Article snippet: MORE Saturday as he officially launched his presidential campaign in Philadelphia. Speaking on a Philadelphia stage accompanied by screens that encouraged supporters to text “UNITED” to a campaign number, the former vice president appeared in his signature aviator sunglasses to cast his White House bid as an effort to “restore the soul of our nation.” “Our politics has become so mean, so petty, so negative, so partisan, so angry and so unproductive, so unproductive. Instead of debating our opponents, we demonize them. Instead of questioning judgement, we question their motives. Instead of listening, we shout. Instead of looking for solutions, we look to score political points,” he said. “But no more. No more because this politics is pulling us apart. It’s ripping this country apart at the seams. Our politics today traffics in division, and our president is the divider in chief.” Amid the calls for unity, Biden looked past the upcoming primary contest and jumped into general election mode, reserving time to name-check his would-be opponent. “If the American people want a president to add to our division, to lead with a clenched fist, closed hand and a hard heart, to demonize the opponents and spew hatred, they don’t need me. They’ve got President Donald Trump,” he told the crowd. Biden engaged in a call-and-response with the crowd, hitting the president over his response to the 2017 Charlottesville protests, immigration policy and affinity for foreign leaders. “... Link to the full article to read more