`Fired up' Biden discusses strategy with Senate Democrats
WASHINGTON (AP) — A “fired up” Joe Biden joined Senate Democrats for a conference call lunch Thursday, telling allies that he is taking nothing for granted in the race for the White House and the down-ballot effort to wrest the Senate's majority control from Republicans.
The 30-minute event was a homecoming of sorts for the former Delaware senator, now his party's presidential nominee. Yet it took place at a grave moment, with the COVID-19 crisis and economic distress hanging over an election like no other. Biden fielded questions, particularly from senators facing reelection, about his strategy win back the chamber and defeat President Donald Trump.
“You could tell he’s really fired up and he’s working hard and is going to be be out there and be much as he possibly can,” said Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, who is seeking for a new term.
Biden is on offense this week over the president's handling of the coronavirus crisis. He planned to be near Scranton, Pennsylvania, his boyhood hometown, later Thursday for a CNN town hall, following Trump’s on ABC this week. The appearances have been considered tuneups before the three presidential debates; the first is Sept. 29.
As Trump prepared for an evening rally in Wisconsin, Biden seized on the president openly contradicting the nation's top health officials to claim a vaccine would be ready as early as next month, just before the Nov. 3 election.
“Mark my words — if I’m president, I’ll always level with the American people, and I’ll always tell the truth,” Biden said in a statement.
On the private call, Biden did not take on Trump directly, but outlined what's at stake.
“He just said, ‘You know what we’re up against. You know why this is so important,’” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., a...