VPOTUS Pool Report #2 August 19, 2009

Vice President Joe Biden told 150 political donors in Orlando Wednesday that U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson had the smarts and character to challenge Iraq War profiteers, and that's just what's needed now to push an historic agenda in Washington.

Biden reminded those attending the $1,000-a-plate event that his own son is in Iraq, and it meant that much more to him that Grayson, D-Orlando, waged legal fights against defense contractors "stealing from the United States government and doing a shoddy job protecting our sons and daughters."

"We owe you one buddy," Biden said to Grayson. "This is a guy who doesn't back away from a fight, and doesn't back down from what he believes in."

It was the second of back-to-back fund raisers for Biden, who moments earlier raised at least an estimated $70,000 for U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, in a smaller adjoining ballroom at the downtown Marriott Hotel. All told, Biden helped collect $250,000 or more for two candidates likely to face stiff Republican challenges next fall.

Earlier in the day Biden visited Jackson Middle School and pointed out that the stimulus package Kosmas and Grayson both voted for helped keep 26,000 teachers at work in Florida.

Without it, Florida would have had to close schools or raise taxes, Biden said.

Through the rest of his more than 20-minute talk to Grayson supporters, Biden spoke in broad historical strokes, pointing to the unique opportunity that the economic collapse afforded to make major advances in health, energy and education policy.

"We have a chance to bend history, just a little bit," Biden said. He added later, "We do think we're headed in the right direction."

Biden said there was no alternative being offered from Republicans.

"What do they offer, other than no," Biden said. "This next election is about going back or going forward."

The event attracted a number of local politicians, including Orlando Democrats, state Sen. Gary Siplin and state Rep. Scott Randolph, as well as Lake County civil rights pioneer T.H. Poole, Orlando trial attorney John Morgan, and Republican businessman Marc Watson.

In introducing the vice president, Grayson killed the Democratic-friendly audience by reeling off a series of jokes about former Vice President Dick Cheney having given Biden a tour of the White House "dungeon" and its torture rack.

Grayson also riffed on how Cheney made Biden nervous because the former veep "liked to shoot old men in the face" and invited Biden to "go water boarding with him."

Grayson joked that Biden decided to take the vice presidential slot "because he could see Philadelphia from his front porch," a knock on Republican Sarah Palin's claim she had foreign policy experience because she could see Russia from her home state of Alaska.

Grayson even goofed about seeing the "real change in power" going from Vice President Cheney to Vice President Biden, a knock on the contention that former President Bush often deferred to his number two.

Biden played along with the goofs, but said Grayson was a "lousy comedian" who may have flown on Air Force Two back down to Orlando today, but he was going to have to take the train back to Washington. Grayson held his hands to his face in mock horror.

And as far as who is really running the show in the White House, Biden said, "He's the president, I'm the vice president. We've got the pecking order in this administration right."

"I know George Bush, and he's no Barack Obama," Biden said.

Unlike Kosmas' stand-up luncheon fare, Grayson had 18 tables set up for a sit-down chicken Caesar salad lunch.