WILMINGTON, Del. — The Beau Biden rollout has begun.
Unless Mitt Romney’s running mate is a complete surprise, this will be the first presidential election in 80 years without a veteran on either ticket. That makes the Delaware attorney general, 43, a unique ambassador for his father and the president as the leader of Veterans and Military Families for Obama.
He has the profile to draw attention because of his name and his office. And his experience as a JAG officer whose National Guard unit was stationed in Baghdad for 10 months gives him added authority when he talks up Obama’s performance as commander in chief — a record the president himself touted Monday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Reno.
As a younger veteran of a recent war who has a young family, Biden is a contrast to former Sen. Bob Dole and former President George H.W. Bush, who co-chair Veterans for Romney, and Sen. John McCain, who’s headlined many of their events. Recent polls are split — in May, Gallup found that Romney was far ahead with veterans and Reuters found that Obama was far ahead. Traditionally, the Democratic candidate trails among this group, but the Obama campaign believes it has a prime opportunity to build on its support.
The campaign is particularly focused on swing states with high active military and recent veteran concentrations. That includes Iowa — where Beau Biden campaigned last week — and Virginia, around Fort Bragg in North Carolina or Colorado Springs, as well as the 21 military facilities in Florida and the many scattered across Nevada, Iowa and Ohio.
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