Sen. Joe Biden was always the "leader of the pack," his younger sister said — not because he was a bully, but because he had a gift for inspiring people."He was always encouraging, always saying, 'Go ahead, just try it,' and other kids looked up to him for that," Valerie Biden Owens said. "They were drawn to him, and they followed him."But Owens said her brother, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, also was left out at times and ridiculed because he stuttered."There was a time he couldn't string four words together," she said. "Nobody likes to be laughed at. But that experience created a deep sense of compassion within Joe, and to this day when he walks into a room, he automatically gravitates to the person standing in the corner and tries to engage them. He knows what it's like, and he doesn't want anyone to ever feel the way he did."Owens made a brief stop in Lancaster on Thursday morning, meeting Mayor Rick Gray and City Council members for coffee at Square One on North Duke Street.For the first time since Biden was elected to the U.S. Senate, she is not her brother's campaign manager. Instead, she has hit the campaign trail, stumping up and down the East Coast for Biden and Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama.Owens, who is three years younger than the 65-year-old senator, spoke at length Thursday about the tight-knit Biden family, of which she is the only sister. .... At times Thursday morning, the coffee-table conversation touched on issues such as health care reform, education and the economy. Local officials, including Gray, also expressed their concern about middle America."I think if there's anything you can take back (to the candidates), it's bring government back home," Gray said. "We're continually seeing block grants cut. … The federal government just isn't there to help. They can give billions to Wall Street but nothing to Main Street. They've forgotten about the average person."Which is exactly why the country needs someone like Biden, Owens said."My brother doesn't forget his roots; he doesn't forget where he came from," Owens said of their modest upbringing in Scranton and Castle County, Delaware."He's a great brother, a loving husband, a dedicated father and a loyal friend."
"He was always encouraging, always saying, 'Go ahead, just try it,' and other kids looked up to him for that," Valerie Biden Owens said. "They were drawn to him, and they followed him."
But Owens said her brother, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, also was left out at times and ridiculed because he stuttered.
"There was a time he couldn't string four words together," she said. "Nobody likes to be laughed at. But that experience created a deep sense of compassion within Joe, and to this day when he walks into a room, he automatically gravitates to the person standing in the corner and tries to engage them. He knows what it's like, and he doesn't want anyone to ever feel the way he did."
Owens made a brief stop in Lancaster on Thursday morning, meeting Mayor Rick Gray and City Council members for coffee at Square One on North Duke Street.
For the first time since Biden was elected to the U.S. Senate, she is not her brother's campaign manager. Instead, she has hit the campaign trail, stumping up and down the East Coast for Biden and Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama.
Owens, who is three years younger than the 65-year-old senator, spoke at length Thursday about the tight-knit Biden family, of which she is the only sister.
....
At times Thursday morning, the coffee-table conversation touched on issues such as health care reform, education and the economy. Local officials, including Gray, also expressed their concern about middle America.
"I think if there's anything you can take back (to the candidates), it's bring government back home," Gray said. "We're continually seeing block grants cut. … The federal government just isn't there to help. They can give billions to Wall Street but nothing to Main Street. They've forgotten about the average person."
Which is exactly why the country needs someone like Biden, Owens said.
"My brother doesn't forget his roots; he doesn't forget where he came from," Owens said of their modest upbringing in Scranton and Castle County, Delaware.
"He's a great brother, a loving husband, a dedicated father and a loyal friend."
Click here to read the entire article..
Comments are closed for this post.
