Biden Talks Fire Fighters at AFL-CIO Meeting

March 5, 2009 – Vice President Joe Biden spoke March 5 to the AFL-CIO Executive Council Annual Meeting in Miami Beach, Florida. Below are excerpts from Biden’s speech.

"Many of you actually went out on the trail with me. Many of you actually traveled around. I had -- Randi Weingarten was with me in North Carolina -- I understand she can't be here today. Harold Schaitberger and Cecil Roberts... Thanks for the support..."

"And along the way, I met Patrick Hosey, who is an electrical contractor in Fort Myers, Florida; and Marie Williamson, a laid-off autoworker in St. Louis, Missouri; Captain Tony Dalesio, a fire fighter in Parma -- you got a hell of a loyal constituency -- but in Parma, Ohio; or Juanita Sneed, a member of the UFCW from Pekin, Indiana. I mean, these are -- I met people all along the road, all along the road. Not just you guys and women being willing to come with me on the plane, but they came. They just didn't -- they just weren't there for the event, John, they wanted to -- they came, hey followed us to the next event. And it was enthusiasm; it was real..."

"Some of you guys were in there when the Middle Class Task Force was announced. I got a little ribbing when I stood up and said -- and it wasn't planned, I just looked at you and then it hit me -- I said, welcome back to the White House. Well, let me tell you something; I think, John, you've been back every week -- I hope. You've been with me a lot. Other labor leaders, as well, have been with me. Harold and I spent some time together in my office. Harold kept saying, "I don't want to take any more of your time." I said, "Sit down, for god's sake, I need your time." He kept being polite. You ought to know by now, you don't have to be polite with me, Harold, or any of the rest of you. He sat there with me, and we talked about some real problems. We spent some time. We came up with a game plan."

"And, Harold, and you know this, no one ever says cops without adding fire fighters anymore, okay. I just want you to get that straight. I got the message, all right?..."

"And where has been the focus on our recovery package, the one the president now calls me the sheriff of? (Laughter.) Man. (Laughter.) Well, I guess it's easier to watch and help spend out $788 billion than trying to raise it, you know? But, look, guys, and ladies, look at the focus -- what's been the focus? The focus of this administration the first month has been to rebuild American roads, bridges, waterways -- jobs for the building trades union. (Applause.) Investing and getting more people access to broadband -- communication workers. (Applause.) Creating clean energy economy -- jobs that require electrical workers to modernize the grid, steel workers to go out and build the wind turbines, laborers to install the solar panels. Making our communities safer, jobs that require getting cops on the beat and keeping fire fighters in firehouses. That's what we're trying to do." (Applause.)

Transcript of Biden's Speech to AFL-CIO Executive Council (Delaware News Journal)

Let’s Dance, Biden Tells Labor (The New York Times)