(CNN) - Vice President Joe Biden challenged Republican voters in New York's 23rd congressional district to teach conservative "absolutists" a lesson in the special House election Tuesday by voting for the Democratic candidate in the race.
"We aren't asking you to switch your party," Biden said at a rally for Democrat Bill Owens in Watertown, New York Monday morning. "We are just saying join us in teaching a lesson to those absolutists who say no dissent is permitted within your own party."
The comments come a day after Republican Dede Scozzafava, who withdrew from the race Saturday amid heavy pressure from conservatives - endorsed Owens. Many high-profile Republicans, including Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, and Dick Armey, have already thrown their own support behind third-party conservative candidate Doug Hoffman.
Related: Scozzafava campaigns for Owens
In his remarks at the rally for Owens, Biden elicited boos from the crowd when he mentioned Palin, Limbaugh and Armey.
"The idea that Rush Limbaugh would handpick [the] successor is kind of unusual," Biden said of the popular conservative radio host who has heavily backed Hoffman over the national party's choice of Scozzafava.
"I would have thought the last person I would bring up to the North Country is Dick Armey," Biden continued, pointing to the former Texas congressman and current chairman of the conservative group FreedomWorks. "He's a decent guy, but he represents a view so alien it seems to me to the pragmatism to the North Country. Sarah Palin, a former governor - her views are real and consistent with Armey's and Limbaugh's and Dick Cheney's."
"This is a different ideology," Biden continued. "This is different than anything I've known in my 45 years of being familiar with this district. You know, they may not have any room for moderate views in the Republican Party upstate anymore, but let me assure you, we have room, we have room."
Later in his remarks, the vice president couldn't help but return to the subject of the former Alaska governor when the issue of energy came up.
"Sarah Palin thinks the answer to energy is 'Drill, baby, drill,' he said, leaning into the microphone. "It's a lot more complicated, Sarah, than drill baby drill."
A just-released Siena College poll suggests Hoffman holds a 5-point lead over Owens, while 18 percent of likely remain undecided.
Update: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin fired back at Biden Monday. "As the vice president knows, I have always advocated an all-of-the-above approach to American energy independence," Palin wrote in a note on her Facebook page. "There's one way to tell Vice President Biden that we're tired of folks in Washington distorting our message and hampering our nation's progress: Hoffman, Baby, Hoffman!."
Follow Alex Mooney on Twitter @awmooneycnn
From CNN Politics
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The real joke, is that everywhere the lesson being learned sadly not understood, by the Liberals of this country that makes up only about 20% is that we are sick of their TAX and SPEND policies, that are destroying our prospects of a future free of govern't intervention and confiscation of our wealth. That is the real lesson being learned, as we as Americans are deciding to TAKE our Country BACK!!!. Tomorrow is just the first page of the Conservative movement to take our Country Back!!!!
This is more entertianing than the E! Channel.let's have a Biden/Palin debate tosee who isthe best bafoon. No, cancel that thought, they would hurt themselves tryin to get the worm off the hook.
If only we could "teach them a lesson" sadly Joe they cannot learn anything our only hope (as it should be ) is voter turn-out. Get of your butts and vote Democrats.
I believe it is officially time to call this the Rham Emmanuel presidency (much like the previous Cheney presidency).
I say this because all Obama does is play golf (26 rounds, more then double what W and Clinton had played to date combined!) and campaign, and Biden couldn't tie his shoes without help.
BTW, this rally, which was free to the public, was only 65% full, with the Vice-President in attendance. Ouch.
The direct reflection of Obama's job approval is the over 50% job approval rating he has, not an election in a small district of NY that hasn't elected a democrat since the 19th century. Hey "Proud Member..Party of No" you seem to be from the party of "No knowledge" as well.
Biden tells it like it is, and it scares people. I love it!
Biden is the biggest fiscal conservative we've ever seen. Just look at how little of HI S OWN money he gives to charity. Have no illusions, he knows what conservatism is all about.
Biden – porch monkey working for the grinder
Joe, you need to turn around and see who you are working with?? You are suppose to be in charge of the Stimulus money to see that we have jobs. You have failed sir! Who wants to vote Democratic when all the Democrats have shown this country is that they spend all our money and could care less for the unemployed!
I say go Tea Parties, conservatives!
I will the first to join a true conservative party. where do i sign up?
Way to go, Joe! Bring up all the conservative and Republican boogeymen (and women) to fire up the liberal core in NY-23. Your rambling commentaries make no sense and only appear to work when you throw in Palin's, Limbaugh's or Bush's name every couple of minutes to get the obligatory boo's.
Only problem with this strategy is that there's aren't enough liberals in NY-23 to fill a small auditorium.
Nancy and others,
By voting for Hoffman, you may indeed be sending the message that Repubs and Dems are the same and you're fed up. But in the same token, you're also sending a message that says"Yes. Let me be a puppet of the right fringe media"
You really wanna be a tool for the likes of Limbaugh, Palin, Beck, etc.?
Joe Biden is asking the voters in NY23 to vote AGAINST traditional American values. Sorry, Joe..... conservatives are not giving up saving this country from Socialism and Communism just yet.
Why don't the Republicans simply split into two parties officially.
1. Those who arte insane and are fascists
2. Those who like big business and like bribes.
see no problem. Case closed.
It's funny to hear Democrats say that the Republicans aren't an inclusive party. Is it me or aren't you the ones that call Lieberman a "traitor" because he doesn't believe in the public option??
The facts are that conservatives actually stood up for their beliefs and values here. It had absolutely nothing to do with backing the party. Nothing makes that fact more clear than Scozzafava endorsing the Democrat candidate. The reason she did that is because her values are more in line with the Democrat than the Conservative.
Republicans did not alienate a moderate. They didn't want someone who is pro-choice, for gay marriage and a supporter of Obama's economic policies. Scozzafava was not just a moderate, she represented Democrat values; not Republican values.
So Republicans said we don't want someone who only has an "R" behind their name; rather Republicans want someone who represents their values. That makes sense to me.
Biden should keep his mouth shut! He's gonna ruin any chances the democrat has at winning.
So the Vice President wants people to vote one way not because of a better candidate but because it will teach someone a lesson? Does Biden really think this is what our system is built on and what our forefathers set up for us?
The GOP gasconade about conservative values, once almost dissed by Pope John paul II, has general public gaspin' for breath.
The die-hard right wing wingnuts and bigots would do well by not ratcheting up their rhetorical rodomontades about their radical je ne se pa talk.
Sarak Palin is nothing but an opportunist, she is driving a wedge so huge in the republican party but she does not care that moderates and independents WILL be looking elsewhere, it's all about Palin and the 7 dwarfs in her lunatic right wing fringe of a tea party.
quote: 'the democrats are desperately trying to salvage an election or two...'
Do you not realize that these races are in REPUBLICAN territory??
there shouldn't even be a contest – and the fact that there IS shows what has happened to the Republican party.
I repeat.. this shouldn't have even been a contest – but it's going to be down to the wire... even with Republican wins across the board it only shows their in question even on their own turf.
Joe is doing a great job- Unlike his predecessor- he is smart- Senate-savy, and has a HEART- The Dick is still being himself--too bad.
Gee – didn't the WH say last week that these races didn't matter and they weren't worried about the outcome? Seems to me they are VERY worried and I couldn't be happier...unless of course these morons were evicted from the White House!
This looks like a set-up. More Chicago style politics. if you can't win fairly manipulate the system Obama- style.
Let's hope that Sarah Palin's endorsement proves to be the kiss of death for Hoffman's campaign. With luck, Sarah will turn out to be another Medusa.... the Republican leper woman.
Joe Biden's an idiot. Anyone he endoses has got to be "luggage"....
Palin just responded at guess where?Facebook her unfiltered rant page.Interesting remarks from her on energy independence.I guess Joe was against the Alaska oil pipeline that contributed billions of barrels of oil,as well as dollars to the American economy.She states her alternative energy goals were 50% renewables compared to Os 25%,which in her short term 20% were achieved.She also blasts these guys for supporting offshore drilling in Brazil with loans to Petrobas,while keeping American oil companies from drilling offshore in America.Bidon just shot himself in the foot again,he really is a gaff machine that just distorted facts again.I like him but again this guys wrong.