Joe Biden

“ All of a sudden, the kid who had no intention of running for the United States Senate, none, zero, found himself in the position where he was a candidate for the United States Senate. Having been exposed to so much in so little time, I had the confidence to know what I was about to do. My point is once you make a decision, and you take a risk, and I hope you take many, it has an interesting impact on you. You learn, as you have in law school, to have more confidence in yourself. ”

“ There’s no reason why we cannot turn this energy crisis into an energy opportunity. There’s no reason why we cannot deal with global warming. There’s no reason why we cannot deal with terrorism. There’s no reason -– except for the lack of a leader, who is prepared to challenge them. ”

“ I’m optimistic because I know the American people. I’m optimistic because I know, like you do, thousands of ordinary Americans faced with burdens that would make all of us bend who get up every single day and put one foot in front of the other and make it work. ”

“ Many of you will be knocked down. My father, God rest his soul, said “Success is not measured by whether you are knocked down, everyone is. It is measured by how rapidly you get up.” This is how success is determined. ”

“ Up until this point in your life you have not had to make that many decisions. I don’t think you have to go wandering around looking for impossible adventures, or challenges you neither need nor want, because they will fall in your lap. ”

“ All of a sudden you will be in charge of figuring out how to make the most of something you desperately wanted to avoid. You will be accountable, and you will have to fight like you’ve never fought before. ”

“ Although the substance of knowledge is necessary, it is not sufficient.
It’s the knowledge that you will have gained about yourself, the insights you will have gained about others, that are going to determine whether or not you meet and accomplish your aspirations. ”

“ For anyone who stutters, everyone else thinks you are not very bright. It’s humiliating, it’s almost totally debilitating. When you talk like that not only does your entire insides churn, but you feel rage, anger, and humiliation. You can’t even get to the point of when you’re a kid asking a lovely girl to go to the prom with you. ”

“ Three thousand of our fellow citizens have been murdered. Our economy is in shambles. But like every generation before us, we will overcome this. And I’m making two announcements today. I’m announcing that I will call a meeting of the world’s major powers to meet in Brussels on October the 1st to begin to plan jointly the demise of the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. ”

“ Let me conclude by telling you why else I know your generation is ready to change things. Everybody has an image of 9/11, whether it is airplanes knifing through the Trade Towers, the Pentagon aflame, or the plane going down in western Pennsylvania. ”

“ I’m much more certain about the generosity, determination, and capabilities of our fellow Americans. There are people who are less educated than we are, and sometimes we look down on them. But they’re smarter, they’re tougher and more honorable than anybody gives them credit for. ”

“ My dad had another expression, he would say, “If it doesn’t kill you, it will make you stronger.” The press sometimes asks me why after all these years I can be so optimistic in light of all that’s going on? ”