Biden attends Hagan fundraiser at UNC

Vice President Joe Biden was on campus Friday, raising money for Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., at the George Watts Hill Alumni Center.

The location of Biden’s visit wasn’t announced ahead of time, but Stadium Drive was closed to all traffic “for a special event.” Police lined the sidewalks along Stadium, preventing people from getting close to the Alumni Center.

The private fundraiser was for Hagan’s re-election campaign, along with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. According to a White House pool report, the top-priced ticket for the fundraiser cost $10,000 and included a photo and special host reception. The lowest-priced ticket was $500.

According to the pool report, Biden was introduced by Hagan and began speaking at 1:46 p.m. He criticized North Carolina for not expanding Medicaid and referenced the Republican-dominated politics of the state.

“You lead and you lead the South and Middle Atlantic states, and then you go through a period of what you have in Raleigh right now,” he said. “But you always come back. You always come back better.”

Hagan is running for re-election in 2014. Five Republicans, including N.C. Speaker of the House Thom Tillis, have so far announced that they will challenge her.

Biden told donors at the event that Hagan is able to work across the aisle with Republicans.

“The only way to break through this gridlock is with people who can earn the trust of people on the other team, that’s why she’s so valuable,” he said.

Biden also criticized the Tea Party at the event and said he hoped the Republican Party would move away from far-right politics.

“Your father’s Republican Party is trying to come back,” he said. “The business community … came along and said enough is enough. You are going to see the Republican Party wrestle back eventually to a mainstream conservative position and that’s good. We need a strong Republican Party. Because we have to have somebody we can look across the aisle and make a deal with. I can’t think of nobody better to be there to extend the hand on the other side when that happens than Kay Hagan.”

He finished his remarks at 2:20 p.m., and left campus soon after.

N.C. Minority Whip Sen. Josh Stein, D-Wake, N.C. Democratic Party Chairman Randy Voller and former UNC basketball coach Bill Guthridge were among those in attendance.

Students walking past the Alumni Center would stop and crane their necks to get a glimpse of Biden — especially when people at the fundraiser were on the outside deck.

Senior Matthew Ryan waited for about 20 minutes with a friend to watch. He saw President Barack Obama when he came to campus in spring 2012.

He said he didn’t have a strong opinion about Biden, but was excited that he was on campus.

“He’s the vice president,” he said. “I just want to see him because he’s famous.”

state@dailytarheel.com