OCEANSIDE, Calif.—President Joe Biden cited various bills passed during his presidency during an approximately 45-minute speech at MiraCosta College in Oceanside Nov. 3 evening to boost Rep. Mike Levin’s (D-Calif.) reelection campaign.
After speaking directly to a young member of the crowd whose sign he could not read because of the small print, Biden started talking about his past stutter.
“Sounds funny, but guess what: It makes you feel like an idiot,” Biden said, later adding, “It cannot define you. It will not define you.”
Biden later connected that line of thought to the need for more “mental assistance” after the coronavirus pandemic.
Biden also discussed the mental health challenges of veterans, telling the crowd of more than 1,000 at the college’s basketball gym his administration is working on that with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Additionally, he praised the American Rescue Plan, Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which included enhancing certain restrictions and penalties on firearms purchases, and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and focused on such issues as medical care, climate change and attempts to revitalize American manufacturing.
Biden arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar at 6:04 p.m. aboard Air Force 1 from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he spoke about student debt relief and participated in a Democratic Party rally.
After exiting the plane, he first shook hands with Gov. Gavin Newsom, then with the rest of the welcoming delegation which also included San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Levin, and Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego).
Biden arrived at MiraCosta College around 7:10 p.m.
Levin preceded Biden in speaking, drawing his biggest applause for saying people don’t want a second term for former President Donald Trump and that Congress should codify abortion.
Levin is facing former San Juan Capistrano Mayor Brian Maryott in Tuesday’s election in a bid for a third term representing the 49th Congressional District which straddles North San Diego and South Orange counties.
Levin defeated Maryott, 53.1 percent to 46.9 percent, in 2020.
Biden is scheduled to speak late Friday morning at a San Diego technology company regarding what’s called the CHIPS and Science Act, which allocates $280 billion in investments into the domestic manufacturing of advanced semiconductor chips.
Biden is set to leave San Diego early Friday afternoon, bound for Chicago.
