Spring Break
The Daily OrangeBiden's playful advice, SU memories fuel commencement speech
By Julia Terruso
Posted: 5/10/09, 3:24 PM EST Section: News
"All throughout this country a sense of hopelessness and helplessness entered this country," he said. "That was the world when I walked across this stage."
He compared that environment to the feeling today, and called the graduates to action. He said they're privileged to be entering the world at a time when they can change it.
He called these points inflection points, raising his voice to quote William Allen White, who said, "I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today."
The speech was at times political, often sounding like a campaign speech as he recounted world issues and the capacity for his administration and the graduating class to effect change. He struck down criticisms that his administration is trying to do too much and encouraged graduates never to be dissuaded by warnings of "too much" or "not now."
He called the war in Iraq a war of "choice" rather than "one of necessity" but commended the 1.9 million young people under 30 who have been deployed.
Biden applauded the class for what they had already accomplished - their volunteer presence, their voting participation and interest in civic duties.
"I've done many commencement speeches, and I can say with absolute certainty, without fear of contradiction, there has never been a graduating class who is graduating into a moment where they actually have a chance to make more than an incremental change," he said. "Ladies and gentleman, that's where we, are that's why Barack and I ran. That's why I believe so passionately we have a shot that hasn't occurred in the lifetime of anyone in this Dome, and now we're here. Imagine what you can do."
And his final words, though borrowed, were this time attributed with a nod to student speaker Fanning. "Now go enjoy yourselves," he said, "Play."
jmterrus@syr.edu
He compared that environment to the feeling today, and called the graduates to action. He said they're privileged to be entering the world at a time when they can change it.
He called these points inflection points, raising his voice to quote William Allen White, who said, "I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today."
The speech was at times political, often sounding like a campaign speech as he recounted world issues and the capacity for his administration and the graduating class to effect change. He struck down criticisms that his administration is trying to do too much and encouraged graduates never to be dissuaded by warnings of "too much" or "not now."
He called the war in Iraq a war of "choice" rather than "one of necessity" but commended the 1.9 million young people under 30 who have been deployed.
Biden applauded the class for what they had already accomplished - their volunteer presence, their voting participation and interest in civic duties.
"I've done many commencement speeches, and I can say with absolute certainty, without fear of contradiction, there has never been a graduating class who is graduating into a moment where they actually have a chance to make more than an incremental change," he said. "Ladies and gentleman, that's where we, are that's why Barack and I ran. That's why I believe so passionately we have a shot that hasn't occurred in the lifetime of anyone in this Dome, and now we're here. Imagine what you can do."
And his final words, though borrowed, were this time attributed with a nod to student speaker Fanning. "Now go enjoy yourselves," he said, "Play."
jmterrus@syr.edu
Be the first to comment on this story