Biden stops in Detroit to fundraise and grab a Coney dog

Tom Greenwood / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Vice President Joe Biden, in town for a morning Democratic fundraiser, stunned the noon lunch crowd when he stopped at Lafayette Coney Island on Lafayette Boulevard for "one on one, hold the onions" with Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Biden, who spoke earlier at the $1,000- and $5,000-a-ticket event, swept into the iconic eatery along with the governor and a phalanx of Secret Service agents, police, advance staff, reporters, photographers and cameramen.

The pair shook the hands of astonished patrons who immediately whipped out cell phones to take photos and call friends.

The strictly controlled event was "photo op" only, with the vice president and governor declining to take questions while a crowd of photographers, cameramen and reporters crowded the counter.

According to a spokesperson for the Biden advance team, the vice president and the governor did talk about Michigan's dismal employment situation.

After slamming down a Coney (Biden ate with his hands, the governor used a fork) and a soft drink, Biden jumped back into his 13-car caravan and headed to the airport.

The vice president made the trip to raise money for two Democratic congressmen. U.S. Reps. Gary Peters of Oakland County's Bloomfield Township and Mark Schauer of Battle Creek co-hosted the Michigan Democratic Party fundraiser at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel.

Among those attending the event were Congressmen John Dingell and John Conyers, along with billionaires Al Taubman and Manuel "Matty" Maroun.

Both Peters and Schauer were elected last year. They are expected to face stiff challenges in 2010.

The Associated Press contributed.