American politician (1942- )
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
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
Wall Street and the CEO's didn't build this country. The middle class did. And the middle class was built by unions. Unions built the middle-class. And working families and unions will be the drivers of our success once again, when we get through this. Together, we'll make sure that everyone has a chance to build a solid middle-class life for themselves and for their families in the 21st century economy.
JOE BIDEN
speech to AFL-CIO union members, April 7, 2020
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
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
Full disclosure: I do not have absolute faith in the judgment and wisdom of the American people. We're all human, and we can all be misled. When leaders don't level with citizens, we can't expect them to make good judgments. But I do have absolute faith in the heart of the American people. The greatest resource in this country is the grit, the resolve, the courage, the basic decency, and the stubborn pride of its citizens.
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
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
For too long in this society, we have celebrated unrestrained individualism over common community. For too long as a nation, we have been lulled by the anthem of self-interest. For a decade, led by Ronald Reagan, self-aggrandizement has been the full-throated cry of this society: 'I've got mine, so why don't you get yours' and 'What's in it for me?'
JOE BIDEN
speech in Wilmington, Delaware, June 10, 1987
I still have my 1967 Goodwood-green Corvette, 327, 350-horse, with a rear-axle ratio that really gets up and goes. The Secret Service won't let me drive it. I'm not allowed to drive anything. It's the one thing I hate about this job. I'm serious.
JOE BIDEN
Car and Driver, Sep. 2011
Instead of regime change, we should focus on conduct change. We should make it very clear to Iran what it risks in terms of isolation if it continues to pursue a dangerous nuclear program but also what it stands to gain if it does the right thing. That will require keeping our allies in Europe, as well as Russia and China, on the same page as we ratchet up pressure. It also requires a more sophisticated understanding that by publicly engaging Iran – including through direct talks – we can exploit cracks within the ruling elite and between Iran’s rulers and its people, who are struggling economically and stifled politically. The Iranian people need to know that their government, not the United States, is choosing confrontation over cooperation. Our allies and partners need to know that the United States will go the extra diplomatic mile – if we do, they are much more likely to stand with us if diplomacy fails.
JOE BIDEN
speech, May 20, 2008
I didn't argue that the war in Vietnam was immoral; it was merely stupid and a horrendous waste of time, money, and lives based on a flawed premise.
JOE BIDEN
Promises to Keep
Donald Trump talks about America first. He's made America alone.
JOE BIDEN
virtual town hall meeting, April 22, 2020
I think we should be focusing on how to limit the number of abortions. There ought to be able to have a common ground and consensus as to do that.
JOE BIDEN
interview, Texas Monthly, 2006
Once we decided to focus on Iraq, we went to war too soon. We went without the rest of the world, and we went under false premises. This administration told us we would be greeted with open arms, that we had enough troops to stabilize the country, that Iraqi oil would pay for the reconstruction. They were wrong on each of these counts and many more. The result is a terrible irony. Iraq now risks becoming what it was not before the war: a haven for the very radical Islamic fundamentalists who would do us such harm.
JOE BIDEN
Congressional Record, October 6, 2005
My dad used to say, "Without your word, you're not a man."
JOE BIDEN
Esquire, Jan. 2012
I'm not used to these standing ovations, I'm a Vice President.
JOE BIDEN
remarks at the 21st annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner, Apr. 2, 2009
All across the nation, it's so often our lowest-paid workers who have to step up during this crisis and crises like this. You're putting yourselves on the line every single day. You're sacrificing so much under dire circumstances to do your job and you're doing it for not just yourself, for all of us. You're essential to our society in times of crisis and beyond. You deserve not just our thanks and our respect, you deserve a safe workplace and fair pay. You deserve personal protective equipment including gloves and masks that enables you to do your job as safely as possible.
JOE BIDEN
virtual town hall meeting, April 15, 2020
Make no mistake about it. This campaign will send Donald Trump packing. This campaign is taking off. Join us.
JOE BIDEN
speech on Super Tuesday, March 3, 2020