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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden told a shivering crowd in Ocala on Tuesday that he would devote every waking hour to solving two objectives: restore the middle class and reclaim America's respect in the world.

Despite cold weather, about 3,500 supporters gathered at the Dancing Horses Farm as Biden announced his ticket's platform and their ideas to accomplish them.

"The first way to accomplish reclaiming respect is to end the war in Iraq," he said.

For the middle class, Biden said he and Democratic presidential cadidate Sen. Barack Obama would create 121,000 new high-paying jobs in the state of Florida.

"When the American middle class is doing well, the rich do fine and the poor do better," Biden said.

Florida House Rep. Chuck Chestnut, who attended the rally, said the nation needs a change that helps the middle class. He said he believes Obama and Biden can carry out that change.

"Joe Biden is the man," Chestnut said. "His experience as a senator definitely helps Obama's ticket."

Although Ocala is known for being conservative, crowds at the rally held blue Obama-Biden signs high and chanted "Yes we can" before Biden took the stage.

In his speech, Biden also discussed the recent national flood of foreclosures.

A lot of parents today have to tell their children that their lives are going to change because they have lost the house they live in, he said.

He said the Democrats plan to stop all foreclosures in the U.S. for a three-month period.

Another priority in the Democrat's platform is making health care available and affordable for all American citizens.

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Heather Moore, a Webster, Fla., resident who attended the rally, said health care is one of her top priorities. Moore, who is a cancer survivor, said she owed about $11,500 in medical expenses, despite having insurance. She said if she were voting solely on the health care issue, she would vote Democrat.

Moore wore a homemade "Heather the Flight Attendant" T-shirt, a reference to Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, better known as "Joe the Plumber," who stepped on the political scene when he asked Obama about small business taxes.

As he began wrapping up his speech, Biden said he questioned whether the country could take four years of failed policies that he implied would come with a win by Republicans Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin.

"Our problems are too big, and our politics have been too small for too long," Biden said.

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