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Biden gives a public nod to California's high-speed rail project
In this file photo, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a White House Community Leaders Briefing on July 16, 2012 in Washington, DC. On Monday, Biden gave a public nod to Gov. Jerry Brown's efforts to spearhead high-speed rail in California and Las Vegas.
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Vice President Joe Biden gave a hat tip to Gov. Jerry Brown's high-speed rail efforts on Monday night.
Biden appeared as a guest on Seth Meyers' debut episode as the new host of "Late Night." When Meyers turned the conversation to trains, Biden, an admitted "train guy," said he thought people around the country, and not just on the Eastern Seaboard, were beginning to understand how efficient travel by rail could be.
"You know, we're trying to get a high-speed train going from California into Las Vegas, where Jerry Brown is leading the country in having high-speed rail. I mean by high-speed rail, rail that can go 230-240 miles an hour. It's environmentally more sound. It is economically more sound. It makes sense in every way, and it's about time we get up and do it," Biden said, to loud cheers and applause from the audience.
(Actually, Biden was slightly confused: The state of California wants to build a high speed line from L.A. to San Francisco; a private company is hoping to connect Southern California to Las Vegas, but that effort has stalled.)
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RELATED: Federal official reaffirms commitment to California high speed rail
Biden's comments come in the last few seconds of the following clip from Hulu.
Meyers is a "Saturday Night Live" veteran and his first guest was former SNL castmate Amy Poehler.
Meyers joked that his parents couldn't be in the audience, because the Secret Service considers them a security risk.
So far, NBC's late-night changes are paying off, with the best "Tonight Show" ratings in years with Jimmy Fallon now hosting.
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