Just Call Him Lurch

GREENSBURG, PA - Joe Biden said this morning that John McCain would not inspire the confidence of the nation at a time of economic crisis, while at the same time he praised Barack Obama for seeking a bipartisan approach to negotiations on a bailout package.

Referring to McCain's "epiphany" on the state of the economy last week, first saying the fundamentals were sound and then saying there was a crisis, Biden said you cannot lead the nation when you "lurch so rapidly from one fundamental position to another."

"Ladies and gentlemen, you can't gain the confidence of the nation and you can't gain the confidence of the world when in fact you are not rooted and know exactly what you think," he said.

Great presidents have shown that kind of consistent leadership, Biden argued, the kind of leadership he said Obama showed by reaching out to McCain yesterday.

"In the midst of all this political blather that's going on, all the negative ads being heaped upon him, what did he do? He reached out," Biden told a few hundred people from this working-class community. "He showed leadership by suggesting that we come together."

Republican National Committee spokeswoman Blair Latoff responded: “In times of crisis, Americans have always been able to bridge our divides and solve our problems but apparently Barack Obama’s running mate sees it as an opportunity for unfiltered partisanship and political opportunism. John McCain suspended his campaign and is working with the nation’s leaders to address this serious economic crisis and believes that it is more important to put his country before his political campaign.”

Biden mentioned today's scheduled meeting at the White House between the two presidential nominees, and outlined the principles Obama believes should guide the plan. The most popular among the crowd here was an assurance that the American people "not be required to spend one single dime to reward Wall Street CEOs."

"Where I come from in Scranton and Wilmington, we just call that plain, simple fairness," Biden said. "If we cannot agree on those simple, basic rules, then it seems to me you have to question what the reason for the bailout is. Who are we bailing out?"

Biden also targeted the senior citizens in the audience, focusing especially on Social Security. He said that McCain was an ardent supporter of privatization, and he asked what would have happened to the retirement security of people like his mother had Bush and McCain succeeded in putting Social Security money into the stock market.

"John even said that the way Social Security was funded was a, quote, an absolute disgrace," Biden said. "When a president who understands and supports Social Security is in the White House, you're not going to have to worry, you're not going to have to worry that we're going to continue this onslaught on seniors."

There was an emotional moment at the top of the speech, where Biden acknowledged Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney in the audience. He recalled the story of how in 1972, Rocky Bleier of the Steelers came to the hospital room to deliver autographed footballs to Biden's two sons, who were recovering from injuries sustained in the car crash that killed his first wife and infant daughter.

"They looked like they had lighted up like Christmas trees," he said, pausing twice to choke back tears. "I really apologize, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to do this."

(NBC/NJ's MIKE MEMOLI)