Former Missouri Governor Bob Holden campaigned for former Vice President Joe Biden in Springfield ahead of Tuesday's presidential primary in Missouri.
Holden, who served as Missouri’s governor from 2001 to 2005, spoke on Sunday at a campaign event to promote a phone bank to get out the vote for Biden. Holden told KSMU Biden’s greatest asset is a unifying type of leadership.
“He’s got the ability to bring people together," Holden said, "to try to find solutions to our problems, and in the world that we’re in, we need to be working with countries around the world to make sure and address the issues of climate change, of inequities and income levels with more involvement of minorities, and women, and African Americans and Hispanics in our culture. Because we’ve got to be more reflective of a global world if we want to be successful in the world of tomorrow.”
The former governor said Biden is the most authentic candidate.
Sam Smith is the executive director of the Greene County Democratic Party. He said Holden’s endorsement is significant.
“Governor Bob Holden is someone who a lot of Democrats still look to as a beacon for what Missouri Democrats used to look like," Smith told KSMU. "What a competitive state for Democrats is. In order for us to be successful in retaking offices not only here in Greene County, but across the entire state, there are things that we have to change in ways that we have to speak to voters.”
Smith said this is in line with Joe Biden’s campaign message of going back to a more bipartisan era in politics. He also said the Greene County Democrats will support the eventual Democratic nominee in the general election, whether it’s Biden or Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
The campaign event was attended by about a dozen people, including Jeff and Penni Groves, both Springfield area attorneys. Jeff Groves said Biden’s time as Senator and Vice President is important to his vote.
“I think the country needs to coalesce. I think that we need someone in the White House who stands for integrity and decency, and I think that Joe Biden is that person. He’s very experienced in domestic and foreign policy and I think he’s exactly what we need right now.”
