American politician (1942- )
You can learn an awful lot about a man campaigning with him, debating him and seeing how he reacts under pressure. You learn about the strength of his mind, but even more importantly, you learn about the quality of his heart.
JOE BIDEN
acceptance speech, Aug. 27, 2008
Ordinary people given an opportunity are capable of accomplishing extraordinary things.
JOE BIDEN
speech to AFL-CIO union members, April 7, 2020
My father had an expression he repeated a thousand times growing up: Every man and woman is entitled to be treated with dignity. Everyone. That's what your new revolution was about: dignity.
JOE BIDEN
remarks to the Ukrainian Rada, December 9, 2015
I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy these days. I know that the forces that divide us are deep and they are real. But I also know they are not new. Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we all are created equal, and the harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart.
JOE BIDEN
Inaugural Address, January 20, 2021
So now, on this hallowed ground, where just a few days ago violence sought to shake the Capitol's very foundation, we come together as one nation under God, indivisible, to carry out the peaceful transfer of power as we have for more than two centuries. As we look ahead in our uniquely American way, restless, bold, optimistic, and set our sights on the nation we know we can be and we must be.
JOE BIDEN
Inaugural Address, January 20, 2021
Democratic revolutions like the ones in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya -- and the ones still unfolding in Syria and Yemen --are imbued, literally imbued with entrepreneurial spirit, a spirit that requires risk and initiative, steadfast determination, and a unifying idea.... The revolution that gave birth to my own country was inspired by the same desire for freedom and ensured that from its earliest days America has been hard-wired for innovation. Back then, it was pamphleteers like Thomas Paine. Today, it's modern new technologies that connect us in an instant.
JOE BIDEN
remarks at Entrepreneurship Summit, Dec. 3, 2011
The Corona virus is shining a bright light on the inequities in our country and there's so much work to do but I have no doubt we can meet these challenges brought on by this virus if we work together. The American people have never, not a joke, I know you're tired of hearing me say this, have never, ever, ever, ever let the country down given half a chance. They're tough, there's no quit in America. They're prepared but we've got to do it together.
JOE BIDEN
virtual town hall meeting, April 28, 2020
Our military might and economic resources are necessary but not sufficient to lead us into this new century. It is our ideas and ideals that will allow us to exert the kind of leadership that persuades others to follow and to deal effectively with these forces of change.
JOE BIDEN
speech, Apr. 15, 2008
Well, there are a number of lessons to this war. One of the lessons of the war is that when you go into a country that is under a dictatorship, no matter what the underlying makeup of the country is, that it takes an awful long time to be able to help re-establish a circumstance where there's a possibility of a democratic country emerging. And so that's one of the lessons I think everyone has learned.
JOE BIDEN
interview, NPR, Dec. 13, 2011
When seagull droppings landed on my head at a campaign event at Bowers Beach two days before Election Day, I chose to read it as a sign of a coming success.
JOE BIDEN
Promises to Keep
America's experience -- and that of many other nations ... teaches that fostering entrepreneurship is not just about crafting the right economic policy or developing the best educational curriculum. It's about creating a free political climate in which ideas and innovation can flourish. Simply put, governments that protect liberties, embrace transparency allow for vibrant civil societies, give women equal opportunity, they are the ones that pave the way for thriving cultures.
JOE BIDEN
remarks at Entrepreneurship Summit, Dec. 3, 2011
Don't tell me what you value, show me your budget, and I'll tell you what you value.
JOE BIDEN
attributed, Social Policy for Effective Practice
I wasn't built to look the other way because the law demanded it. The law might be wrong.
JOE BIDEN
Promises to Keep
There is never a time when a president can act to stop a tragedy from occurring without being held politically accountable one way or the other. If he does it and fails, he's wrong. If he does it and succeeds, he was never right because it didn't happen. If we go in and stop an act of genocide, we can't prove what we stopped.
JOE BIDEN
Promises to Keep
The idea that we can wipe out every vestige of Iran's influence in Iraq is a fantasy. Even with 160,000 American troops in Iraq, Prime Minister Maliki, our ally in Baghdad greets Iran's leader with kisses. Like it or not, Iran is a major regional power and it shares a long border – and a long history – with Iraq.
JOE BIDEN
speech, May 20, 2008
We're seeing during this crisis just why it is so important for American workers to belong to unions, so that they have someone to fight for them and with them.
JOE BIDEN
virtual town hall meeting, April 15, 2020
And by the way, this time when we rebuild the middle class, we got to bring everybody along, everybody along, black, brown, women, men, straight, across the board. The idea that somehow people are just figuring this out kind of surprises me, but everybody's just looking for a shot. No one's looking for a handout. Everybody's looking for just an even shot and they don't feel like they're getting a chance because they're not. They're being left behind. But I promise you, I give you my word as a Biden, I'm going to bring everybody along this time. Everybody along.
JOE BIDEN
Nevada Caucus speech, February 22, 2020
Together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear. Of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness. A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness.
JOE BIDEN
Inaugural Address, January 20, 2021
Al Qaeda must be destroyed. Its ability to acquire weapons of mass destruction must be stopped. But to compare terrorism with an all encompassing ideology like Communism and Fascism is evidence of profound confusion. Terrorism is a means, not an end, and very different groups and countries are using it toward very different goals. President Bush and Senator McCain lump together, as a single threat, extremist groups and states as at odds with each other as they are with us: Sunnis and Shiites, Persian and Arabs, Iraq and Iran, Al Qaeda and Shiite militia. If they can't identify the enemy or describe the war we're fighting, it's difficult to see how we will win.
JOE BIDEN
speech, Jul. 15, 2008
My message to everyone who's been knocked down, counted out, left behind, this is your campaign. We need you. We want you and there's a place for you in our campaign.
JOE BIDEN
speech at Houston rally, March 2, 2020