historic lows reducing our mortgage interest significantly! Our household income has increased in four years. We are happier that the wars are over/ending. We are satisfied with the security of the Nation under President Obama and we believe that the Nation is better situated to defend itself now that we are not stretched so thin militarily and financially as we were in 2007. The US Dollar is stronger today than it was anytime under the GOP tax break for the rich economic plan back then. My family's home appraised for $34,000 more than we paid for it when we refinanced recently and this value was assessed after a thorough appraisal which in and of itself is an improvement to our overall economic security that the refinance was based on an actual appraisal, instead of the rubber stamp appraisals up until 2008 under the "deregulation" economic plan of the GOP. Bin Laden has been laid low and there have been attacks on the terrorist that have decimated their existence. The Nation has not suffered any foreign terrorist attacks under President Obama's stewardship as Commander-in-Chief and unlike the previous administration that collectively could not understand or comprehend a memo that actually was titled: "Bin Laden To Attack US With Air Liners." And the idiots who couldn't put that one together are the very same idiots advising rom;ney right now and the very same proven losers who, if rom;ney wins, will be the Cabinet of the United States of America and they will lie our Nation back into more wars just like they did before. Don't kid yourself for a minute nto believing John Bol;ton and Dan Sen;or don't think it is a legitimate strategy for the US to lie, just like the past GOP administration lied us into two wars and the current GOP ticket this year with lyin' ry;an and rom;ney lying every time they open their mouths and the RNC based exclusively on lies.

                  • 3 votes
                  Reply#49 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 6:58 PM EDT

                  Dumb and Dumber are better off maybe but obama your welfare momma and biden are on the way out and should not let the white house door hit them in the arse on the way out. Put your tennis shoes on, get on your mark set go, get the hell out you couple of idiots, better off now than when they took office, wow I thought those 2 idiots were anti marijuana, turns out they smoke a ton

                  • 2 votes
                  Reply#50 - Mon Sep 3, 2012 7:04 PM EDT
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