Last night’s Green Inaugural Ball had an unannounced speaker: Vice President Joe Biden.
He had a brief message for the activists and environmentalists in the room: “I came to say thank you.” Politico has more:
“I’ll tell you what my green dream is: that we finally face up to climate change,” Biden said during a surprise appearance at the “Green Ball,” an inaugural weekend event for environmental groups. …
Biden offered no details about what the administration’s approach will be but said, “I don’t intend on ending this four years without getting an awful lot more done.”
He added: “Keep the faith.”
And, in an apparent knock to Republicans who question climate science, he said, “There is science in the White House.”
Response online was positive.
.@vp just strolled into the Green Ball. “I came to say thank you”, Biden announced to massive applause #inauguration
— Heard on the Hill (@HeardontheHill) January 21, 2013
Surprise Joe Biden appearance at the Green Ball. Diamond Joe!
— Jordan Zakarin (@jordanzakarin) January 21, 2013
Biden showed up at Green ball–good sign!!
— Katherine Hamilton (@CleanGridView) January 21, 2013
Great night for environment at the green inaugural ball… Thank goodness we have pres Obama. And joe Biden who just showed up to thank us
— franklin greer (@frankgreer) January 21, 2013
Biden shows up to the Green Ball. Good juju for a 2nd term.
— Dave Hamilton (@newenergydave) January 21, 2013
The Green Ball wasn’t Biden’s only stop. He also dropped by the Latino Inaugural. From The Hill:
Biden, accompanied by his wife, Jill, and other family members, told the crowd during brief remarks, “I think you underestimate your power.” He continued, “I think you underestimate what you’ve done for America and what you’re about to do.”
He said to applause, “The fact that the Latino Hispanic community in this country was such a decisive voice in turning out in this election was noticed by the whole hemisphere.”
In other words, he came to say thank you.