Biden tells Minn. crowd that he will ’strangle’ Republicans who complain about budget

Biden says he’ll ’strangle’ Republicans

DAYTON, Minn. — Vice President Joe Biden has told Democrats at a Minnesota fundraiser that he’ll “strangle” members of the GOP who complain about the federal budget.

According to a pool report from Tuesday’s event in Dayton, Biden was telling the crowd that Democrats know how to balance the budget. He said, “If I hear one more Republican tell me about balancing the budget, I am going to strangle them.”

He quickly added: “To the press, that’s a figure of speech.”

Biden joined former Vice President Walter Mondale at the fundraiser for 350 people paying at least $150.

Earlier in the day, Biden spoke at a rally at Macalester College in St. Paul and focused on the Obama administration’s efforts to turn the economy around.