Vice President Joe Biden reprised his many roles -- Middle Class Joe, Obama Defender Joe, America First Joe -- in a fiery takedown of Donald Trump and full-throated support of Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention.
"Everybody knows she's smart. Everybody knows she's tough. But I know what she's passionate about," Biden said in a testament to Obamacare's staying power. "Hillary understands that for years millions of people went to bed staring at the ceiling thinking, 'Oh, my god, what do I do if I get breast cancer? What do I do if I get a heart attack? What would we do then?' "
As for the historic precedence of electing a woman president, Biden said: "We all understand what it'll mean for our daughters and granddaughters when Hillary Clinton walks into the Oval Office as president of the United States of America. It will change their lives."
The crowd inside the Wells Fargo Center roared often through Biden's speech, chanting "Joe, Joe, Joe" and "USA, USA, USA."
As for Trump, the usually mild-mannered Biden minced no words.
"His cynicism is unbound. His lack of empathy and compassion can be summed up in the phrase he's most proud of and made famous: 'You're fired.' Think about that. ... He's trying to tell us he cares about the middle class. Give me a break. That's a bunch of malarkey."
Biden added: "I mean this from the bottom of my heart. I know I'm called Middle Class Joe -- and in Washington that's not a compliment. But I know why we're strong. I know why we've held together. I know why we're united. Because we've always had a growing middle class. This guy (Trump) doesn't have a clue about the middle class. Not a clue."
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