Joe Biden Quotes (187 quotes, page 2) | Quotes of famous people

“He wanted me to understand two big things: First, that nobody, no group, is above others. Public servants are obliged to level with everybody, whether or not they'll like what he has to say. And second, that politics was a matter of personal honor. A man's word is his bond. You give your word, you keep it. For as long as I can remember, I've had a sort of romantic notion of what politics should be- and can be. If you do politics the right way, I believe, you can actually make people's lives better. And integrity is the minimum ante to get into the game. Nearly forty years after I first got involved, I remain captivated by the possibilities of politics and public service. In fact, I believe- as I know my grandpop did- that my chosen profession is a noble calling.”

Joe Biden

Pages xv-xvi
2000s, Promises to Keep (2008)

People , Way , Game , Understanding

“My memory is not as good as… Chief Justice Roberts.”

Joe Biden

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/01/21/biden-jabs-roberts-for-oath-flub/ Remarks] while administering oath of office for White House senior staff; poking fun at memorable incident in which John G. Roberts misplaced words while swearing-in President Obama at the presidential inauguration the previous day (January 21, 2009)
2000s

Justice , Memory

“Rudy Giuliani — there's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, a verb, and 9/11.”

Joe Biden

Democratic primary debate (October 30, 2007)
2000s

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”

Joe Biden

Speaking of Presidential candidate Barack Obama

Biden Unbound: Lays Into Clinton, Obama, Edwards, The New York Observer, February 1, 2007, 2007-02-01 http://www.observer.com/20070205/20070205_Jason_Horowitz_pageone_newsstory1.html,
2000s

Guy

“I would respectfully suggest to you that the Democrats out there understand I am the only person with a plan that can get out of Iraq without our interests in the region not falling apart.”

Joe Biden

Conference call https://www.nytimes.com/cq/2007/01/31/cq_2212.html?pagewanted=all with reporters after announcing candidacy for the 2008 Democratic president nomination (January 30, 2007)
2000s

Understanding , Personality

“The system wasn't working, and I thought it was time to err on the side of a new model. What might work, I thought, was a system that promoted personal accountability, consistency, and certainty. Congress could say people who committed the same federal crime, under the same circumstances, were going to jail for the same amount of time. We could give judges a narrower set of sentencing guidelines to work with, and felons would be required to pay the same price. We'd be judging the crime, not the person.”

Joe Biden

Page 123
2000s, Promises to Keep (2008)

People , Time , Personality

“It was that hard; I still feel that way. But I believe that President Bush failed to lead. History will judge him harshly not for the mistakes he made- we all make mistakes- but for the opportunities he squandered.”

Joe Biden

Page 352
2000s, Promises to Keep (2008)

Way , Feeling , History

“My own father had always said the measure of a man wasn't how many times or how hard he got knocked down, but how fast he got back up.”

Joe Biden

Source: 2000s, Promises to Keep (2008), Page 208

Time

“Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids.”

Joe Biden

Joe Biden Says ‘Poor Kids’ Are Just as Bright as ‘White Kids’, The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/09/us/politics/joe-biden-poor-kids.html (9 August 2019)
2019

“The rest of the world is wondering what’s going on… Eight years of this and I think we’ll have a phenomenal dislocation occur around the world. I think you’ll see the end of NATO and a whole range of other things…”

Joe Biden

Joe Biden in Florida: Another four years of Trump will ‘end NATO’, Miami Herald, https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2019/05/22/joe-biden-in-florida-another-four-years-of-trump-will-end-nato/ (22 May 2019)
2019

World , Thinking

“We have suppressed the black man for 300 years and the white man is now far ahead in the race for everything our society offers. In order to even the score, we must now give the black man a head start, or even hold the white man back, to even the race.’ I don’t buy that.”

Joe Biden

Quoted by Norman Solomon in Here Comes Joe Biden and It's Worse Than You Thought,Common Dreams, https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/03/11/here-comes-joe-biden-and-its-worse-you-thought (11 March 2019)
2019

“What happened today to @JussieSmollett must never be tolerated in this country. We must stand up and demand that we no longer give this hate safe harbor; that homophobia and racism have no place on our streets or in our hearts. We are with you, Jussie.”

Joe Biden

Twitter https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1090422326783606784, , quoted in * 2019-02-21 Jussie Smollett Supporters: Rooting for a 'Modern Lynching' Larry Elder RealClearPolitics

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/02/21/jussie_smollett_supporters_rooting_for_a_modern_lynching_139531.html 2020-03-12

Ref: en.wikiquote.org - Joe Biden / Quotes / 2010s / 2019
2019

Heart , Hate , Country

“Remember—no serious guys till you’re thirty!”

Joe Biden

To young women at swearing-in ceremony for new senators
28 July 2014 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/07/28/biden-agenda
2014

Guy

“The Jewish people have contributed greatly to America. No group has had such an outsized influence per capita as all of you standing before you, and all of those who went before me and all of those who went before you … You make up 11 percent of the seats in the United States Congress. You make up one-third of all Nobel laureates … I think you, as usual, underestimate the impact of Jewish heritage. I really mean that. I think you vastly underestimate the impact you’ve had on the development of this nation.”

Joe Biden

2013-05-21 Biden: 'Jewish heritage is American heritage' Jennifer Epstein Politico https://www.politico.com/blogs/politico44/2013/05/biden-jewish-heritage-is-american-heritage-164525 and * 2013-05-22 Biden Praises Jews, Goes Too Far, Accidentally Thrills Anti-Semites Jonathan Chait Intelligencer New York Magazine http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/05/biden-praises-jews-goes-too-far.html
2013

Thinking , People , Making love

“I think the Democratic Party could stand a liberal George Wallace—someone who's not afraid to stand up and offend people, someone who wouldn't pander but would say what the American people know in their gut is right.”

Joe Biden

1970s
Source: Philadelphia Enquirer (Oct. 12, 1975) Alana Goodman, “Joe Biden once said Democrats needed ‘a liberal George Wallace’” https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/joe-biden-once-said-democrats-needed-a-liberal-george-wallace, Washington Examiner (Feb. 7, 2019)

Thinking , People

“No dates until you're thirty.”

Joe Biden

2012-09-10
Joe Biden gets cosy with bikers
Alexandra Petri
Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/post/joe-biden-gets-cosy-with-bikers/2012/09/10/20f6f622-fb64-11e1-8adc-499661afe377_blog.html
2012

“We got a real clear picture of what they all value. Every Republican's voted for it. Look at what they value and look at their budget and what they're proposing. Romney wants to let the — he said in the first hundred days he’s going to let the big banks once again write their own rules, 'unchain Wall Street.'”

Joe Biden

They're going to put y'all back in chains.
Campaign speech in Danville, Virginia, criticizing Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and the Republican speech, quoted in * 2012-08-14
VP Biden Says Republicans Are 'Going to Put Y'all Back in Chains'
Jake Tapper
ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/vp-biden-says-republicans-are-going-to-put-yall-back-in-chains/
2012

“I'm sorry I didn’t understand more. I'm not sorry for any of my intentions. I'm not sorry for anything that I have ever done. I have never been disrespectful intentionally to a man or a woman. So that's not the reputation I've had since I was in high school, for God's sake.”

Joe Biden

Regarding allegations that he inappropriately violated women's space

Quoted in * 2019-04-05

Biden: 'I'm not sorry for anything that I have ever done'

Brett Samuels

The Hill

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/437582-biden-im-not-sorry-for-anything-that-i-have-ever-done
2010s, 2019

School , God , Understanding

“Hell, I might be president now if it weren't for the fact I said I had an uncle who was a coal miner. Turns out I didn't have anybody in the coal mines, you know what I mean? I tried that crap — it didn't work.”

Joe Biden

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart http://www.cc.com/video-clips/svsqnx/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-joe-biden ()
2000s, 2004

Hell

“When I argued that we should freeze federal spending, I meant Social Security as well. I meant Medicare and Medicaid. I meant veterans' benefits. I meant every single, solitary thing in the government. And I not only tried it once, I tried it twice, I tried it a third time and I tried it a fourth time. Somebody has to tell me in here, how we're going to do this hard work without dealing with any of those sacred cows.”

Joe Biden

Senate, , quoted with video in * 2019-05-20

Watch: Joe Biden Once Boasted About Wanting to Cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans’ Benefits

Walker Bragman

Paste Magazine

https://www.pastemagazine.com/politics/joe-biden/watch-joe-biden-boasts-about-wanting-to-cut-social/
1990s

Time

“Let me tell you what is in the bill, and I'll let you all decide whether or not this is "weak."”

Joe Biden

[...] It provides 53 death penalty offenses. Weak as can be, you know? We do everything but hang people for jaywalking in this bill. That's weak stuff.

Regarding the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which he wrote

Senate, , quoted in * 2019-07-23

Biden Walks Back His Previous Tough On Crime Stance Now That Criminal Justice Reform Is Popular

Beth Baumann

Town Hall

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bethbaumann/2019/07/23/biden-walks-back-his-previous-toughoncrime-stance-now-that-criminal-justice-reform-is-popular-n2550504
1990s

“We cannot let this, we've never allowed any crisis from the Civil War straight through to the pandemic of 17, all the way around, 16, we have never, never let our democracy sakes second fiddle, way they, we can both have a democracy and elections and, at the same time, correct the public health.”

Joe Biden

This Week with George Stephanopoulos, ABC,
2020

Democracy , Time , War , Health

“If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black.”

Joe Biden

Interview with African American radio host Charlamagne tha God on "The Breakfast Club", as quoted in * 2020-05-22
Joe Biden, in testy interview, says 'you ain’t black’ if you're undecided over him vs. Trump
Nicholas Wu
USA TODAY 2020
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/05/22/biden-you-aint-black-if-you-cant-decide-between-trump-and-biden/5242706002/

Problem

“We may be opponents but we are not enemies. We are americans.”

Joe Biden

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDmTJXtfiKM

“That’s how they beat the living hell out of us across the country, saying that we’re talking about defunding the police. We’re not. We’re talking about holding them accountable. We’re talking about giving them money to do the right things. We’re talking about putting more psychologists and psychiatrists on the telephones when the 911 calls through. We’re talking about spending money to enable them to do their jobs better, not with more force, with less force and more understanding.”

Joe Biden

2020, December
Source: Biden on a call with Civil Rights leaders. ( December 10, 2020 https://theintercept.com/2020/12/10/biden-audio-meeting-civil-rights-leaders/).

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/12/23/biden-did-not-say-country-doomed-because-african-americans/4034937001/ Fact check: Biden's 'country is doomed' quote is being taken out of context on social media

Money , Hell , Understanding , Country

“If we cannot make significant progress on racial equity, this country is doomed. It's doomed not just because of African Americans, but because by 2040, this country is going to be minority white European. You hear me? ... And you guys are going to have to starting [sic] working more with Hispanics.”

Joe Biden

2020, December

Guy , Making love , Country

“Look—I understand that many of my fellow Americans view the future with fear and trepidation. I understand they worry about their jobs. I understand like my dad, they lay in bed wondering, can I keep my health care, can I pay my mortgage. Thinking about their families, about what comes next. I promise you, I get it.But the answer is not to turn inward, to retreat into competing factions, distrusting those who don′t look like you or worship the way you do or don′t get their news from the same source as you do. We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts.If we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we are willing to stand in the other person′s shoes—as my mom would say—just for a moment, stand in their shoes. Because here′s the thing about life: there′s no accounting for what fate will deal you.”

Joe Biden

2021, January, Presidential Inaugural Address (2021)

Family , Soul , Life , Understanding

“You get a tax break for a racehorse, why in God's name couldn't we provide an $8,000 tax credit for everybody who has childcare costs? It would put 720 million women back in the workforce. It would increase the GDP, to sound like a wonk here, by about eight-tenths of one percent. It would grow the economy.”

Joe Biden

17 September 2019
Biden vows tax credit will put '720 million women' back in workforce
Joseph Wulfsohn
Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-gaffe-put-720-million-women-in-workforce
2010s, 2019

God , Women

“Folks, this is a time of testing. We face an attack on our democracy and on truth. A raging virus, growing inequity, the sting of systemic racism, a climate in crisis. America′s role in the world. Any one of these would be enough to challenge us in profound ways. But the fact is, we face them all at once. Presenting this nation with one of the gravest responsibilities we′ve had. Now we′re going to be tested.Are we going to step up, all of us? It′s time for boldness, for there is so much to do. And this is certain. I promise you, we will be judged, you and I, by how we resolve these cascading crises of our era. We will rise to the occasion, is the question. Will we master this rare and difficult hour?”

Joe Biden

2021, January, Presidential Inaugural Address (2021)

Democracy , Time , Question , Truth

“[T]ogether 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.May this be the story that guides us, the story that inspires us, and the story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history, we met the moment. Democracy and hope, truth and justice, did not die on our watch, but thrived, that America secured liberty at home and stood once again as a beacon to the world. That is what we owe our forebears, one another, and generations to follow.So, with purpose and resolve, we turn to those tasked of our time, sustained by faith, driven by conviction, and devoted to one another and the country we love with all our hearts. May God bless America and may God protect our troops. Thank you, America.”

Joe Biden

2021, January, Presidential Inaugural Address (2021)

Democracy , Home , God , Faith

“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.The battle is perennial, and victory is never assured. Through civil war, the great depression, World War, 9/11, through struggle, sacrifices, and setbacks, our better angels have always prevailed. In each of these moments, enough of us have come together to carry all of us forward, and we can do that now.”

Joe Biden

2021, January, Presidential Inaugural Address (2021)

History , War , Victory , Angels

“In another January, on New Year′s Day in 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation. When he put pen to paper, the president said, and I quote, “if my name ever goes down into history, it′ll be for this act, and my whole soul is in it.”“My whole soul is in it.””

Joe Biden

Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause.<p>Uniting to fight the foes we face, anger, resentment and hatred, extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness and hopelessness. With unity, we can do great things, important things.
2021, January, Presidential Inaugural Address (2021)

Soul , History , Quotes

“[T]his is America′s day. This is democracy′s day, a day of history and hope, of renewal and resolve. Through a crucible for the ages, America has been tested anew. And America has risen to the challenge. Today we celebrate the triumph, not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy. The people, the will of the people, has been heard, and the will of the people has been heeded.We′ve learned again that democracy is precious. Democracy is fragile. And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.”

Joe Biden

Source: 2021, January, Presidential Inaugural Address (2021)

Democracy , History , People , Hope

“History, faith, and reason show the way, the way of unity. We can see each other, not as adversaries, but as neighbors. We can treat each other with dignity and respect. We can join forces, stop the shouting, and lower the temperature. For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury.No progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America. If we do that, I guarantee you, we will not fail. We have never, ever, ever, ever failed in America when we′ve acted together.And so today, at this time, in this place, let′s start afresh, all of us. Let′s begin to listen to one another again.”

Joe Biden

2021, January, Presidential Inaugural Address (2021)

Peace , Faith , Time , History

“[T]he American story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us, on we the people, who seek a more perfect union. This is a great nation. We are good people. And over the centuries, through storm and strife, in peace and in war, we′ve come so far, but we still have far to go.We′ll press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities. Much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain. Few people in our nation′s history have been more challenged or found a time more challenging or difficult than the time we′re in now.”

Joe Biden

2021, January, Presidential Inaugural Address (2021)

Peace , Time , Dependency , History

“The murder of George Floyd launched a summer of protest we hadn’t seen since the Civil Rights era in the ‘60s — protests that unified people of every race and generation in peace and with purpose”

Joe Biden

20 April 2021 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/04/20/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-verdict-in-the-derek-chauvin-trial-for-the-death-of-george-floyd/
2021, April 2021

Peace , Summer , People

“We will not shy away from engaging in the hard work to take on the damaging legacy of slavery and our treatment of Native Americans, or from doing the daily work of addressing systemic racism and violence against Black, Native, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and other communities of color.”

Joe Biden

21 March 2021 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/21/statement-by-president-biden-on-the-international-day-for-the-elimination-of-racial-discrimination/
2021, March 2021

Color , Communication

“American troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves.”

Joe Biden

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58238497

Fight , War

“My administration is deeply committed to the constitutional right established in Roe v. Wade nearly five decades ago and will protect and defend that right”

Joe Biden

" Texas enforces restrictive abortion ban; FL advocates say it’s ‘part of a national agenda’ https://floridaphoenix.com/2021/09/01/texas-enforces-restrictive-abortion-ban-fl-advocates-say-its-part-of-a-national-agenda/" published" (September 1, 2021)
2021, September 2021

“Keep in mind, as a student of history, as I’m sure you are, never has Afghanistan been a united country, not in all of its history. Not in all of its history.”

Joe Biden

2021, July 2021, Remarks by President Biden on the Drawdown of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan

History , Country

“Do I trust the Taliban? No. But I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more re- — more competent in terms of conducting war.”

Joe Biden

2021, July 2021, Remarks by President Biden on the Drawdown of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan

War , Training

“Why should we allow people to have military-style weapons including pistols with nine-millimeter bullets and can hold ten or more rounds?”

Joe Biden

2010s, 2019
Source: prior to 15 November 2019 per Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/speaking-at-the-house-of-amazon-joe-biden-gently-raises-companys-role-in-middle-class-job-losses

People

“Every disagreement is a crisis. But when you take a step back and look at what’s happening, we’re actually making real progress. Maybe it doesn’t seem fast enough.”

Joe Biden

Biden Celebrates Drop in Unemployment Even as Job Growth Weakens https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/biden-celebrates-drop-in-unemployment-even-as-job-growth-weakens-1.1663842(October 2021)
2021, October 2021

“Turn on the news and every conversation is a confrontation.”

Joe Biden

Source: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/biden-celebrates-drop-in-unemployment-even-as-job-growth-weakens-1.1663842 Biden Celebrates Drop in Unemployment Even as Job Growth Weakens

2021, October 2021

“It’s only fair.”

Joe Biden

" on Twitter https://twitter.com/potus/status/1442284014363189248" (September 26, 2021)
2021, September 2021

“Look, I don’t want to punish anyone’s success, but the wealthy have been getting a free ride at the expense of the middle class for too long.”

Joe Biden

I intend to pass one of the biggest middle class tax cuts ever — paid for by making those at the top pay their fair share.
Source: https://whdh.com/news/democrats-look-to-tax-people-earning-more-than-400k-no-one-else-for-3-5-trillion-bill/ Democrats look to tax people earning more than $400K, no one else for $3.5 trillion bill (September 14, 2021)

Success

“We’ve lost so much to this devastating — this devastating pandemic that continues to claim lives around the world and impact so much on our existence.”

Joe Biden

2021, September 2021

World

“The proof of the pudding is in the eating. We're going to know shortly.”

Joe Biden

16 June 2021 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/16/biden-putin-geneva-494812
2021, June 2021

“I am not your President; Donald Trump is still your President.”

Joe Biden

2021, October 2021
Source: 21 October 2021 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/10/21/remarks-by-president-biden-at-the-10th-anniversary-celebration-of-the-dedication-of-the-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-memorial/

“You always love your dad.
You don’t always like your dad sometimes.
But granddaughters not only love THEIR dads — their grandpops — they ALWAYS like them, and that’s the GREAT thing.”

Joe Biden

2 February 2020, reported 21 October 2020 by Ali Swenson of AP News https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-afs:Content:9596198679
2020, February 2020

Love