KENOSHA — Joe Biden met with family members of Jacob Blake shortly after landing in Milwaukee Thursday.
Biden is expected to meet with law enforcement leaders and business owners in Kenosha, following over a week and a half of unrest.
“I’m not going to tell Kenosha what to do but we have to do together," Biden said during an address Wednesday as he previewed his upcoming trip to Kenosha.
“This is about making sure that we move forward,” Biden said.
People like Diego Salais, whose family runs a now-boarded up appliance shop in Uptown Kenosha have no choice but to move forward.
“We’re here. When the cameras are shut off and all that, we’re still here.” Salais said.
Diego’s message to Biden is the same he had for president trump: bring people together.
“Joe Biden. If he’s really going to talk to the people and extend his hand to help people. Then yeah. That’s the same thing I said about Trump.” Salais said.
Biden’s trip is to Kenosha is two weeks to the day he would have been in Milwaukee to accept the Democratic nomination for president during the Democratic National Convention.
It’s his first stop in Wisconsin during the 2020 election season.
Diego says Kenosha, right now, needs reassurance they won’t be left behind after the city is no longer in the national spotlight.
“If they’re coming to really help, I’m all for it, but if they’re just coming to look good, you might as well," says Diego.
Hamilton Jr. Still owns a barbershop in Uptown Kenosha. In the socially distanced shop on Wednesday, a discussion about change happened.
“Any president or candidate can come. It’s not going to change until they change themselves.” Hamilton Jr. said.
The former vice president said he plans on having a meeting with community leaders, business owners, and law enforcement before making a local stop.
Hamilton Jr. said after both candidates are gone and the dust settles he hopes for a better Kenosha, and country, down the line.
"They can come all day. But we still got to stay here." Hamilton Jr. said.
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign sent TMJ4 News this statement in response to the visit:
“Joe Biden is trying to use a hurting community as a political prop for his failing campaign. While true leaders like President Trump are working with state and local officials to help Kenosha heal, candidate Joe Biden is more interested in fomenting dissent and division. Wisconsin voters will rightly reject Joe Biden’s efforts to play politics with a community burned by his own supporters.” – Trump Victory Spokesperson Anna Kelly
