Posted: 10:34 AM ET
From CNN Political Producer Alexander Marquardt
Sen. Biden told Palin not to lecture him Thursday night.
JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri (CNN) – Joe Biden Thursday night told Sarah Palin not to lecture him on patriotism, after weeks of attacks mocking him for his statement the wealthy should be patriotic and pay higher taxes because not enough has been asked of them.
"Sarah Palin had great fun saying Joe Biden thinks paying taxes is patriotic. Well, let me tell you what Joe Biden thinks," the Delaware senator said at an outdoor rally. "Joe Biden thinks that anybody who takes millions of dollars offshore to avoid paying their fair share is unpatriotic."
The Obama-Biden campaign has accused John McCain of saying publicly he would close offshore banking loopholes, but saying otherwise in private.
"That is not patriotic and it will stop, it will stop in an Obama-Biden administration! Enough! I've had it up to here! Don't lecture me on patriotism," shouted Biden, getting drowned out by the applause of his supporters. "I'm dead tired of being taken advantage of. I'm getting tired of it."
Biden also said he's had enough of the McCain camp's personal attacks on Obama, slamming the Arizona senator for violating the "ethics" of the old neighborhood for not having the courage to go after Obama's character in their debates the way he has in speeches and in television ads.
"In my neighborhood you want to say something about me, look me in the eye and tell me," said Biden. "Say it to me straight up. Say it to me head on. That's the code, that's the ethics! Say it to me! Ladies and gentlemen, I'm tired of losing, I'm tired of taking this stuff, I've had enough."
There has been a perceptible shift this week in Biden's approach to attacking the opposing ticket. Since Wednesday, he has been increasingly willing to take on Sarah Palin individually, instead of his earlier approach of lumping her in with McCain or ignoring her altogether.
Biden's comments on patriotism were the second time he returned Palin's fire Thursday. Earlier, in Liberty, Missouri, Biden attacked McCain's new mortgage plan, using Palin's quip from last week that she has been listening to Biden's speeches since the second grade, which was intended to paint him as a Washington insider.
"That's true," Biden responded. "But she was in sixth grade the last time John had a new idea."
However, in the second use of that line here in Jefferson City, Biden incorrectly said Palin had made those comments directly to him at their debate in St. Louis last Thursday, rather than at a Columbus, Ohio rally three days prior.
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