Former Vice President Joe Biden weaved personal stories and policy plans into an intimate town hall discussion with Culinary Local 226 members Wednesday in Las Vegas as the union wrapped up a series of talks with top Democratic presidential candidates this week.
A packed, vocal crowd greeted Biden, who left the stage to speak face-to-face with members asking prepared questions on labor, immigration and health care. There appeared to be general satisfaction with all of his answers, but he received huge applause and even a few yells of “amen” during an introductory speech on his upbringing and answers on health care.
The all-important health care question. The action from Sanders’ and Warren’s events came during questions on health care. Culinary members have negotiated excellent health benefits, and the plans for nationalized health care coming from the more liberal Sanders and Warren have been a tough sell.
Biden gave the union what it wanted to hear:
“Where I come from, I don’t like people telling me what I have to choose,” Biden said. “So the 160 million people who have busted their neck, walked on picket lines, gave up pay, took hits in order to get significant health care … you get to keep it under my plan. You don’t have to give it up.”
He also addressed a question on the “Cadillac tax,” a 40 percent tax on some union benefits built into the Affordable Care Act, saying it probably would be repealed in Congress before the election.