SCRANTON, Pa. -- Former vice president and current presidential candidate Joe Biden came to Scranton Wednesday for a speech on the economy.
Biden, a Scranton native, addressed the crowd inside the Scranton Cultural Center.
He was introduced by Rosemary Boland, head of the Scranton Federation of Teachers just before 10:45 a.m.
Biden began his speech by saying he was happy to be home, and plenty of people were happy to welcome him back.
The line was wrapped around the block Wednesday morning with supporters waiting to hear Biden speak.
There was also a group of protesters on hand as well. The back and forth between the two groups showed how pivotal this region will be in the 2020 election.
President Trump and presidential hopeful Joe Biden both set their sights on northeastern Pennsylvania this week.
Although this was a campaign rally for Biden, we heard the name Trump far more often.
"I'm here to try to get Donald Trump reelected for president," said Scranton resident John Harris.
"We got to get serious here. We got to get Trump out of office. We're going to need someone with the right temperament to do that," said Ryan Dugan of Lake Ariel.
Biden played heavily on his Lackawanna County roots.
"Everything my sister Valerie and I learned came from Scranton. Scranton sort of creeps into your heart and never leaves you," Biden said.
Biden's speech focused on his economic policies and his vision for the middle class.
"Middle class is a value set. Middle class is being able to send your child to park and know they're going to be able to come home safely, being home to send them to the local public school and know that if they do well, they'll be able to go beyond school," said Biden.
"He knows what he's talking about and that's why I like to listen to him. He knows what he's doing. He knows government. He knows the world and he is known by the world," Carol Johnson Phillips said.
Biden called the middle class the backbone of this country and says as president, he would rebuild it.
Biden finished speaking around 11:30 a.m.
The candidate spoke at a private event in Luzerne County on Tuesday night.