Terry is a great governor and you don't have to wonder about Terry's future. He delivered on his promises. He delivered.
Biden's speech was then turned into a broad-ranging rebuke to Glenn Youngkin, the Republican candidate, and ultimately, a rebuke to Donald Trump.
Biden stated, "But how well do your know Terrys opponent?" This is what I did: I ran against Donald Trump. Terry is running against Donald Trump's acolyte.
Biden pressed on, telling the crowd Youngkin would not allow Trump to run for office.
Is he ashamed? He is embarrassed, the president asked, amplifying his voice.
Biden's tirade against Trump included his claims of election fraud and the Jan. 6 Insurrection insurrection. He also attacked the former presidents recent criticisms of former Secretary of State Colin Powell after his death. Youngkin was criticized for his support of Trump and he tried to distance himself from him recently.
Youngkin was the target of one of Biden's most vehement attacks. He said that extremism can come in many forms. According to the president, extremism could be manifested in a mob-driven attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Biden also mentioned Youngkin, which can be sported in a smile or a fleece vest.
Biden didn't say much about the negotiations for his social welfare and infrastructure legislation, which were taking place just across the Potomac. Instead, he delved into the issues that have defined Governors Race in the final days. McAuliffe's aides handed out books by Toni Morrison before he entered the stage. This was after Youngkin, who in an ad this week showed a woman who tried to ban Morrisons Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved from public schools. Biden later noted that his first wife Jill Biden had visited Princeton University to interview Youngkin.
McAuliffe was not afraid to share this message with the crowd when he addressed them ahead of Biden.
McAuliffe stated that Glenn Youngkin supports banning books by one America's most well-known Black authors. He also said that it is bothersome that Youngkin uses education as a tool to divide the state.
Youngkins zeroing in on education could in part explain the tightening race, the second-most-important topic to Virginians as they decide whom to vote for on Nov. 2, following jobs and the economy. Monmouth University polled the registered voters last week and found that both candidates were at 46 percent support.
He made a quick stop in Arlington as he faced alarming poll numbers both in Virginia and nationally. A Monmouth poll placed him at a 43% job approval rating. He still enjoyed high support from Democrats with an 84 percent approval rating and plus-10 favorability for Northern Virginia.
Virginia is not a loss Democrats are trying to explain. The president and party are looking at the early elections between McAuliffe & Youngkin as a referendum on their presidency and a peek into the challenging congressional races in 2022.
Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee and other party officials spoke out about Democratic investments in Virginia and Biden's visits to the first lady Kamala Harris.
Harrison stated that they were all in at the Richmond rally for McAuliffe this weekend. Virginia is important. We want to ensure that the vote goes out.
Biden's open approach is a departure from Barack Obama, whose team disassociated the former president from the Democratic governorship campaigns in 2009/2013. If Youngkin wins, Biden's move could backfire and give Republicans more ammunition to criticize the White House in the upcoming elections.
Virginia's off-year elections don't always forecast the future. McAuliffe won the 2013 election, defying the state's tendency to elect a governor from a party not in the White House. Biden still exuded urgency Tuesday night when he spoke about the importance and future of the Virginia gubernatorial elections.
Virginia, get out there, the president told you. Be there for Barack and me, just like you were for Kamala. You did the same for Kamala and me. Be a leader like Terry McAuliffe. Demonstrate your support for democracy. For Virginia. For the United States of America.
Christopher Cadelago contributed this report.
