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Pool Reports: Biden in Baltimore and Philadelphia July 19, 2010

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*Pool Report 1:*

VP Biden and House Speaker Pelosi spoke at a fundraiser lunch in Center City
Philadelphia for congressional candidate Bryan Lentz, who is the Democrat
running to replace U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak in the Seventh Congressional
District, a suburban Philly district centered in Delaware County.

The race is considered one of the most competitive in the 2010 cycle. Lentz,
46, of Swarthmore, is serving his second term as a PA state representative.
His Republican opponent, Patrick Meehan, 54, of Drexel Hill, is a former
U.S. Attorney and a former District Attorney of Delaware County.

Two-hundred people were expected to attend, with the cost $1,000 to enter,
$5,000 for VIP reception and $10,000 per couple for best seating at the
lunch and access to VIP reception. Event was held in the Independence
Ballroom at the Sheraton Hotel on 17th and Race streets. The $250,000 raised
would be split between the DCCC and the Lentz campaign, but a breakdown of
dollars to each org. was not available at the time of this report.

The menu and some of the Dems in attendance follows at end of report.

State Rep. Bryan Lentz:

Lentz noted that his campaign has already raised over $1 million, signed up
thousands of volunteers, he said that those who have gotten involved in the
7th CD have made the right choice. Said he will give voters a clear choice
in November.

Said of the 7th CD voters: “they don't have amnesia. They don't forget who
ran up the debt, they don't forget who started the war in Iraq, they don't
forget who let the wolves run wall street.”

Cited two issues where he and his opponent differ: he wants to end taxbreaks
to businesses that shift jobs overseas, and he is prime sponsor of
legislation that would close the loophole that allows PA residents to get a
permit to carry firearms from out of state. He said his opponent does not
support either of these measures.

*Rep. Allyson Schwartz (serving third term in the 13th district):

Noted the progress in DC and said the GOP wants to “turn back the clock” and
return to failed policies of Bush administration.

She acknowledged that it is “a difficult political cycle,” but noted that
Dems have won seven special elections, including Mark Critz in the Murtha
seat.

“No one expected us to win, the Republicans were absolutely sure they were
going to be victorious,” she said. “And we won.”

PA has several key Congressional races, of which Lentz is one that Dems must
hold on to, she said.

Introduced Pelosi, calling her “the most powerful women in American
politics.”

Pelosi:

Thanked the guests for helping Dems win in 2006 and in 2008. Name checked
all the state reps and senators.

“We are here to pay special attention to the candidacy of Bryan Lentz. It's
very important that he become a member of Congress. It's not just about
numbers. It's not just about quality it's about the quality of leadership he
will bring to the Congress of the Untied States.”

Pelosi said some don't understand all that Dems have accomplished since
Obama's election, others “don't want to accept it.” The GOP wants to “argue
with success.”

The Democratic admin has saved or created 3.6 million jobs, she said.

Because of the recklessness of some on wall street, 8 ½ million jobs were
lost.

“The road back is a difficult one,” she said, adding that under Democratic
leadership, “we are taking the country in a new direction. And if they
(Republicans) want argue with success, we stand ready to argue our case to
the American people.”

“We are not going back” to previous administration's policies.

Introduced Biden, saying he is “The best our country has to offer in terms
of leadership for America's working families.”

Biden:

Opened by thanking Pelosi, noting Allyson's comment that she is the most
powerful woman in American politics.

“I would rephrase that: the most powerful person in American politics,” he
said. “The single most successful, the single most persuasive the single
most strategic leader I have ever worked with is Nancy Pelosi.”

“Nancy, you are the mother of health care.”

Biden said that despite his strong support for Sen. Arlen Specter, he
supports Sestak in his run for Senate.

“I have not a single doubt in my mind about the quality of senator that Joe
Sestak would make,” Biden said. “I enthusiastically …. support him.”

The main thrust of Biden's speech was to note the problems President Obama
inherited from the previous administration and stress how the Democrats have
voted for reform for the good of the country, even if it is not politically
expedient.

On the day on inauguration, the Obama administration already faced a
deficit, massive job losses, and a foreign policy that was “in absolute
dissary.”

“We had already lost 740,000 jobs that month,” Biden said of jobs lost by
inauguration day. “Before we literally got to sit behind our desks at the
West Wing in the WH, we were at a $1.3 trillion dollar deficit.”

Biden said the Bush administration squandered the surplus left by President
Clinton, and slammed the Bush adminstration's economic policy: “They gave us
a Ponzi scheme masquerading as a vision.”

He said Democratic leaders supported a stimulus to prevent banks from
shuttering, prevent a “world-wide depression.”

“My Republican friends talk about deficits,” Biden said. “For them to talk
about deficits is like an arsonist talking about fire safety. I mean this is
bizarre.”

Noting the stimulus, health care and financial reform, he said : “What we
did is working and the American people are just know beginning to see it.”

Democrats have accomplished most of their agenda without a single Republican
vote.

Said today's Republican party has made the calculation that their success
lies in the Democrats failure, even if the result is not good for the
American public.

“Today's Republican party is repeal and repeat: it is wildly out of step
with the American people. They want to repeal the progress we've made and
repeat the policies of the past.”

Citing Lentz's service in the Army and his tour in Iraq, as well as his 6
years as a prosecutor in the Philadelphia DA's office, he said Lentz had the
“gumption” to put his country first and take on the “phony arguments” of the
GOP.

In the next four months, Dems have to make their case to the public that
their policies are working.

“I guarantee you that Pennsylvania is coming back, I guarantee you that
America is coming back” … said he guarantees that the House will maintain a
Democratic majority, with Bryan Lentz as a member.

“Don't let him down,” Biden said.

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Some local Dems in attendance:

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter; State Sen. Daylin Leach; State Rep. Josh
Shapiro; Bethlehem PA Mayor John Burke Callahan-- also a candidate in the
15th CD; Manan Trivedi, candidate in the 6th CD; Hon. Marjorie Margolis,
former PA Congresswoman and now chair of Women's Campaign International;
Lynne Yeakel, former US Sen. candidate.

Dan Berger, the event host, is a class action attorney at Berger Montague
and has federally maxed out for this cycle with his support of this event.

The menu:

In the VIP room, hot and cold hors d'oeuvres:

-pear and brie with almond

-jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce and lemon wedge

-chicken satay with ginger apricot glaze

The lunch:

A summer salad mixed soft greens of Boston Bibb, Romaine Hearts – Radicchio,
Cucumber Ribbon, Diced Orange Peppers, Sliced Strawberries, Topped with
Boursin Cheese served with a Pear Vinaigrette

The entrée: a boneless breast of chicken lightly coated in an egg batter
with a lemon pepper seasoning, pan sautéed and topped with julienne of sweet
red and yellow peppers in a lemon beurre blanc. Served with an orzo pasta
with fine herbs and tender asparagus spears.

The dessert: ultimate chocolate cake with whipped cream and berry garnish.

*Pool Report 2:*

VP Biden did not leave out the President in his remarks in Philadelphia
today-- he said his name during applause.

Biden was referring to a comment Schwartz made that Pelosi was the most
powerful woman in politics. Biden's full quote:

“You know Allyson said the most powerful woman in American politics. I would
rephrase that: the most powerful person in American politics
(applause&hellipunclear comments on audio) with the exception of the
President of the United States. And I mean that sincerely.”

Biden then talked about how he has worked with a number of House speakers
over the years, and said “the single most successful, the single most
persuasive the single most strategic leader I have ever worked with is Nancy
Pelosi.”

*Pool Report 3:*

VPOTUS began speaking at 5:59 p.m. in the Holiday Room at the Hilton
Baltimore Convention Center. He spoke for exactly 30 minutes.
The event was a fundraiser for Gov. Martin O'Malley's re-election campaign.
O'Malley's likely opponent in November is former Republican Gov. Robert L.
Ehrlich Jr. and recent polls show the race is competitive.
O'Malley arrived at the hotel at 4:02 p.m. Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown
arrived at 4:07.

VPOTUS motorcade arrived at 5.23 p.m.
Roughly 200 people attended, according to the VP's office.

O'Malley Deputy Campaign Manager Rick Abbruzzese said ticket prices ranged:
$250 for admission to the general reception; $1,000 for a VIP event before
the VPOTUS spoke; members of the host committee paid $4,000.
Your pool reporter was escorted into the event room around 5:30 as Baltimore
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake spoke. Rawlings-Blake said the Republican
Party “was driving our economy into a ditch.” She added: “Now they think
they should get the keys back?”
U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski spoke next. She complimented Rawlings-Blake,
said the mayor is leading with “smarts, savvy and compassion.”

Mikulski said she and other Maryland Democrats are “like NATO” because “If
you attack one of us, you attack all of us.” Mikulski said she wished more
people knew the POTUS and the VPOTUS “the way I do” and praised the VPOTUS
for “standing up for women” citing his work on the 1994 Violence Against
Women Act.

She requested a “big O welcome” for “Obama, O'Biden (cq) and O'Malley.”
At 5:51 VPOTUS, O'Malley and Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown arrived in
the event room. They all stood together on a dais behind a podium.

Brown spoke first , thanking Biden for coming. Called O'Malley “the greatest
governor” the state had ever had.
5:53 p.m.: O'Malley spoke, said there was a “tremendous” turnout for the
event. “I know there are a lot of other places you'd rather be,” O'Malley
said. He referred to the upcoming election as “the battle ahead.” O'Malley
made some of his usual stump speech. “In times of adversity we don't make
excuses, we make progress,” he said.
“A government that is of, by and for the people needs to be worked to get
people back to work,” O'Malley said. …. “We are a great people and our best
days are ahead of us.” He talked about three months in a row of job growth,
education tuition freeze.
O'Malley thanked Biden for leadership on the stimulus plan that led to
“13,000” jobs and public safety grants to hire 200 new police officers in
Maryland.
5:59 p.m. VPOTUS speaks
VPOTUS says lots of nice things about Sen. Barbara Mikulski. (“If you had
only one person in the U.S. Congress on your side – I would say with without
fear – the pick would be Barbara Mikulski.”)
VPOTUS says his “roots are in Baltimore” saying the Biden family has had
members living in Maryland since 1825. (Incidentally, he pronounced
Baltimore in the appropriate vernacular without the “t”.)
Biden said he and Obama started their term in a “time of great crisis.” The
economy lost 700,000 jobs the month they took office, he said. The projected
deficit, he said, was over one trillion dollars.
“I find it fascinating that our colleagues [in the Republican Party] talk
about fiscal restraint, that is like an arsonist talking about fire safety,”
Biden said.
Under the Bush-era Wall Street produced “very creative financial
instruments” like collateralized debt obligations and credit default swaps,
he said. “Their vision was very creative financial instruments. They gave us
a Ponzi scheme masquerading as vision.”
He defended the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. “Nobody thought it
would be popular to vote for the stimulus program,” he said. “What Barbara
[Mikulski] and others did was they put national interest in front of self
interest.” He said “it didn't take a political genius” to know the ARRA vote
would be politically unpopular.
He predicted that the Republicans will attack O'Malley for listening to
Obama and Biden. “The hit on him [O'Malley] from the Republicans will be he
listens to us. We listen to him.”
Biden touted the financial reform legislation, the health care bill and
pressed for optimism about the economy.
“We understand, government cannot guarantee economic growth,” he said. “All
great leaders have to be able to put down a foundation.”
Biden described the Republican Party as the party of “repeal and repeat” –
meaning “repeal the progress and repeat the last eight years.” He quoted a
former Boston mayor (Kevin White) as saying “Don't compare me to the
almighty, compare me to the alternative.”
“Martin has been a great governor. We've accomplished a lot with Martin,”
Biden said. He credits O'Malley with keeping a General Motors plant in
Maryland and signing into law a $5,000 tax credit for small businesses that
hire off the unemployment rolls. He said O'Malley “cut state spending” and
“reduced the size of government.”
“This is a man whose passion for Maryland starts in the gut and moves to the
heart,” Biden said.
Biden finished speech with a long anecdote about the pain felt when a job is
lost. “The longest walk a man can make is the short flight up to his kid's
bedroom,” to say “ ‘Honey,' I'm sorry we have to sell the house.' ”
“My dad made that walk. He said ‘Joey, we have to move.' ” “Thousands of
Marylanders have made that walk. O'Malley, he tastes it. He feels it. He
feels it in his gut. Those are the people I trust.” (referring to people who
‘feel it in the gut')
Biden said re-electing O'Malley will lay the groundwork for parents to have
a different type of conversation with their children. Parents will be able
to say “Honey, it is going to be okay.”
FOOD REPORT:
Only one table with food was positioned toward the back and included hors
d'oeuvres and desserts: brownies, cookies, carrots, celery sticks, cherry
tomatoes and a cheese tray labeled “International cheese display.” Beer and
wine were also served in the back.
Guests your pool observed:
Sen. Catherine Pugh, Baltimore city Democrat
Del. Dan Morhaim, Baltimore County Democrat
Del. Samuel I. Rosenberg, Baltimore County Democrat
Vincent DePaul, movie actor with family in Southeast Baltimore.
--
Eric D. Schwerin
Rosemont Seneca Partners
(202) 333-1880
eschwerin@rosemontseneca.co