Staying true to his appeal for the olden days, former Vice President Joe Biden visited Downtown Oakland’s nostalgic Buttercup Diner on Super Tuesday while campaigning for the Democratic National Primary.

On March 3, the family-style restaurant was transformed into a shoulder-to-shoulder engagement venue with Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden.

Owned by Debbie, from Virginia, and David Shahvar, from Israel, who met in a diner Debbie worked in while finishing at Cal Poly Pomona, The Buttercup Diner, has been in business since the 1988 opening of their flagship Walnut Creek restaurant. They launched the second location on Broadway near Jack London Square in Downtown Oakland in 1991.

A loose crowd began to gather around 9:30 a.m. including one man with a team Bloomberg shirt, a sprinkle of Bernie Sanders supporters holding signs, and five newscasters. By 11 a.m. more people filled the parking lot including an influx of Sanders supporters who took over every corner of 3rd and Broadway to chant calls for climate change and Medicare for All.

Jason Gallagher, 35, of Oakland stood nearby holding a “JOE IS SENILE” sign and was assaulted by a man who asked why he didn’t put “Bernie had a heart attack” on the other side of it. The Oakland police took statements from both men but neither was arrested.

In this 2010 file photo, Vice President Joe Biden gets a hug from U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-SC. Mary Ann Chastain/Associated Press

When Biden arrived, he glanced at and ignored the damaged sign as Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff lead him into the diner. Biden ordered a slice of Coconut Crème Pie and tipped the cashier the change from his twenty as both reporters and stunned patrons crowded him to take pictures. He declined questions from the press.

Former City Council President and current city council member Lynette Gibson McElhaney were also in attendance adorned with a necklace with the image of her late son, Victor McElhaney, a student who fell victim to gun violence in Los Angeles last year. Surprisingly, famed pilot Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III, heralded for his successful landing of Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, was also at the diner to meet Vice President Biden.

Former Vice President Biden was assisted by his current presidential campaign senior advisor, Symone Sanders, who abruptly left her position as press secretary for the 2016 Bernie Sanders campaign.  After ordering the pie, Biden spent almost an hour wadding through the crowd and stopping at each booth to speak with Buttercup diner patrons. He took selfies, shook hands, and saluted a veteran.

Some individual protestors shouted criticisms to the supporters as they lined the exit door. They mentioned dead Afghans from the Iraq war as well as other controversial Biden votes. The majority of the crowd booed the lone protestors and began chanting “Let’s Go, Joe!” As he exited the Butter Cup diner, Biden quickly traveled through the tunnel of onlookers to his awaiting white Suburban but shook a few more hands-on the way.

Results from Tuesday nights primary left Biden with 93 delegates from California, second to Bernie Sanders 155 but Biden sweep many important states and has become the Democratic primary front runner.

Lauren Richardson

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