WDBD FOX 40 Jackson MS Local News, Weather and Sports

WDBD Television for Jackson, MS

Madeleine Rivera

Though Sanders takes Nevada, Biden vows to beat him by ‘just moving on’

LAS VEGAS –  Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is the winner of the Nevada caucuses, according to a Fox News projection.

But rival Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden says he’s also a winner — and is vowing to ultimately defeat Sanders.

“I beat him by going on – just moving on,” the former vice president told reporters at a stop at a precinct in Henderson, Nevada minutes before the start of the caucuses.

Sanders – the populist senator from Vermont’s who’s making his second straight White House run – is now two for two after winning a week and a half ago in New Hampshire’s primary. Sanders also won the raw popular vote total in the Iowa caucuses, but slightly trails former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg in the delegate percentage.

THE LATEST FROM FOX NEWS ON THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

Biden suffered disappointing fourth and fifth place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Asked how he can beat Sanders for the nomination, Biden argued that “one of the things that is going on here is that.. people want to know who’s most likely to beat down Trump.”

Former Vice President Joe Biden visits a caucus precinct in Henderson, Nevada, on Feb. 22, 2020

The former vice president spotlighted that polls that show him trailing Sanders and Buttigieg in the Democratic nomination race “show me being the one that is most likely to be able to be Trump. And so, look, I look, we have to win, number one. Number two, we have to be able to keep a Democratic House. Number two, we’ve got to pick up seats in Democratic Senate. And I think just people are now just beginning to focus on that from North Carolina to Pennsylvania and from Arizona to Wisconsin.”

As the early results poured in in Nevada, Biden was in second place behind Sanders and slightly ahead of Buttigieg.

Though Sanders takes Nevada, Biden vows to beat him by ‘just moving on’

LAS VEGAS –  Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is the winner of the Nevada caucuses, according to a Fox News projection.

But rival Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden says he’s also a winner — and is vowing to ultimately defeat Sanders.

“I beat him by going on – just moving on,” the former vice president told reporters at a stop at a precinct in Henderson, Nevada minutes before the start of the caucuses.

Sanders – the populist senator from Vermont’s who’s making his second straight White House run – is now two for two after winning a week and a half ago in New Hampshire’s primary. Sanders also won the raw popular vote total in the Iowa caucuses, but slightly trails former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg in the delegate percentage.

THE LATEST FROM FOX NEWS ON THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

Biden suffered disappointing fourth and fifth place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Asked how he can beat Sanders for the nomination, Biden argued that “one of the things that is going on here is that.. people want to know who’s most likely to beat down Trump.”

Former Vice President Joe Biden visits a caucus precinct in Henderson, Nevada, on Feb. 22, 2020

The former vice president spotlighted that polls that show him trailing Sanders and Buttigieg in the Democratic nomination race “show me being the one that is most likely to be able to be Trump. And so, look, I look, we have to win, number one. Number two, we have to be able to keep a Democratic House. Number two, we’ve got to pick up seats in Democratic Senate. And I think just people are now just beginning to focus on that from North Carolina to Pennsylvania and from Arizona to Wisconsin.”

As the early results poured in in Nevada, Biden was in second place behind Sanders and slightly ahead of Buttigieg.

Biden abruptly cancels New Hampshire primary party appearance, heads to South Carolina

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Joe Biden is heading south.

The former vice president abruptly announced on Tuesday morning that he won’t spend primary night in New Hampshire as planned and instead is flying to South Carolina to headline a newly scheduled kick-off rally in the state he’s long considered his campaign firewall.

“We’re going to head to South Carolina tonight,” Biden told reporters as he visited a polling station with voting underway in the state that holds the first primary in the race for the White House. “And I’m going to Nevada… we’ve got to look at them all.”

The campaign confirmed Biden is now canceling his originally scheduled appearance at a primary night party in Nashua, N.H., and will be in South Carolina instead. The New Hampshire party will go on as scheduled without him. But the campaign emphasized that Biden would continue to stop by polling stations during the afternoon.

NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY VOTING KICKS OFF, WITH SANDERS AND BUTTIGIEG LOCKED IN FIERCE BATTLE

Nevada and South Carolina follow New Hampshire – which is an overwhelmingly white state – in the presidential nominating calendar. Biden’s campaign has long considered Nevada and South Carolina – with their far more diverse electorates – as much friendlier ground for the former vice president.

Biden, who limped into New Hampshire after a lackluster fourth-place finish in last week’s Iowa caucuses, said  Monday night to his supporters: “Stick with me 24 hours and we’re going to be just fine. We’re going to win this nomination.”

On Tuesday he said he was still “mildly hopeful” about his prospects in New Hampshire, while also downplaying expectations consistently for the Granite State.

“I took a hit in Iowa and I’m probably going to take a hit here,” Biden said in a striking moment at the top of Friday night’s Democratic presidential nomination debate.

Asked the next day by Fox News if he was writing off the Granite State, the former vice president fired back, saying “I’m not writing off New Hampshire. I’m going to campaign like hell here in New Hampshire, as I’m going to do in Nevada, in South Carolina and beyond. Look, this is just getting going here. This is a marathon.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

For Biden, however, at least a third-place finish here could be critical, if only to prevent an exodus of donors and the possible erosion of his so-called “firewall” of support in the looming South Carolina contest. With the race for first increasingly looking to be between Sen. Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg, Biden’s essentially battling with Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota for a top-three ticket out of the Granite State.

It’s a stunning predicament for the candidate who was once the unrivaled front-runner for the nomination. He’s long made electability central to his campaign pitch. But University of New Hampshire pollster Andrew Smith highlighted that the final UNH tracking poll for CNN, conducted after Biden’s fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, indicated that “Bernie Sanders is seen as the most electable candidate” to take on Republican President Donald Trump in November’s general election.

“If your candidacy is based on electability, once you don’t win elections, that electability argument dissipates very rapidly,” Smith explained. “If Biden does very poorly in New Hampshire, going forward those voters in Nevada and South Carolina are going to look at that electability argument in a very different light because to be electable, you need to win elections.”

Democratic nomination rival Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont – asked whether Biden’s departure to South Carolina before the polls says something about the former vice president’s prospects in New Hampshire – answered, “You have to ask Joe. I don’t know.”

But Sanders stressed: “All I can say is we’ll be here tonight. We have, as you know, been all over the state.”

Longtime state Sen. Lou D’Allesandro – a top Biden supporter and surrogate in New Hampshire – told Fox News that “some supporters would be discouraged, obviously. But the positive aspect is it’s on to Columbia, it’s on to the next challenge, and then it’s on to Nevada, another challenge, and the game keeps going on.”

D’Allesandro – who met with Biden Tuesday morning at a polling station in Manchester – shared that “I feel a little badly that he’s not going to be here, but I’m with him. I’m going to stay with him. It’s on to Columbia and we’ll win in South Carolina.

Meanwhile, the pro-Biden super PAC ‘Unite the Country’ – in a memo sent out to donors to “dig deep right now” into their pockets – warned that  “donors hedging their bets on Biden because of (Mike) Bloomberg could be creating a doomsday scenario for the Democrats everywhere.”

The memo, obtained by Fox News, is a sign of deep concerns among Biden supporters. It argued that the “Sanders-Warren wing of the Party is ready for the Bloomberg fight. Democrats cannot afford a split Convention.”

And the memo predicted that if “Bernie has more delegates, do you really think the Bros will make way for Mike?”

The ‘Bros’ refers to hard-core Sanders supporters.

“Not to mention that the legacy of the Sanders campaign (such as the Squad) will ravage any chance Center-Left Democrats have of maintaining hard won victories in states from Pennsylvania to California,” the memo added.

Fox News’ Andrew Craft contributed to this report.

Biden zings Buttigieg: ‘This guy’s not a Barack Obama’

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Former Vice President Joe Biden, coming off a lackluster fourth-place finish in Iowa and sliding in the latest polls in New Hampshire ahead of Tuesday’s primary, took aim on Saturday at rising 2020 rival Pete Buttigieg.

Speaking with reporters at a news conference at a Biden campaign field office in New Hampshire’s largest city, the former vice president vehemently disagreed with comparisons between the former South Bend, Ind., mayor and Biden’s boss for eight years, former President Barack Obama.

BUTTTIGIEG ON THE RISE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AS HE TRIES TO GO TWO FOR TWO

“This guy’s not a Barack Obama. Barack Obama had been a United States senator of a really large state,” Biden said. “This is a very different situation.”

Biden spoke with reporters hours after his campaign went up with a new digital ad suggesting the 38-year old candidate — who’s four decades younger than Biden — doesn’t have enough experience to be president.

The spot uses a clip of then-President Obama calling Biden “the best vice president America’s ever had” before going on to compare crucial successes of the Obama administration with mundane mayoral actions by Buttigieg, such as installing “decorative lights under bridges.”

The Buttigieg campaign, as well as a number of mayors who’ve endorsed Buttigieg, decried the ad.

Buttigieg’s gaining moment waso beating expectations in Iowa after he tied Sen. Bernie Sanders, as the results dribbled in the days after Monday’s caucuses due to a technical reporting debacle.

BIDEN MOCKS BUTTIGIEG IN NEW DIGITAL VIDEO

Buttigieg has repeatedly emphasized his outside-the-Beltway experience, and his campaign spotlighted that while “Washington politics trivializes what goes on in communities like South Bend, South Bend residents who now have better jobs, rising income and new life in their city don’t think their lives are a Washington politician’s punchline.”

And the campaign argued that the “Vice President’s decision to run this ad speaks more to where he currently stands in this race than it does about Pete’s perspective as a mayor and veteran.”

Asked about his campaign’s digital video, Biden explained: “What I’m doing is responding to what Pete’s been saying for the last two months, that all the problems we have today are from the recent past.”

“When you get attacked, you have to respond. I kept my mouth shut for a long time. I haven’t responded at all. But it’s been constant, a constant assertion that the problems we’re facing today are somehow because of our administration. That’s simply not true,” Biden said.

And jabbing at Buttigieg, the former vice president said: “He’s a good guy. He was a great mayor. But he was a mayor. He was a good guy. But the idea of passing a budget as mayor of a town the size of Manchester and managing $900 billion with less than one percent fraud or abuse, and picking up his city and thousands of cities across the country, is ridiculous.

SANDERS HAS THE EDGE, BUT BUTTIGIEG SOARING IN LATEST POLLS IN NH

Biden seemed to downplay expectations in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary in the White House race, at the start of Friday night’s Democratic presidential nomination debate.

“I took a hit in Iowa and I’m probably going to take a hit here,” the former vice president said at the debate, just days before the primary race.

Biden’s comments came hours after top aides also seemed to minimize the importance of New Hampshire, highlighting in a statement that “the campaign has had a very clear strategy from the day we got into the race.”

“We have articulated that we believe for us the pathway to the nomination runs in particular through Nevada, South Carolina, Super Tuesday, through states that have a more diverse electorate, where Vice President Biden has a tremendous amount of support,” the campaign added.

When asked by Fox News if he’s writing off New Hampshire, Biden pushed back, saying: “I’m not writing off New Hampshire. I’m going to campaign like hell here in New Hampshire, as I’m going to do in Nevada, in South Carolina and beyond. Look, this is just getting going here. This is a marathon.”

He also said that he’s best-equipped to beat President Trump in crucial Rust Belt swing states that Trump narrowly won in 2016 in capturing the White House.

“Look at the polling, what the polling data shows who can win Pennsylvania going away. Who can win in Michigan. Who can win in Florida. Come on man,” he insisted.

And taking aim at Buttigieg — whose struggles to resonate with black voters has been well-documented — Biden said: “You can’t win without that. Flat out. You can’t win without it.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Biden also pointed to national polls in the Democratic nomination race, saying “I’m still winning nationally.”

Asked about his mindset, the former vice president responded that “my spirits are up. Look at all the endorsement I’ve got since Iowa.”

And seeming to downplay the delayed results from Monday’s Iowa caucuses — due to a reporting debacle — Biden spotlighted that “I don’t think we should be drawing a lot of conclusions from Iowa.”

Biden goes on attack, slams Buttigieg and Sanders after taking ‘gut punch’ in Iowa

SOMERSWORTH, N.H.  — Former Vice President Joe Biden cranked up the volume Wednesday in his attacks against two of his top rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination – Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

Speaking to an audience in this small southeastern New Hampshire city the morning after delayed partial returns from the Iowa caucuses showed Biden in fourth place — trailing Buttigieg, Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts — the former vice president admitted, “I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We took a gut punch in Iowa.”

PICK YOUR POLL: SANDERS IS UP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE OR HE’S TIED WITH BIDEN

Biden acknowledged that “this is not the first time in my life I’ve been knocked down.”

But he vowed that “we are going to come back” and pledged that “I’m going to fight for this nomination. I’m going to fight for it here in New Hampshire, and in Nevada and then in South Carolina and beyond.”

Biden’s lackluster performance in the Iowa caucuses makes a strong finish in next week’s primary in New Hampshire even more imperative.

Former Vice President Joe Biden takes selfies with supporters during a campaign event in Somersworth, N.H. on Feb. 5, 2020

Former Vice President Joe Biden takes selfies with supporters during a campaign event in Somersworth, N.H. on Feb. 5, 2020

With that in mind, Biden then unloaded on Sanders, warning that “if Senator Sanders is the nominee for the party, every Democrat in America up and down the ballot – blue states, red states, purple states, easy districts competitive ones – every Democrat will have to carry the label that Senator Sanders has chosen for himself.”

He then stressed that Sanders “calls himself a Democratic socialist.”

The former vice president then emphasized that President Trump is champing at the bit to label the Democrats as socialists. And he pointed to his own efforts in the 2018 midterms in helping the Democrats win back the majority of the House of Representatives.

“When Sanders attacks me for having baggage, I have to tell you the 60-plus candidates that I campaigned for, the toughest districts in the country just two years ago, don’t see me as baggage and they wanted me in their districts,” he said.

And Biden said he doubted such candidates would want “Bernie Sanders to come in and campaign” for them.

Biden then used some of his most muscular language to date to criticize Buttigieg, who’s narrowly leading Sanders in Iowa as the results trickle in.

Biden said: “Mayor Pete likes to attack me as well and he’s a good man. He calls me part of the old failed Washington. Really. Was it a failure that I went to Congress to get ObamaCare passed?”

Biden then highlighted numerous other accomplishments during the Obama years and asked “Is he really saying that the Obama-Biden administration was a failure? Pete, just say it out loud.”

Biden’s campaign quickly blasted his comments on Twitter.

The former vice president then took another shot, saying “I’ve great respect for Mayor Pete and his service to this nation but I believe it’s a risk – to be straight up with you – for this party to nominate someone who’s never held office higher than mayor of a town of 100,000 in Indiana. I do believe it’s a risk.”

Spouses of 2020 Dems embrace more public roles as early contests approach

Candidate spouses headline events in Iowa

The Democrats running for president are turning to their significant others to build support and maximize one-on-one time with voters with weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Democrats running for president are turning to their significant others to build support and maximize one-on-one time with voters with weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses.

And some candidate-spouses are now even headlining events on their own.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s husband, Bruce Mann, celebrated the opening of a new Warren for Iowa field office in Ankeny earlier this week, meeting with and thanking campaign staff and volunteers.

“We believe in every student that we teach,” Mann said. “And what Elizabeth translates to the campaign stage is that she believes in everyone who is listening to her and wants them all to be a part of this.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren's husband, Bruce Mann, celebrates the opening of a Warren for Iowa field office opening in Ankeny.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s husband, Bruce Mann, celebrates the opening of a Warren for Iowa field office opening in Ankeny.
(Fox News)

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang’s wife, Evelyn, has taken on more public speaking engagements lately. Last week, in New Hampshire, she spoke at an event about family and autism and advocated some of her husband’s platforms.

“It’s absolutely critical that families like ours have access to things like therapies and childcare, and Andrew is again the only person running for President to talk about this,” said Yang.

She also made waves Thursday by revealing how she was sexually assaulted by her OB-GYN during medical exams when she was pregnant with their first child.

However, no spouse has adopted a more public role than Jill Biden, the wife of former Vice President Joe Biden. Though she teaches English at a community college, the former second lady has taken a leave of absence for the next four months. With a schedule almost as extensive as her husband’s, Biden and her small staff have been crisscrossing early states like Iowa and New Hampshire hoping to win over voters.

Andrew Yang's wife, Evelyn, speaks at an event about family and autism in New Hampshire. 

Andrew Yang’s wife, Evelyn, speaks at an event about family and autism in New Hampshire. 
(Fox News)

“I see it as a partner in a marriage. He supported me. And, now, I’m supporting him. That’s what a marriage is about,” Biden said in a recent interview with Fox News.

On the campaign trail, Biden often touts her husband’s electability, positing him as the best candidate to beat President Trump.

“I want all of you who are on the fence. I want to ask for you to give Joe a chance. I want you to think about it. But, I have to tell you. He’s the only one who can beat Donald Trump in the November election,” Biden said recently to a group of voters in Guthrie.

Every interaction gives a candidate’s spouse the opportunity to make an impact in a race where many caucus-goers remain undecided — and value personal interactions. Biden is making stops in rural Iowa, places where support could give her husband an edge to win on caucus night.

BIDEN ON TOP IN IOWA WITH 3 WEEKS UNTIL CAUCUSES, LATEST POLL SHOWS 

“It’s surprising to me because I think I’m a pretty decisive person. But, I respect Iowans because they take the process very seriously,” Biden said.

With a schedule almost as extensive as her husband's, former Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden has been crisscrossing the Hawkeye State, making stops in rural districts where support could give her husband an edge to win on caucus night.

With a schedule almost as extensive as her husband’s, former Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden has been crisscrossing the Hawkeye State, making stops in rural districts where support could give her husband an edge to win on caucus night.
(Fox News)

An average of recent Iowa polls shows the race in a dead heat, and some top-tier candidates are sharpening their attacks as they aim to draw contrasts among themselves. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders slammed Joe Biden’s “weak” record, warning Democrats that his candidacy won’t excite the base enough to beat Trump.

TRUMP CAMPAIGN DUBS BERNIE SANDERS THE NEW DEM ‘FRONTRUNNER’

“I think we need to have civil discourse. I think that it’s really important that we respect the process and just stick to the high road,” Jill Biden said.

“I think it’s a close race. We’re out here in rural America. We’re in other first states like Nevada and South Carolina and New Hampshire, and I feel Joe’s going to win,” she added.

The campaign trail often keeps the married couple of 42 years apart. But, when they’re not campaigning, Biden said they’re “just like every other married couple.”

“I saw him maybe a week ago, and we just kind of tried to catch up. How are the kids? What’s going on? The dog went through a hole in the fence. I mean, just typical, everyday, ordinary things. You know, we don’t just sit down and discuss policy. It’s just what you discuss with family,” Biden said.

JEANNE ZAINO: IOWA DEMOCRATIC DEBATE – WINNERS AND LOSERS

Though the candidates may occasionally exchange jabs, Biden says the vibe among the spouses is cordial.

“I’ve known Jane Sanders for years. She was a Senate spouse. I was a Senate spouse. I’ve gotten to know all of the families. And, we’re congenial with one another, and we’re all in this together, you know. It’s kind of like a family. We’re very supportive of one another,” Biden said.

And, despite slight differences within the party, Biden says they share a common goal, which largely keeps her motivated.

“The one thing that keeps me inspired and invigorated is the people I meet,” Biden said. “I mean, everywhere I go, I meet people who have stories that are unique or inspiring and sometimes stories that are sad to listen to. But, you know, everybody is looking for new leadership to help, to try to solve their problems. And, I think the question of leadership is really what’s on their mind.”

Biden aims to regain momentum as he focuses on rural Iowa

AMES, Iowa — Former Vice President Joe Biden is a few days away from wrapping up an eight-day bus tour in Iowa, his longest stretch in the Hawkeye State to date. The 18-county trip across rural Iowa comes as the campaign attempts to regain momentum with less than two months to go before the first-in-the-nation caucus.

The tour, dubbed “No Malarkey,” was aptly named, according to Biden.

“The reason we named it ‘No Malarkey’ is because the other guy is all lies,” Biden said during the trip’s kickoff on Saturday in Council Bluffs.

BIDEN INSISTS HE ‘DOESN’T NEED AN OBAMA ENDORSEMENT’ 

Former Vice President Joe Biden launched his eight-day, 18-county

Former Vice President Joe Biden launched his eight-day, 18-county “No Malarkey” Iowa bus tour in Council Bluffs on Saturday. 

Biden has been straightforward about the purpose of his tour. It comes as he lags third or fourth in Iowa polls, behind Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Elizabeth Warren, despite his national lead.

“That’s why we’re here. We’re here to translate. We’re here to translate the polls nationally to here,” Biden said during a stop at a local coffee shop in Carroll on Sunday.

Biden tailored his “No Malarkey” pitch to voters in counties that President Trump won in 2016, hoping to capture them. In his stump speeches, he often stressed the importance of rebuilding the middle class in rural America and touted his experience as a key strength of his candidacy.

The latter drew Barb Wagner’s support after she saw him speak at a campaign event in Storm Lake.

“He’s just so honest and a good person. I think he can beat Trump. We have to do that,” said Wagner, who previously considered voting for Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind.

BUTTIGIEG CAMP HITS BACK AFTER BIDEN CLAIMS ‘HE STOLE’ HEALTHCARE PLAN

Former Iowa governor and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack joined Biden on the first few days of his tour. Vilsack endorsed Biden last month. 

Former Iowa governor and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack joined Biden on the first few days of his tour. Vilsack endorsed Biden last month. 

Another voter, Les Lewis, said he made up his mind after going to Biden’s meet-and-greet in Carroll. He said his friends’ feedback helped him make a decision.

“Some of them went to see him last night in Denision, and I’ve gotten feedback from them that they are making up their minds to support him,” Lewis said.

Former Iowa governor and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and his wife, Christie, joined Biden on the first few days of the tour. The Vilsacks committed to Biden last month, a crucial endorsement in the state where they remain popular among Democrats.

“There is no one in this field, on any side, any party, that has as much experience and knowledge and the relationships with foreign leaders that Joe Biden has. He literally can start for the first minute of the first day of his administration repairing the credibility and respect of the United States,” Vilsack said in Carroll.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry also endorsed Biden on Thursday. Kerry will join the former vice president as he campaigns in Iowa on Friday.

BOOKER, BIDEN COULD GAIN GROUND FROM KAMALA HARRIS’ DEPARTURE, STRATEGISTS SAY

“I believe Joe Biden is the President our country desperately needs right now, not because I’ve known Joe so long, but because I know Joe so well,” Kerry said in a statement released by the Biden campaign. “I’ve never before seen the world more in need of someone who on day one can begin the incredibly hard work of putting back together the world Donald Trump has smashed apart.”

Biden rarely took questions while delivering remarks, choosing instead to speak with voters one on one at the end of each event. 

Biden rarely took questions while delivering remarks, choosing instead to speak with voters one on one at the end of each event. 

The crowds were still visibly smaller than those at Warren’s and Buttigieg’s respective events in Iowa. On the other hand, supporters said Biden’s ability to connect with voters personally is one of his biggest appeals. He spoke to voters one-on-one after each event. In one instance, he called someone’s mother to thank her for her service as a WWII Army nurse.

“I know it drives the staff crazy because I like to spend time with folks, I have trouble walking away from them,” Biden said.

Biden said they’ve long-planned to do the bus tour after Thanksgiving when Iowans really begin to make focused assessments of the candidates. He said Iowans make their decisions late. In fact, several attendees said they remain undecided.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The caucus may be less than 60 days away. But, for some voters, that just means there’s still time.

“If someone really rings through, I would come out and endorse them. But, right now, I’m just not there yet,” said Jared Beymer, mayor of Denison, who said he’ll likely make a decision on caucus night.

Biden aims to regain momentum as he focuses on rural Iowa

AMES, Iowa — Former Vice President Joe Biden is a few days away from wrapping up an eight-day bus tour in Iowa, his longest stretch in the Hawkeye State to date. The 18-county trip across rural Iowa comes as the campaign attempts to regain momentum with less than two months to go before the first-in-the-nation caucus.

The tour, dubbed “No Malarkey,” was aptly named, according to Biden.

“The reason we named it ‘No Malarkey’ is because the other guy is all lies,” Biden said during the trip’s kickoff on Saturday in Council Bluffs.

BIDEN INSISTS HE ‘DOESN’T NEED AN OBAMA ENDORSEMENT’ 

Former Vice President Joe Biden launched his eight-day, 18-county

Former Vice President Joe Biden launched his eight-day, 18-county “No Malarkey” Iowa bus tour in Council Bluffs on Saturday. 

Biden has been straightforward about the purpose of his tour. It comes as he lags third or fourth in Iowa polls, behind Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Elizabeth Warren, despite his national lead.

“That’s why we’re here. We’re here to translate. We’re here to translate the polls nationally to here,” Biden said during a stop at a local coffee shop in Carroll on Sunday.

Biden tailored his “No Malarkey” pitch to voters in counties that President Trump won in 2016, hoping to capture them. In his stump speeches, he often stressed the importance of rebuilding the middle class in rural America and touted his experience as a key strength of his candidacy.

The latter drew Barb Wagner’s support after she saw him speak at a campaign event in Storm Lake.

“He’s just so honest and a good person. I think he can beat Trump. We have to do that,” said Wagner, who previously considered voting for Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind.

BUTTIGIEG CAMP HITS BACK AFTER BIDEN CLAIMS ‘HE STOLE’ HEALTHCARE PLAN

Former Iowa governor and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack joined Biden on the first few days of his tour. Vilsack endorsed Biden last month. 

Former Iowa governor and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack joined Biden on the first few days of his tour. Vilsack endorsed Biden last month. 

Another voter, Les Lewis, said he made up his mind after going to Biden’s meet-and-greet in Carroll. He said his friends’ feedback helped him make a decision.

“Some of them went to see him last night in Denision, and I’ve gotten feedback from them that they are making up their minds to support him,” Lewis said.

Former Iowa governor and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and his wife, Christie, joined Biden on the first few days of the tour. The Vilsacks committed to Biden last month, a crucial endorsement in the state where they remain popular among Democrats.

“There is no one in this field, on any side, any party, that has as much experience and knowledge and the relationships with foreign leaders that Joe Biden has. He literally can start for the first minute of the first day of his administration repairing the credibility and respect of the United States,” Vilsack said in Carroll.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry also endorsed Biden on Thursday. Kerry will join the former vice president as he campaigns in Iowa on Friday.

BOOKER, BIDEN COULD GAIN GROUND FROM KAMALA HARRIS’ DEPARTURE, STRATEGISTS SAY

“I believe Joe Biden is the President our country desperately needs right now, not because I’ve known Joe so long, but because I know Joe so well,” Kerry said in a statement released by the Biden campaign. “I’ve never before seen the world more in need of someone who on day one can begin the incredibly hard work of putting back together the world Donald Trump has smashed apart.”

Biden rarely took questions while delivering remarks, choosing instead to speak with voters one on one at the end of each event. 

Biden rarely took questions while delivering remarks, choosing instead to speak with voters one on one at the end of each event. 

The crowds were still visibly smaller than those at Warren’s and Buttigieg’s respective events in Iowa. On the other hand, supporters said Biden’s ability to connect with voters personally is one of his biggest appeals. He spoke to voters one-on-one after each event. In one instance, he called someone’s mother to thank her for her service as a WWII Army nurse.

“I know it drives the staff crazy because I like to spend time with folks, I have trouble walking away from them,” Biden said.

Biden said they’ve long-planned to do the bus tour after Thanksgiving when Iowans really begin to make focused assessments of the candidates. He said Iowans make their decisions late. In fact, several attendees said they remain undecided.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The caucus may be less than 60 days away. But, for some voters, that just means there’s still time.

“If someone really rings through, I would come out and endorse them. But, right now, I’m just not there yet,” said Jared Beymer, mayor of Denison, who said he’ll likely make a decision on caucus night.