Biden urges on Nebraska Democrats as underdogs in his return to the political stage in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. -- OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Joe Biden dilatory but steadily walked onto the signifier successful Omaha connected Friday. As helium did, 800 radical successful the downtown Hilton ballroom roseate to their feet cheering.

“Did you spot the results Tuesday?” helium asked, igniting different circular of cheers arsenic helium listed Democratic victories from governorships successful New Jersey and Virginia to the mayoral spot successful New York to a redistricting determination successful California.

It was a joyful instrumentality to the governmental signifier for the erstwhile president, whose party's effort to stay successful the White House was rejected conscionable implicit a twelvemonth ago. Biden called for a governmental comeback, though not for himself, but to an assemblage bare for a fight.

“You cognize what it feels similar to beryllium outnumbered,” helium told Democrats successful Nebraska, wherever Republicans person carried the authorities successful each statesmanlike predetermination since 1968. “But each election, you enactment up the gait signs and you marque your voices heard. The state needs you badly."

It was the benignant of pep speech that sells successful a spot wherever Democrats suffer statewide but person staged winning races for the Omaha area's 2nd District electoral vote, elected a Democratic politician for the archetypal clip since 2009 and consciousness energized astir capturing the 2nd District spot successful 2026.

Biden heaped connected the encouragement, but returned repeatedly to his presumption of his lone term's precocious points, curbing COVID-19 and opening the economical betterment from the epidemic.

He didn't interaction the difficulties helium had past year, nor the twelvemonth of statement Democrats person engaged successful implicit however they mislaid the presidency to Republican Donald Trump.

In the summertime of 2024, Biden waited much than 3 weeks from his disastrous statement show successful June with Trump, prompting panic among Democrats, earlier announcing successful July helium would not question different term, and past endorsing then-Vice President Kamala Harris arsenic his successor connected the ticket.

Harris had written successful a publication published successful September that she and others successful Biden's orbit should person been much assertive successful encouraging him to see stepping speech sooner.

The closest Biden came to acknowledging the hard determination was an oblique joke.

“I person the dubious distinction. I'm the youngest ever antheral elected to the U.S. Senate and I'm the oldest damn president,” helium playfully rued.

Although Biden's transportation was quiescent but upbeat, helium astatine times garbled his words and was sometimes truthful quiescent helium was inaudible from the amplified podium. Yet helium would travel charging backmost with fiery attacks connected the Trump medication and calls for action.

“What we person to bash is repair our faults, and that's what we began to bash connected Tuesday,” helium shouted.

Tuesday's victories, a boon to Democrats crossed the country, were a timely assistance for Biden.

But helium besides benefited from an ambiance of respect.

Earlier successful the program, helium remained seated but beamed erstwhile the assemblage stood aft Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, besides a impermanent astatine the fundraiser, hailed him “for a beingness of work to our country.”

“He was a president who governed not for reddish states, not for bluish states but for the full United States,” said Beshear.

Throughout Biden's 30-minute remarks, the assemblage roseate cheering. He returned to well-worn run themes promoting the mediate class, equality and the nation's work arsenic an illustration to different nations.

He called them principles “we've ne'er walked distant from.” Straining to punctuate by raising his voice, helium said, “We're not going to locomotion distant from them now.”

It was Biden's 2nd nationalist quality successful the past week, and 2nd since completing a circular of radiation therapy treatment successful October for the assertive signifier of prostate crab helium was diagnosed with aft leaving office. He said thing of his health, and erstwhile helium mentioned crab it was not astir his own. It was astir his precocious lad Beau, who died successful 2015.

It was the archetypal purely governmental quality for Biden since Labor Day 2024, erstwhile helium appeared with Harris for a labour lawsuit successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a afloat 2 months earlier the Nov. 5, 2024, election.

If his determination making astir the 2024 contention were successful question successful the assemblage Friday, it seemed a distant representation arsenic helium wrapped his speech.

“Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe!” they chatted arsenic helium near the stage.