Vice President Joe Biden hit the campaign trail Tuesday to Bakersfield, Calif. where Democrat Amanda Renteria is facing an uphill battle against incumbent Republican Rep. David Valadao in California’s 21st district. Biden is famously prone to making verbal gaffes, but for once it’s what he didn’t say that caused more of a stir than what he did.
At an event appropriately titled “Rally for the Valley,” Biden gave a 30-minute speech on the future of Hispanics and the struggle of the middle class. Just one problem. According to the Fresno Bee, Biden failed to mention the most pressing issue for Hispanics and middle class in California’s Valley: water.
California is in the middle of a drought of historic proportions and as crops wither, groundwater dries and once fertile farmland lays fallow. It’s disappointing to see the Vice President of the United States ignore an issue as it literally stares him in the face.
Local leadership was justifiably disappointed by the omission. Farming and community advocate Michelle Henry wanted to hear “how they’re going to address water issues.”
Renteria is hoping that Biden’s presence at the event will mobilize Democratic voters, but as is usually the case with a Biden speech, he grabbed attention for all the wrong reasons.
The Valadao campaign strongly criticized the speech, stating, “Instead of providing solutions for the Central Valley, Amanda Renteria and Vice President Biden chose to play politics, and that’s too bad.”
