Thread by @mikememoli

The crowd filling in and line around the outside for @JoeBiden in Des Moines

Biden on stage in Des Moines. Thanks local supporters and the IAFF, which “was foolish enough to endorse me.”

Biden again notes the Trump tweets directed at him, this time citing Q from @brianneDMR interview. "I wonder why he was doing that. I wonder why he’s doing that."

Biden again says that if Trump is defeated now, history will see this as an "aberrant moment." But if given 8 years he will change character of country. "We are losing our standing in the world in a way that’s going to make it more dangerous for us."

Some folks in front of stage wearing penguin masks holding signs that say "Climate in Crisis." Biden assures them he'll get to the topic, and adds: "I got there before any of the other candidates did."

Biden calls climate change "the moral obligation of our time. That’s why we did the Recovery Act, Barack and I put so much money in it for climate change." Biden says he introduced a climate change bill "way way back in '87."

The biggest Bidenisms on the trail so far:
"Not a joke."
"Here's the deal."
"Folks!"
"The fact of the matter is ..."

Talking about his plan to build on the Affordable Care Act, Biden says "we’ll not raise your taxes at all in order to do it" if they're smart about closing loopholes

Biden: "This gigantic disparity of wealth in America today is not only wrong it allows demagogues to come along. … And so folks we’ve got to deal with it. And I think we can deal with it."

Biden says of those drawn to the divisive rhetoric: "We have to listen to them. We have to let them know we understand what they’re facing. Because a lot of times they don’t think we do."

Biden: "While the president is tweeting, China has decided they’re going to take over the artificial intelligence area."

Biden recalls his role meeting with Xi Jinping when he was vice president to prepare for the transition. Retells his story about telling Xi that America's secret was it's sense of possibilities.