PHILADELPHIA — Saying the Republicans have nominated the most clueless, unprepared presidential candidate in history, Vice President Joseph R. Biden on Wednesday night eviscerated Donald Trump, telling fellow Democrats the billionaire is a literal danger to the future of the country.
Speaking at the Democratic National Convention, Mr. Biden blasted Mr. Trump and cast him as a candidate of fear and division. He also told a rowdy crowd here that Mr. Trump’s extreme lack of foreign policy knowledge would make the U.S. much less safe at a volatile time across the globe.
“His cynicism is unbounded. … He has no clue about what makes America great. Actually, he has no clue, period,” Mr. Biden said, riffing on Mr. Trump’s campaign slogan.
“No major party nominee in the history of our nation has ever known less or has been less prepared with our national security. We cannot elect a man who exploits our fears … who has no plan whatsoever to make us safer,” Mr. Biden said.
The outgoing vice president — who became emotional at times when speaking about his late son, Beau — said Mr. Trump’s embrace of torture, his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country “betrays” American values.
“Donald Trump, with all his rhetoric, would literally make us less safe,” Mr. Biden said.
On the other side of the ledger, Mr. Biden cast Hillary Clinton as uniquely qualified to be president. But rather than recite her foreign policy experience, the vice president mostly spoke of the former first lady’s character, and what her administration would mean to young women across the country.
“We all understand what it will mean for our daughters and granddaughters when Hillary Clinton walks into the Oval Office as president of the United States of America,” he said. “It will change their lives.”
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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