August 23, 2008
Biden's Greatest Hits, Part I
Thanks to the internet, a politician's past prevarications, exaggerations and foot-in-mouth moments are a few mouse-clicks away.
Take, for instance, the humdinger above, from Biden's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in the Fall of 1987.
The New York Times wrote of the incident -- and Biden's admission that he'd lied about his academic background, class-standing, grades and scholarships, all while bullying a prospective voter at a meet and greet.
Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. issued a formal statement today acknowledging that he had misstated several facts about his past last April in a campaign appearance in New Hampshire.
But the Delaware Democrat insisted today, as he had Sunday night in an interview with The New York Times, that some of the disputed statements were true and that his misstatements were the product of a faulty memory and the fact that he lost his temper.
Mr. Biden, whose Presidential campaign has been shaken by news reports about his unattributed use of speeches from other politicians and a plagiarism incident while he was in law school, said in The Times interview that he was ''frustrated'' and ''angry as hell'' over the reports.
[...]
On Sunday night, Mr. Biden said emphatically that he intended to remain a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination. ''I think if I can get by the next week, I can pull out of this if I can just get my story across,'' he said.
Most of Mr. Biden's statement was in response to a report in this week's issue of Newsweek magazine on a tape recording made by the C-SPAN network of an appearance by Mr. Biden at a home in Claremont, N.H., on April 3. It was a typical coffee-klatch style appearance before a small group. The network regularly records and broadcasts such events as part of its coverage of the Presidential campaign.
The tape, which was made available by C-SPAN in response to a reporter's request, showed a testy exchange in response to a question about his law school record from a man identified only as ''Frank.'' Mr. Biden looked at his questioner and said: ''I think I have a much higher I.Q. than you do.''
He then went on to say that he ''went to law school on a full academic scholarship - the only one in my class to have a full academic scholarship,'' Mr. Biden said. He also said that he ''ended up in the top half'' of his class and won a prize in an international moot court competition. In college, Mr. Biden said in the appearance, he was ''the outstanding student in the political science department'' and ''graduated with three degrees from college.''
In his statement today, Mr. Biden, who attended the Syracuse College of Law and graduated 76th in a class of 85, acknowledged: ''I did not graduate in the top half of my class at law school and my recollection of this was inacurate.''
As for receiving three degrees, Mr. Biden said: ''I graduated from the University of Delaware with a double major in history and political science. My reference to degrees at the Claremont event was intended to refer to these majors - I said 'three' and should have said 'two.' '' Mr. Biden received a single B.A. in history and political science.
''With regard to my being the outstanding student in the political science department,'' the statement went on. ''My name was put up for that award by David Ingersoll, who is still at the University of Delaware.''
In the Sunday interview, Mr. Biden said of his claim that he went to school on full academic scholarship: ''My recollection is - and I'd have to confirm this - but I don't recall paying any money to go to law school.'' Newsweek said Mr. Biden had gone to Syracuse ''on half scholarship based on financial need.''
In his statement today, Mr. Biden did not directly dispute this, but said he received a scholarship from the Syracuse University College of Law ''based in part on academics'' as well as a grant from the Higher Education Scholarship Fund of the state of Delaware. He said the law school ''arranged for my first year's room and board by placing me as an assistant resident adviser in the undergraduate school.''
As for the moot court competition, Mr. Biden said he had won such a competition, with a partner, in Kingston, Ontario, on Dec. 12, 1967.
Mr. Biden acknowledged that in the testy exchange in New Hampshire, he had lost his temper. ''I exaggerate when I'm angry,'' Mr. Biden said, ''but I've never gone around telling people things that aren't true about me.'' Mr. Biden's questioner had made the query in a mild tone, but provoked an explosive response from Mr. Biden.
What's fantastic is that Biden thought he could spout such nonsense, and that no one would fact check his braggadocio, even in the midst of a presidential campaign.
I expect we'll see many more examples of Biden's ... gravitas in the coming months.
It should be interesting.
Posted by Mike Lief at August 23, 2008 10:49 PM
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Comments
So, if I understand this correctly....the candidate for change has picked a running mate who has been in the Senate since 1972? He has chosen a running mate who has in the past, praised his opponent and questioned the experience of the candidate. Further, this candidate for change has chosen a guy who has demonstrated that when he is pissed he is willing to lie and exaggerate in order to get elected. Yeah that is change alright.
I also took note that in the clip, Biden encourages people to consider their responsibility to the poor....huh? What responsibility do I have to the poor? Don't they have a responsibility also? How come no candidate talks about that? How come, Obama runs around preaching about how the government owes the poor so much?
Instead of a message that the rich should be taxed further to redistribute the wealth, how about a message promising possible prosperity to those who want to get off their asses and work?? I respect and admire people of any race, color, religion or sexual orientation who work hard to succeed. I admire Barrack Obama for working hard in his life to succeed. What I do not admire is this message that we all owe the poor something.
I am more committed than ever to head to the polls and voice my opinion..."oh F--k it McCain then...
Posted by: RW at August 24, 2008 01:25 AM
What a jerk! This shows a lack of emotional intelligence on his part. I think the uncomfortable looking woman without the microphone had to be a campaign staff worker. She had to know then in '87 that Biden was a short fused nut.
When the campaign gets hot, I think his lack of emotional intelligence will get the best of him. He's bound to impart some really sensational gifts to the media that will give Leno great late night ammunition.
Posted by: Bart at August 24, 2008 09:49 AM