Remarks by the Vice President at a Campaign Rally in Dayton, Ohio

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hello, Ohio! (Applause.) Hello, everybody back in the next county over there! What a great crowd! (Applause.)

Before I begin, I want you all to look at those two words: Vote Early. Do it now. (Applause.)

Wasn't the President great last night?

AUDIENCE: Yes!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Last night, we saw a Commander-in-Chief who is in command of the issues. You guys got to see what I see every day for the last four years, a President who clearly understands America's interest around the world and has the courage to pursue and protect those interests.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a man who's not only earned my respect and all those who work with him and all of you, but he's earned the respect of all the world leaders. (Applause.) Ladies and gentlemen, the Commander-in-Chief not only knows how to lead America, but this Commander-in-Chief is leading the world. (Applause.)

As my dad would say, this is a man with a steady hand and a clear vision; a man who leads not only by the example of our power, but by the power of America's example. This is a President who says what he means, means what he says, and does what he says. (Applause.)

This is a man the world relies on, and we rely on. And, boy, was the contrast clear last night. (Applause.) Whoa! Whoa! It wasn't even close, was it?

AUDIENCE: No!

THE PRESIDENT: No. (Laughter.) As the President pointed out last night, these debates have exposed that Governor Romney and Paul Ryan have a foreign policy right out of the '80s, a social policy out of the '50s, and an economic policy right out of the '20s. (Applause.) The differences in our policies and, I would submit to you, in our values, are profound, and the American people, after four debates, know it.

Ladies and gentlemen, that's why last night you saw Governor Romney rushing to agree with the President on Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria. He disavowed the foreign policy he's been running on for the past two years just like that. Even this one -- this one amazed me. (Laughter.) This one amazed me. He even tried to rewrite the history of his position on rescuing the automobile industry. Whoa! (Laughter.) If I only knew he was ready to help back then. (Laughter.) If I only knew.

Look, half the time, I didn't know whether Governor Romney was there to debate Barack Obama or endorse Barack Obama. (Applause.) I mean, it's hard to tell.

But I have a message for the good governor. Governor, you can't run from the truth. You can't run from your record. You can't run from your policies.

Look at his policies -- opposition to nuclear arms control agreements; wanting to keep 30,000 troops in Iraq; shredding regulations, which he commits to do, letting Wall Street gamble with our money again and letting banks write their own rules again; proposing over $2 trillion in new tax cuts for the wealthy while raising taxes on the middle class.

AUDIENCE: Booo --

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Folks, folks, we have seen this movie before and we know how it ends. It ends in a catastrophe for the middle class. It ends in the Great Recession of 2008. And the American people are not prepared to go back -- and we're not either. (Applause.)

Folks, this President is leveling the playing field, getting the middle class back in the game. He knows how to build America, from the middle out. That's how you build America. (Applause.) And thanks to his leadership and the grit of the American people, America is coming back.

There is no quit in America. There never has been any quit in America. (Applause.) The American people know only one way forward -- only one way -- and that is forward. And together -- together, ladies and gentlemen, all of us -- even the 47 percent of us that Romney doesn't think matter -- (applause) -- we're moving forward. (Applause.) Regardless.

I've never met two guys who are more down on America. Every time they turn around, America is in decline; American people won't take responsibility. I don't know where they live. But it's not where we live. It's not who we are. (Applause.)

And, ladies and gentlemen, regardless of what our opponents say, what they try to paint, America is not in decline. Americans are not dependent people. We are strong. We're independent. We take responsibility. And I've got news for Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan -- it's never, never, ever been a good bet to bet against the American people. Never. (Applause.)

So, ladies and gentlemen, join me in welcoming my friend, our President, Barack Obama. (Applause.)