Hello? This Is Joe Biden Calling
(TITUSVILLE, FLA.) - "I'm interrupting business here," said Joe Biden as made his way through supporters manning the phones at a "Campaign For Change" office here last night.
So he picked up a phone and made some calls himself.
"Hi this is Senator Joe Biden, how are you. --- Well I was told by one of our volunteers you're going to vote for us, is that right? --- Well thank you. What's your name? Well Malcolm Thorne, I tell you what, I'll be over the house for dinner right away. --- Alright buddy, thanks a million man. --- We won't let you down. Thanks a lot, bye bye."
Assisting Biden was Gabriello Banks, a local high school senior who has endlessly volunteered his time to getting out the early vote in Florida.
Banks asked Biden, "Do you need to go through the script?"
"I got it!" replied Biden. And if they say no, "We're sending police for you!" Biden jokes. "Only joking, only joking."
"You're going to watch the press - all of you getting yeses, I'm going to say, 'I'm Joe Biden.' They're going to say 'Who?'"
Dialing Vicky Hudson.
"My name is Joe Biden, Senator Joe Biden. I'm running for vice president with Barack Obama. How are you? --- I'm down in Florida in your area, and I was calling tonight to let you know what you already know, that we have seven days left. --- Oh, God love you. You just saved me --- all the press is looking at me."
Turning to members of the press who look on, "I want you to know folks, she said she already voted for us."
A volunteer, Dolores Mitchell, shouts, "All right!"
Into the phone, Biden said "I love you. You made my job easier. This is my first volunteer call in the headquarters here. --- No I'm not, I'm not. How are you? No it really is me, I promise. --- Well I'm speechless that you'd go out and vote for us, thank you very much. --- We do have to win. --- Great, well you know, I don't know whether you're able to. You've already done a great deal. I don't know that you're able to help Saturday and Sunday. We have two shifts, one at 11 o'clock and one at 3 o'clock out of our Palm Avenue headquarters at 312 Palm Avenue. --- God love you. Okay? Alright Vicky well thank you for everything, I appreciate it a lot. --- Okay, thanks Vicky. Bye bye."
"This is Joe Biden, Senator Biden. How you doing? --- Ladies and gentlemen. This is Joe Biden. You can tell by the way I say ladies and gentlemen! Alright. --- You love hearing that? Well that's wonderful. --- Well, well you're going to see us a lot on TV. ... We're going to get this economy going for real. People are really getting hurt. --- Well thank you so much for your support, thank you so much for your help. --- Well, I'm at the Palm Avenue headquarters here. We just stopped on the way, I'm going down to another rally later on. Down the road. So, wanted to stop in and help. But you're awful nice. --- Alright, I'll tell him, Lillie. Thank you much."
Biden turns to onlookers, explaining that Lillie said "Tell Senator Obama she not only loves me, she loves him too. She wanted to make that very clear."
"Hey Robert, Joe Biden. Senator Biden. How you doing man? --- I'm down here in Titusville making sure we stay in space. --- Yeah, I'm here at the Obama headquarters at --- You hear what he says, he says I hope you're dropping off more signs! I tell you what, I'm just dropping off Bill Nelson, and he's going to go with you. --- Hey buddy, thanks for the help. Thanks for the help, just wanted to say hi to you and thank you man. Keep the faith, alright? Or as my grandmother would say, spread it. --- Let's just hope so. It ain't over 'til it's over. Alright? Go get em, man. Bye bye."
Here came the real test. Biden dialed Jared McCain's house.
"Yeah, I'm actually -- I'm calling Jared McCain. He's John's cousin. I'm joking - that's a joke. I don't know who he is, okay?"
"Hey Jared this is Joe Biden. Running for vice president with Barack. I'm down in 312 Palm Avenue making calls. And hoping that, obviously you know there's only seven days left. And you know they've extended voting now from seven to seven. It's going to be Saturday. I'm also was calling to see if there's any possibility you would consider helping us out. We have some shifts down here we need folks making the calls, knocking on doors. 3 o'clock and 11 o'clock earlier in the morning. Any way you can help that'd be great, Saturday and Sunday. Or if you can help on November the 4th. The number you can call to get back to us is - [looks for help] 848-5620. We sure can use your help old buddy. Thanks a lot for taking - listening to the call."
"Wasn't there. Left a message," Biden explained.