Former VP criticizes president, without naming him, at Cordray rally


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By DAVID SKOLNICK

and JORDYN GRZELEWSKI

news@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Without mentioning Donald Trump by name, former Vice President Joe Biden sharply criticized the Republican president for his rhetoric he says is adversely impacting the nation.

“Values are being shredded by an administration that puts their own interests before the ideas that we stand for,” Biden, a Democrat, said Monday during a rally at Youngstown State University for Rich Cordray, the Democratic nominee for governor.

He spoke of the recent violence that has struck the nation.

“This it the time for American leaders of all political stripes, all of them, to think about consoling the victims and uniting this country,” Biden said.

He added: “You get it. Words matter, and words from our leaders matter.”

Biden said, “This Republican Party is not your father’s Republican Party, man. It’s a different bunch of dudes. They know better than to give this guy [Trump] the coverage they’re giving him.”

Biden called for unity.

“Our political opponents are not our enemies,” he said. “The press is not the enemy of the people. Before we are Democrats or Republicans or independents, it sounds corny, but before that, we are Americans. I know sometimes these days there’s anger, hate, viciousness. It seems like they’re going to overwhelm us, and it’s on our leaders to set the tone and dial down the temperature and restore some dignity to our national dialogue.”

Biden said people “have the power to change the tone in our day-to-day lives, the way we treat each other, the way we talk to each other, the way we hopefully no longer dismiss each other.”

The former vice president said he has hope the country will get better.

“I am an optimist,” he said. “I’m an optimist because I know the history of the journey of this country. ... We have always had faith in the ability of ordinary people to do extraordinary things.”

About 500 people attended Monday’s event. He later headlined a private fundraiser for Cordray at The Lake Club in Poland.

Regarding Cordray, Biden said, “What you see is what you get because Rich has character, and, boy, do we need more people in public life with character.”

Cordray served as director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau after being nominated by then-President Barack Obama. Biden was his vice president.

Biden said Cordray “was known as the sheriff of Wall Street” and did an excellent job protecting consumers in the job.

Cordray, a former state treasurer and attorney general, said, “Ohio faces its own problems. When Betty Sutton [his lieutenant governor running mate] and I travel the state, people tell us how they feel left out and left behind. They don’t think their voices are being heard or respected in Columbus, and they don’t see anybody fighting for them. And they’re right.”

Cordray talked about Biden’s son, Beau, who died of cancer in 2015. He noted he and Beau both served as state attorneys general at the same time – Cordray for Ohio and Biden for Delaware.

“We shared the bond of public service, and I was heartsick to lose him when we did, so much sooner than we should have,” Cordray said.

Cordray also spoke about Joe Biden, describing him as a fighter for working-class people.

“Some of those fights are not over. They’re not over by a long shot,” he said, noting that he supports health care coverage for people with pre-

existing conditions.

Cordray is facing Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, a Republican, in the general election.

Cordray said DeWine “has spent millions of dollars on negative ads trying to make you indifferent” and will continue to do so.

Before the rally, Mark Munroe, the Mahoning County Republican Party chairman, said DeWine’s “impressive background” in elected office makes him the best candidate.

“I don’t think there’s anyone in Ohio’s history that is better prepared to be Ohio’s governor than Mike DeWine,” Munroe said.

Margaret Chiarella, 65, of Warren caught the attention of reporters and other rally attendees with her “Women Against Trump” sign.

Other women gathered around her and cheered in support of that sentiment.

Chiarella said her vote this year is all about voting against Trump and his politics.

She said she is against “the denigration of women. The violence at our schools. ... The white supremacy movement that’s taken hold. Trump’s leadership nonabilities – he has no leadership ability, and he doesn’t know how to be a compassionate person.”

She also urged people to get out and vote.

“Everybody needs to get out early, and young people need to get out to vote. ... This is their future,” she said.

Attending the event together were 18-year-old YSU students and first-time voters Gina Pirolozzi and Kiara Walker.

Both said many of their friends plan to vote in this election, too.

As for why they’re voting Democrat, Walker said: “I’m just more of a Democrat. I feel strongly for LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] issues, and Trump said he’s all for that, but no. Just no.”

Another YSU student at the rally, Kelly Baer, 18, said she feels it is her responsibility as an American to vote.

Baer, who also plans to vote Democrat, said a top issue for her is gun-law reform.

Noting the anger and divisiveness in political discourse, she said, “To vote would help to solve some of those problems.”