Vice President Joe Biden visited a PG&E power plant in Oakland, California, Friday morning and spoke with veterans in a job-training program.
Biden spoke with 15 students in the utility's workforce development program before a much broader press event where he highlighted the importance of workforce development, especially for veterans, according to remarks released by the White House.
His appearance is part of a two-day swing through the Bay Area. Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, arrived Thursday evening. The vice president attended a political fundraiser, while his wife visited De Anza Community College in Cupertino to highlight the administration's commitment to two-year colleges.
PG&E's training program prepares people for careers as utility workers, welders, gas service representatives and such. Since 2008, the program has trained more than 600 students, according to the company.
The Republic National Committee issued a general anti-Democrat statement on Friday ahead of Biden's speech, that did not address the specifics of his visit or job growth.
Instead, Ninio Fetalvo, RNC spokesman stated in an email: “Vice President Biden will continue to tout the same failed Democrat policies of the Obama Administration, but it’s clear that the American people want our country to go in a new direction in 2016. Whether it’s Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton, the American people aren't ready for more of the same.”
In a followup email, Fetalvo added that in the Republican's viewpoint, Obama's economic policies leave the middle class behind, and Biden "will continue to tout what they are doing to promote the middle class," citing March's "disappointing" jobs report as an example.
NBC Bay Area's Lisa Fernandez and Cheryl Hurd contributed to this report.
