For Biden, A "Spiced-Up Stump Speech"

WILMINGTON, DE -- Joe Biden heads tomorrow to Florida tomorrow for his first solo campaign event for the Democratic ticket in nearly two weeks, following the death of his mother-in-law and the deployment of his son to Iraq. His pace picks up in the week ahead, with additional stops scheduled for Missouri and Pennsylvania, where he’ll appear Sunday with Bill and Hillary Clinton.

The campaign says Biden will have a "spiced-up stump speech" tomorrow to reflect the new tone that the race has taken.

"We'll defend ourselves against attacks and call out the Republicans for their politics of character assassination, but it's important to remember why they want this election to be about anything but the big choices: it's because that's a race in which they can't compete," said spokesman David Wade.

Biden's appearance with President and Sen. Clinton will be the most high-profile stop in his upcoming swing of battleground states. Biden and Hillary Clinton claim Scranton roots, and Biden has campaigned in the area several times already.

The Clintons were scheduled to be in the area for the christening of Hillary’s nephew. It’ll be the second appearance on behalf of the Democratic ticket for President Clinton; he campaigned in Florida last week.

Aside from the vice presidential candidates debate, Biden has not held a public event since he appeared with Barack Obama in Detroit on Sept. 28. His last solo event was in the Milwaukee area on Sept. 26, a gap of 12 days that comes as Sarah Palin continues to draw significant attention for her hard-hitting attacks.

Since the debate, he has tended to family matters – first the deployment of his son, Beau, and then the death of his mother-in-law.

Biden spoke today at the funeral of Bonny Jacobs, at the request of the reverend, saying she was “fun, free” and "lived life as it came.”

"She never judged, always loved. Love was unconditional, certain,” Biden said, according to one attendee of the service. “Now she's free, free of pain, free to be with the man she loved all her life.”

(NBC/NJ's MIKE MEMOLI)