At a virtual reception for Congresswoman Cindy Axne on Wednesday night, President Joe Biden told the attendees that “we need Cindy.”
“She always stands up for Iowans — and I really mean it — expanding opportunities, bringing down costs for families, protecting rights and freedoms. She’s the real deal,” Biden said.
Biden lauded the Sergeant Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act, which he said Axne authored.
As Biden typically does, he said he talked to Sgt. Ketchum’s mom and told her he understands because of his son Beau’s situation after serving a year in Iraq.
“I lost him too,” Biden said. “It wasn’t a mental health, but it was brain damage because of the — of all the stuff was being in those burn pits from burning fuel and all kinds of things and — anyway.”
Biden said the election will shape the country “for decades.” He said Axne is a “real champion.”
“Let me be clear: this election is not a referendum,” Biden said. “It’s a choice. It’s a choice between two vastly different visions for America. Because of Cindy, Democrats are building a better America for everybody with an economy that grows from the bottom up and the middle out. Because when that happens, everybody does well, including the wealthy.”
Biden then blasted Republicans “like (Axne’s) opponent,” State Sen. Zach Nunn, for “doubling down” on “Mega MAGA trickle-down economics.”
Biden claimed President Donald J. Trump’s administration did not provide vaccines and pay for them. Biden’s similar claims have been rated “mostly false” by Politifact.
Biden then made this strange claim:
“Well, we were able to go from 2,000 shots in arms to over 635,000 shots — millions, I should say — not thousand — million shots for all — all — all the inoculations and — and the booster shots.”
Then, he said, “COVID no longer controls our life, although it’s still important.”
Biden blamed COVID and “Putin’s war” with the economic struggles.
In an ironic line, Biden compared drug prices in America to drug prices in France — a country Axne visited while claiming to be absent from Congress due to COVID.
“The same drug made by the same company in America, sold in France versus the (inaudible) drug sold in America is sometimes twice as cheap here in — twice as cheap in France or other countries,” he said.
Biden closed saying that Axne needs to be re-elected.
“Cindy, the country needs you,” Biden said. “And I’m not exaggerating. You’re one of the best persons in the entire United States Congress. Thank you for all you’ve done.”
