These conditions did not dampen spirits, however, as the former vice president energized the crowd by vowing to “get (President) Donald Trump out of that office.”

“My job is to take him on and defeat him,” Biden told the crowd of Trump. “It really is about the soul of the nation. He has gone out of his way in order to win, to divide America, to divide it based on race, religion and culture. That’s not who we are. We’re the United States of America. That’s what made us who we are.”

Biden, 76, said this is the most consequential election he can remember. He said four years of a Trump presidency would go down as an aberration in American history, but eight years would create substantial damage to America.

Biden urged those standing beneath the canopy tents to choose hope over fear, truth over lies and unity over division.

He cited the so-called “Unite the Right” rally that occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, which saw a woman crushed to death by a car, as a pivotal moment. He said Trump’s response to those participating in anti-Semitic activities during this rally carried torches, and chanted rhetoric similar to that spoken in Europe in the age of Nazism.

Biden was less than impressed by Trump’s reaction to the situation.

“He said there was some very fine people in both groups.” Biden said of Trump’s response. “Not a single president in American history has ever said anything even remotely approaching that.”

The second reason Biden said he is running is to restore the backbone of America.

“The backbone of this country is the middle class,” Biden said. “Folks, I have nothing against people who have gone out and done very well — Wall Street bankers and hedge fund managers, etc. But they didn’t build America. Average, ordinary, middle class Americans built America.”

He said in today’s world, the vast majority of economic growth goes to CEOs, other executives and those who own shares of a company. He said employees are not getting their fair share anymore.

He said so many people are stripped of their dignity by not being able to afford education for themselves or their children, not getting the health care they need, or sometimes not even clean water to drink.

“If I’m president, the first thing we’re going to do is we’re going to end Trump’s tax cuts,” Biden said.

“We have to start rewarding work, not wealth, not just wealth, work,” he added.

Lastly, Biden believes the country’s political system is broken. The third reason he said he is running is to help bring some level of unity to the country. He said to fix the political system, the country has to vote Trump out of office.

“Most Republicans don’t get beaten on the left. They get beat by the right in their own party,” Biden said of those who are very conservative targeting moderate Republicans in primaries.

For her part, Lasky was pleased to host Biden and said she wishes him well on his journey toward the highest office in the country.

“Joe Biden is a decent, honorable, clear-headed man who has spent his entire life in public service serving our country,” Lasky said.

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