Biden Talks Veterans During Campaign Stop
Former Vice-President and 2020 Presidential Candidate Joe Biden spoke inside the Musco Technology Center on Monday. (photo by Ginger Allsup/Oskaloosa News)
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Former Vice-President and 2020 Presidential Candidate Joe Biden made a Veterans Day stop in Oskaloosa on Monday.
The campus of William Penn University played host to the candidate, as it did with Senator Bernie Sanders earlier in the year.
Biden was late, as he said, due to a snowstorm between Iowa and New Hampshire. “I apologize for keeping you waiting.”
Biden took some time to think back on his son, Beau’s military service, and the bronze star that he earned, and telling those in attendance that it was supposed to be Beau running for president this year, not him.
Biden then focused on the veterans saying, “to be with people on Veterans Day and reflect on the sacrifices that and the courage of those who served our nation is one of the great honors of serving in public office.”
Biden spoke of the 1% of the US population that has served. “I think we owe them not only our thanks and our gratitude, we most importantly owe them a future with security and dignity because they’ve earned it.
Biden then addressed issues he’s concerned about for American veterans, such as burn pits that were used to dispose of excess materials, and how the toxins of those burn pits impacted those serving.
He also spoke about the importance of keeping the VA as a place for veterans to get medical care. “If I’m elected your president, it starts by protecting the VA and restoring the trust in it. The VA has to be the premier provider of a veteran’s services, and their well being. Here’s why. The VA has more specialized knowledge about the kinds of health problems that veterans have from needing a prosthesis to mental and physical concerns that are, in fact, unique to having served in the military.”
Biden took questions from the audience, which started with a local veteran asking Biden if it would be ok to shake the hand of the next President of the United States. After that handshake, the veteran gave Biden a salute, which he returned.
Questions from the public ranged from prescription costs to staffing shortages at the VA.
Biden is in second place in Iowa, behind Mayor Pete Buttigieg, yet tied with Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
Biden was due at a CNN town hall in Grinnell later that evening.
