Biden talks up Democrats’ issues and Nunn candidacy
Like a man on the campaign trail, Vice President Joe Biden kissed a waitress, talked health care with voters and raised election money during his quick Tuesday visit across Atlanta.
Biden spent his five hours in the city promoting key items of President Barack Obama’s national agenda — the minimum wage, health coverage and early childhood education — while also dipping into Georgia politics.
When Biden wasn’t busy handing out stuffed animals to children or dropping in at a restaurant, he raised money for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Michelle Nunn.
He brought in cash for Nunn during a private lunch Tuesday at a Buckhead home. The 11,760-square-foot home’s owner, attorney Nancy Field, has given thousands of dollars to Obama, the Democratic Party and Democratic congressional candidates.
Nunn is running for the Senate opening created by the pending retirement of U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. Nunn would face the winner of a crowded field of Republicans in this fall’s elections.
While Biden’s presence in Atlanta boosted the visibility and finances of Nunn’s campaign, national Republicans said his trip linked Nunn more closely to Obama.
“After months of lying low and ducking the issues, Democrat Michelle Nunn has finally shown where her true allegiance lies: with the Obama administration and its liberal agenda,” said Michael Short, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee.
Nunn’s campaign didn’t return a phone call seeking comment, and Biden didn’t speak about the fundraiser.
During one of Biden’s other stops, he dropped in on a Cobb County small business, BG Ad Group Inc., to thank company President Darien Southerland for supporting Obama’s efforts to raise the minimum wage. Southerland wrote a letter to Obama and increased his employees’ pay to at least $10.10 an hour, the amount Obama asked Congress to raise the minimum wage to during his State of the Union address.
“With leadership and help from guys like you, we’re going to break through,” Biden told Southerland.
Southerland gave Biden a football, and Biden signed his name on the wall of the business.
Later in the day, Biden discussed the nation’s health care overhaul with six people affected by it at Mary Mac’s Tea Room in Midtown.
He said he wanted to hear from people directly affected by the law, saying about 100,000 Georgians had signed up.
“That’s pretty darn good,” Biden said. “Insurance is a complicated thing.”
Biden started his day with children ages 3 and 4 at the East Lake Early Learning Academy at the East Lake Family YMCA, following up on the president’s visit to the area last year to seek expanded pre-kindergarten education nationwide.
He said early education gives children an advantage as they build their vocabularies.
Biden praised Republican governors for early childhood education efforts in their states, and he said he hoped other members of their party would support early childhood education.
“I think some of our Republican colleagues would come around,” he said. “I’m hoping this is the beginning.”
Biden met privately with Nunn’s father, former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, before joining a classroom of children who were playing with shapes, animals and puzzles.
From a cardboard box, Biden pulled out stuffed animal puppies that he handed out to the delighted children.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
