Former United States President Joe Biden made an emotional appearance before Nebraska Democrats on Friday, November 8, sporting a visible bandage on his head while delivering a speech that blended personal tragedy with sharp political criticism.
Emotional Tribute to Beau Biden
During the Nebraska Democratic Party's Ben Nelson Gala, Biden made a startling declaration about his late son, Beau Biden, who died from brain cancer in 2015. The former President stated that his eldest son should have been elected commander-in-chief in 2020 instead of him.
Biden quietly referenced his son's military service in Iraq, explaining: "When the love of my life, my oldest son, the attorney general of the state of Delaware - who should've been the president, not me - volunteered to go to Iraq for a year, didn't have to, he came back with stage four glioblastoma because he lived in a burn pit just like those guys did on 9/11, and he died."
Healthcare Funding Becomes Political Battle
The former President connected his personal experience with cancer to a direct attack on the Trump administration's policies. Biden accused President Trump and Republican allies of cutting government funding for cancer research and healthcare, making medical treatment more expensive for Americans.
"Folks, I know what cancer research means," Biden told the crowd. "Cancer hits every family. It's hit my family hard." He then praised medical breakthroughs, saying, "Well, thank God for the doctors and nurses and incredible breakthroughs we're making in cancer research."
Biden, who revealed his own diagnosis of stage four prostate cancer earlier this year, used his health battle to emphasize the importance of continued medical funding.
Heightened Criticism of Trump Administration
The 46th President, who will turn 83 on November 20th, grew notably impassioned during his critique of the Trump administration. He linked budget cuts to tax reductions for the "wealthiest people in America" and expressed particular outrage about the record-long government shutdown.
Trump "better get the damn government open," Biden fumed. He charged that the current administration was "deliberately making hunger worse for Americans," specifically referencing the funding lapse for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
"In the United States of America, 1 in 5 children, 1 in 5 children, go to bed hungry every night!" Biden declared. When the crowd responded with boos, he stated: "No, no, it's more than 'boo' ... it's a disgrace!"
The appearance marked another public sighting of Biden with a bandage on his head, this time on the top-left portion. The reason for the fresh bandage remains unclear, though Biden had undergone Mohs surgery for skin cancer in August and appeared with a bandage following that procedure.
Biden concluded his speech by celebrating recent Democratic victories in state elections, declaring, "The Democratic Party is back - not hyperbole." He argued that strong performances in states like Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, New York City, Georgia, and Mississippi show voters are "sending a message to Trump and to his crowd."
