Biden reassures voter he's got 'fire' even though he's not 'screaming like Bernie'

Biden's got plenty of fire, it's just a friendly fire.

Former Vice President Joe Biden sought to reassure a voter that he's passionate about the issues and his campaign while speaking at an event for supporters on Friday.

"What is your fire?" asked an attendee. "Because you see [Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)], you see [Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)]. You see that fire. That's what I'm looking for. What is your fire?"

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

"Decency and honor," Biden began, to cheers and applause. "The fact that I'm not screaming like Bernie and waving my arms like Elizabeth is not a lack of fire," he said.

Critics, including former Obama White House adviser David Axelrod, have panned Biden's "low energy" campaign performance, especially in debates. Sanders himself, who is often criticized for speaking loudly, has said Biden lacks "energy and excitement" both to spark voter turnout and to defeat President Trump. Warren's campaign style has been interpreted by the Los Angeles Times as a way to demonstrate her physical fitness and stamina in comparison to her fellow candidates. She has hit back against comments from Biden calling her "angry," saying "I own it." Summer Meza