Obama/Biden Supporter: 'The 47 Percent Got Me Here'

Before Vice President Joe Biden took the stage at Merrimack Middle School on Saturday, a trio from Salem waiting in the audience said they have been supporters of Obama and Biden since the 2008 election and that it's important for them to be re-elected.

“The 47 percent got me here,” said Patrick Shine, of Salem.

Shine said he hopes the comments made by Romney that, 47 percent of Americans believe they are victims, are dependent on the government and will never vote for him, will push undecided voters in the direction of Obama and Biden.

“I hope it's a wake up call just to how out of touch he is,” Shine said.

Pennie Shine added that it's pretty clear, when you listen to Romney speak, that he's saying only what people want to hear.

“I worked all my life and raised my kids, and I always thought I was middle class,” Ann Nassiff, also of Salem, said. “I never knew I was a victim.”

Biden was in town at the end of two days of campaigning in the Granite State, holding a grassroots-style rally with local supporters, including Congressional Candidate Carol Shea-Porter, D-Rochester, and Gubernatorial candidate Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter.

State representative candidate Jack Rothman, D-Merrimack, said following the speech that Biden is one of the re-election campaign's best assets, having him on the stump.

“He's a very, very real person,” Rothman said. “He talks from the heart.”

Rothman, also speaking to the 47 percent comment, called it one of the “stupidest things [Romney] has ever said.”

“You're writing off half the country,” he said.

Rothman said if Romney is in it to show the country that he's there to support the general populace, he's not doing it right. In the recording obtained by Mother Jones magazine Romney also said he's not worried about that 47 percent, Rothman said.

“Obama said, whether you voted for me or not, it doesn't matter, what I'm going to worry about is you, I'm here to help you,” Rothman said. “[Romney] just showed you who he is, what he really believes.”

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Logan Breslow, a 16-year-old junior who attends Londonderry High School, said he got involved in Obama and Biden's campaigns back in 2008 doing some canvassing, and he's remained involved in 2012 making calls and going to appearances, despite still not being old enough to vote himself.

Breslow, who held the letter B in a “Merrimack 4 Biden” human sign in the risers, said he really likes the Democratic candidates' message and he sees the Republican platform as setting the country up for failure.

“With Romney and Ryan's platform we're seeing more of the same things that got us in to this whole economic mess to begin with,” Breslow said.

Breslow spoke with energy and enthusiasm about his recent encounters with Obama when he visited Mack's Apples in Londonderry and Saturday when he had his photo taken with Biden.

“I really like their message about moving the country forward,” Breslow said.