Reno wildfire forces Vice President Joe Biden to cut short appearance
Reno wildfire forces Vice President Joe Biden to cut short appearance
19 January 2012
published by www.ajc.com
USA — RENO Vice President Joe Biden was 20 minutes into his speech at a high school here before an encroaching wildfire forced him cut short his remarks.
Biden was in Nevada to discuss higher education policy in the run up to the states Democratic caucuses.
Despite repeated entreaties from the Secret Service to stop talking, Biden continued to take questions from the audience who had waited more than an hour for his arrival.
I know, he said to an agent motioning for him to get off the stage, midway through his response to a question about the importance of the Dream Act.
Nervous audience members left the high school gym and were greeted by an enormous smoke column. The fire was within a couple miles of Galena High School. A nearby elementary school was evacuated.
Biden wrapped up his speech by urging students to challenge authority and go to college.