Beau Biden visits Hampton Roads

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Vice President Joe Biden’s son Beau was in Norfolk Thursday to kickoff a campaign event and spoke with 10 On Your Side about the military.

Biden is reaching out to the military at a time when Congress could have to make huge cuts to the defense budget. In addition to being the oldest son of Joe Biden, Beau Biden is a Major in the Delaware Army National Guard and the Attorney General of that state.

He is well aware of the challenges the Obama Administration is faced with when it comes to the defense budget, but says his father and the President already have a proven record when it comes to veterans affairs and the national defense.

“Obviously that’s very important here in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Biden told WAVY.com “Important in other states where there’s a high demographic of veterans.”

That is why Biden has launched the Veterans and Military Families for Obama campaign in Hampton Roads. A town keeping a watchful eye on the defense budget, but according to Biden, a region where military families have benefited from the work of the Obama Administration.

“This administration and this president, this Commander in Chief has increased the veterans affairs budget and taken care of veterans’ benefits, increased it more than anyone has in 30 years.”

Biden says the man trying to defeat his father's boss in the November election, Republican Mitt Romney, did little to help veterans when he was the Governor of Massachusetts.

“He proposed slashing veterans' benefits to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars in the first month in office."

"When you think about the progress made under President Obama, despite his campaign promises, the reality is that his policies have failed to make things better for veterans and their families,” Curt Cashour, Virginia Communications Director for the Romney campaign said.

Cashour, also a veteran, says the Obama Administration has failed the military and their families.

"His budget will make military families pay more for healthcare and President Obama's defense cuts have already eliminated 2,000 Virginia jobs,” he said.

"Look at this president's priorities, look at his budget,” Biden said. “Look at the increase in the proposed 2013 budget where he increases the veterans affairs budget by nearly 10 percent."