BIDEN LIVE | Joe Biden has hit the Canfield Fair

Vice President Joe Biden visited the Canfield Fairgrounds this afternoon, talking with firefighters and safety officials at the center of the fairgrounds.

As he made his way toward the Mahoning County Democratic Party tent, he paused to speak with 8-year-old Dylan Greenwood of Struthers, who has a large cast ion his left leg.

Dylan had broken his leg playing football and Biden offered him some words of encouragement. The vice president shook his hand and that of his dad, Ray Greenwood of Struthers.

Biden and former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, Congressman Tim Ryan and county Democratic Party Chairman David Betras visited vendors, including Kevin Snyder of Youngstown, who posed with the vice president at the stand where he was working, Ribeye and Steak.

Earlier, Biden completed his 22-minute speech at the UAW Local 1714 union hall in front of about 250 supporters.

Biden used the mid-day opportunity at Lordstown to take aim at comments from this week's Republican convention.

“You heard Congressman Ryan on Wednesday night, blame the closing of a GM plant in his hometown of Janesville on the President," Biden said.

“Congressman Ryan was right about one thing. It was devastating for the community and those people. But what he didn’t tell you was that plant in Janesville actually closed while President Bush was still in office.

“And what they didn’t say is, but for the sacrifices you all made, and the courage of the President of the United States, all those GM plants would have closed," he said.

He left the stage to the tune of "How Ya Like Me Now."

Prior to his arrival, the crowd heard from U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, former Gov. Ted Strickland and union president David Green.

"They're crazy," Strickland said. "They lie. Their strategy for winning the big election is to tell the big lie."

Vietnam War veteran James Kaster, who was UAW Local 1714 president for seven years, led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.

"When Obama bailed out the auto industry, he saved my pension," Kaster said. "I'm impressed with the positive outlook at the plant for the president."

Meanwhile, Lordstown Mayor Arno Hill, a Republican, is at the UAW Local 1714 hall for the Biden rally even though he supports Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

"I am showing respect for the office of vice president," Hill said. "How can the mayor ignore the vice president when he is in my town? If there was a little more civility, the world would be a better place.

"But I think it is going to get nasty," he added.