MERRIMACK -- Vice President Joe Biden visited Merrimack on Saturday, ending his two-day swing through New Hampshire while promoting the difference between two visions for the country's future.

An enthusiastic crowd of about 500 people gathered at Merrimack Middle School to hear Biden and his wife, Jill, deliver remarks on President Barack Obama's plan to create jobs and expand opportunities for Americans.

Highlighting the choice in November's election between two fundamentally different visions for America's future, the vice president said it is never wise to bet against the American people.

“When people get knocked down, my experience is that they get back up. There is no quit in America,” said Biden.

Referring to Republican candidate Mitt Romney's “47 percent” remarks made and secretly recorded during a fundraiser in May, Biden said he doesn't recognize the country that Romney was referring to when Romney said that 47 percent of voters are dependent upon government and believe they are victims.

“Ladies and gentlemen, he genuinely believes this. Just look at what they are proposing,” Biden said of Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan. “How can someone have such a profound misunderstanding of the American people?”

The soldier serving in Afghanistan, the widow barely getting by on social security and the elderly veteran still receiving medical treatments do not see themselves as victims, said Biden, adding they may have been knocked down but they are getting back up filled with determination and fight.

“They are just looking for an even shot. They are just looking for a chance,” he said.

President Barack Obama's plan is to focus on better education, more workers, skilled workers, additional manufacturing jobs, cutting oil imports and investing in clean energy, according to Biden.

He described America as the most competitive country in the world, saying the nation can lead the world in manufacturing by creating jobs, keeping jobs and bringing jobs back home.

“This isn't just about the headlines,” said Dr. Jill Biden. “ … This is about people's lives, and it is no different for me. Even if my husband's name wasn't on the ballot, I would still be supporting this election.”

As a full-time teacher, she said it is important for the nation to continue to invest in quality education. She said the Obama administration is moving the country forward in regards to education, by forming a student loan process and supporting community colleges.

“This election is deeply personal to me … I've seen Joe's optimism, his determination and his commitment to making a difference for other people every single day. I've heard it in his voice when he comes home and he talks about the people he has met.”

She said her husband is determined to fight for all of those hard working people for four more years.

“President Obama and I, we have a fundamentally different vision and a profoundly different value set on how we should move this nation forward than Congressman Ryan and Gov. Romney,” said Joe Biden.

The vice-president noted the democrats' plan to reduce the national debt by $4 trillion, but claimed that republicans are unwilling to budge or do anything about it.

“You can't solve a problem unless you figure out what caused it in the first place, and ladies and gentlemen, they caused it,” said Biden, adding it is now everyone's responsibility to resolve it.

While many Obama supporters were in attendance chanting “four more years,” not everyone was thrilled about Biden's remarks.

“He can make up his own opinions, but he isn't entitled to his own facts,” said Chuck Benzing of Nashua, a Romney supporter.

While Biden may have picked on the heartstrings of some New Hampshire citizens during his speech, Benzing maintained that he didn't explain how the nation would pay for Obama's plan to move the country forward.

“I think Romney will pull it out in New Hampshire next month,” predicts Benzing.

Mary Brown, who was visiting the state from Rhode Island, disagreed with Benzing, saying Biden's statements really resonated with her.

“I believe that in order to get this country back, we have to do it from the middle class up, which is exactly what Biden was emphasizing,” said Brown, arguing the Romney campaign has not introduced anything new to gain her support.

On Friday, the Romney campaign released a statement in response to similar comments that Biden made during a stop at Dartmouth College, saying Romney “will be a president for 100 percent of Americans, with a plan for a stronger middle class that adds millions of jobs, gets our economy growing and results in more upward mobility, not government dependency.”

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Kimberly Houghton may be reached at khoughton@newstote.com.