HANOVER, N.H. -
As a college professor, Jill Biden knows you have to be careful what you say in front of students, a lesson she was reminded of as she introduced her husband on Dartmouth College's campus.
"I've seen Joe up close," she said to laughter from students.
The second lady unintentionally had students in stitches as she discussed her husband's passion for his job, saying she's heard the urgency in his voice.
"You can tell you're on a college campus, man!" Vice President Joe Biden said.
After the ice breaker, the vice president got right to the point-- education.
"We must be the best educated country in the world," he said. "It's that basic."
He spoke of relieving student loans, which is what many in the crowd came to hear.
"Higher education, the future and direction of that especially, what him and President Obama's thoughts are on that going forward," said Chris O'Connell, a senior at Dartmouth.
"I hope he talks about higher education. I hope he talks about some of the policies Obama is looking to focus on," said Elise Smith, a senior at Dartmouth.
Smith said she's so concerned about finding a job, that she almost didn't come to the rally.
"I was debating between writing cover letters and coming to hear Biden speak, and I was like, maybe he'll give me some inspiration," she said.
Biden spent nearly as much time talking about education as he did explaining why Mitt Romney is out of touch, referencing a video leaked this week in which Romney was caught saying 47 percent of the country won't vote for him because they're too dependent on big government.
"They become dependent; see themselves as victims who won't take responsibility for their own lives. How could he be so profoundly wrong about America?" Biden asked.
While this crowd has its mind made up...
"Voting for President Obama," Kara Dastruv said.
"I am voting for President Obama," Alex St. Romaine said.
...The state of New Hampshire remains divided. A poll released by the American research group gives an edge to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. He leads in New Hampshire by 49 percent to the president's 46 percent. The president won New Hampshire in 2008 by 9 percentage points.
The Romney campaign released a response to the vice president's visit saying "Americans know they're not better than they were four years ago. Mitt Romney will add millions of jobs and get our economy growing."
Former presidential candidate John McCain says predicting how Granite Staters will vote is notoriously difficult. He told WCAX News he's not surprised how close the race is there.
Reporter Roger Garrity: Some people would argue that since Mitt Romney was the governor of neighboring Massachusetts and he has a home in New Hampshire, that he actually ought to be doing better than just a couple of point lead that he has in the polls.
Sen. John McCain/R-Arizona: I just think it's going to be very close. I think Mitt Romney has been the victim of an avalanche of negative ads, the likes of which we've never seen-- the Chicago-style politics. I also think there's a lot of patriotism in New Hampshire and these latest foreign policy disasters are a clear indication of this president's failed stewardship as commander in chief.
McCain lost to President Obama in New Hampshire by 10 points in 2008.
