President Joe Biden walked into the room for a midterm elections event hosted by Oregon Democrats at 7:11 pm holding a box from Sesame Donuts. He was joined by Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici and Tina Kotek, the Democratic nominee for governor.
Inside the union hall, dozens of people were sitting at tables, making calls to voters. The room was adorned with signs for Tina Kotek, the Democratic nominee for governor, and Ron Wyden, who is up for re-election.
Biden began by saying this year’s midterm elections are the most important off-year elections since Roosevelt.
“I’m here because Ron Wyden has been such an incredible chairman,” he said, going on to praise Wyden’s work on tax reform in the Senate.
He also thanked Oregon Democrats for their help in his election, saying it was nice “to win by 16 points.”
Biden then talked about Democrats’ legislative record, specifically efforts to raise taxes on corporations and lower the costs of prescription drugs.
As Biden thanked the Oregon delegation, he walked over to Rep. Bonamici and put his hand around her.
“By the way it’s her birthday today… she just turned 30,” he said.
Biden then walked over and grabbed Kotek’s hand and the two walked to the center of the room as volunteers cheered
“What a governor does matters,” he said.
Biden wrapped up his remarks with his usual refrain about his optimism about the future of the United States.
After he concluded his remarks at 7:21 pm, he joined a table of volunteers to call voters.
Before he started making calls, he grabbed a donut from the box he brought and ripped off a piece of one chocolate-covered Long John donut and ate it.
2022 midterms
President Biden appeared to connect with some voters on the phone. At one point, Biden moved to another volunteer and put on her headset to talk to voter. He spent an extended amount of time on one phone call, pacing around the room as he held up an iPhone to his ear.
Biden then took a second donut. This time the whole one and it was glazed.
Pool was ushered out of the union hall at 7:41 pm as Biden was still sitting with volunteers and finishing his donut.