Former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' MORE on Thursday explained that the only thing that worried him about the pipe bombs sent to him last week was that his granddaughters might have picked them up.

Biden discussed the explosives mailed to him and several other prominent Democratic figures and former government officials while speaking at a rally on behalf of Democratic congressional candidate Elissa Slotkin in Michigan.

"The three times this past week the forces of hate have terrorized our fellow Americans for the political beliefs, for the color of their skin or for the religion they practice," he said.

"Only thing that worried me [about explosives] was whether my granddaughters would pick any of them up."

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Several critics of President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE, including former President Obama and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot Poll: 51 percent of voters want to abolish the electoral college MORE, had packages containing explosives sent to them. Authorities said last week that they intercepted two packages addressed to Biden at postal facilities in his home state of Delaware.

Biden in his remarks Thursday also referenced two African-American people being shot and killed at a Kentucky Kroger by a white man who tried to enter a primarily black church earlier that same day, as well as the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting last weekend that left 11 dead, which has been investigated as a hate crime.

The former vice president, who is weighing a potential 2020 White House bid to challenge Trump, put some of the impetus to restore national dialogue on elected officials.

"Sometimes these days it feels like anger, hatred and viciousness are going to overwhelm us," he said.

"And it's on our leaders to reset the tone, to dial the temperature down, to restore some dignity to our national dialogue."

He finished the portion of his speech with a call for unity.

"Before you're a Republican, Democrat or Independent you're an American."