Biden Last Minute Appeal to Boost the Base

Vice President Joe Biden and Delaware Democratic U.S. House candidate John Carney, attend a rally for the Delaware Democratic Party ticket, in Wilmington, Del (AP).

Vice President Joe Biden utilized the "us versus them" tactic on the Tom Joyner Morning Show Tuesday, highlighting his working class background to make his case.

"These guys don't get it," he said of the Republican Party. "They've never lived where we live. They've never been who we are. People are in trouble."

Tom Joyner's show is a syndicated African-American radio program, which Mr. Biden says he used to listen to on his famous daily Delaware to DC train rides in the morning, before the Secret Service started driving him to work.

Over the past week, the White House has tried to engage their young, Latino and African American base to attempt to boost the typically low voter turnout for midterm elections.

The vice president tried to be relatable, saying "man" repeatedly and talking about his days as a boy in Scranton when his father had to make the long walk up the stairs to tell him that his family had to move because of financial trouble. Mr. Biden said he understands that today there are people around the country making that same dreaded walk.

Polls have shown that voter anger over the economy has consistently been directed at Democrats. The vice president tried to redirect the anger to the GOP, pointing to the policies of President George W. Bush that the current White House is trying to change, "People should be angry. I'm angry. But the thing about it is, we're changing this around now and they gotta show up and vote."

Turnout is key for Democrats, who fear apathy or frustration may keep their base at home. The widely accepted conventional wisdom is that the GOP will make their mark, and big, on election day. Still, Mr. Biden remained cautiously hopeful. "We're gonna lose some seats but I still think we can hang on to the Congress, hang on to the -- we'll keep the Senate. I still think we can hang on to the House of Representatives if we get a turnout."

On another front, the vice president urged voters to report any instances of intimidation. "By the way, anybody [who] tries this voter intimidation stuff you're talking about, I got a phone number: 1-800-253-3931. Goes right to the Justice Department of the United States of America," Biden said.

He finished with, "Do not be intimidated. Go get what belongs to us, the American people."