Sawt Falasteen - Biden returns to his roots in contrast with on-trial Trump

The 81-year-old US president played up his blue-collar credentials as he chose his childhood hometown of Scranton to deliver a speech on the need for the wealthy to pay more tax, featuring a number of jabs at Trump.

"I learned a lot here in Scranton. I learned that money doesn't determine your worth," the Democrat told a campaign event as he took aim at his Republican rival.

"People like Donald Trump learned very different lessons... he learned that telling people 'you're fired' is something to laugh about," he added, referring to Trump's catchphrase on the reality TV show "The Apprentice."

Biden made no reference to Trump's hush money trial in New York, the first time in history a former president has ever faced a criminal trial.

But he repeatedly drew contrasts with Trump on other issues, saying November's vote was a battle between "Scranton values or Mar-a-Lago values," referring to Trump's luxury Florida home.

"Donald Trump looks at the world differently to you and me," a fired-up Biden said.

"He wakes up in the morning in Mar-a-Lago thinking about himself, how he can help his billionaire friends gain power and control and force their extreme agenda on the rest of us."

- 'Voting for Biden' -

Scranton, a former mining town also known as the setting for the US version of hit TV comedy "The Office," has long been at the heart of the political mythology Biden has cultivated.

Biden, who drove down an expressway named in his honor after his arrival, loves nothing more than peppering public appearances with references to the values he learned from his hardscrabble upbringing there.

And Scranton's voters are exactly the kind that he will need to win in November if he is to carry key swing states like Pennsylvania and prevent scandal-hit Trump making a comeback.

Biden's campaign earlier released a social media ad featuring Scranton locals, including a cousin, bashing Trump as rich and selfish.

His homecoming trip also rides recent momentum in polls that show him catching up with Trump, after months of trailing the Republican.

His campaign is keen to keep pushing the advantage, backed by recent fundraising in which he far outstripped his rival.

In the latest in a series of jokes on that theme, Biden quipped that if stock in Trump's media group "drops any lower, he might do better under my tax plan than his."

Biden however made no mention of the trial that is keeping Trump off the campaign trail this week.

The White House said Biden would not be following the proceedings in New York.

"His focus is on the American people," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters traveling with the president aboard Air Force One.

Scranton kicks off a three-day swing through the state for Biden including stops in Pittsburgh on Wednesday and in Philadelphia on Thursday that will focus heavily on the economy -- and Trump.

Voters in Scranton said they were worried about a range of issues.

Trump "is talking about eliminating taxes so I would lose my job," said Rose Williams, 41, a tax professional from Scranton.

"When I go to vote, I'll be voting for Biden."

But she added that she was concerned about issues such as poverty and also Biden's support for Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza.

"I just prefer Biden," added Debra Hodges, 66, who does volunteer work and moved to the town from New York City about 20 years ago.

"His age is not a problem for me. I mean, we're all going to get older," she said, referring to another poll worry for Biden.

W.AbuLaban--SF-PST