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The Daily OrangeBiden's playful advice, SU memories fuel commencement speech
By Julia Terruso
Posted: 5/10/09, 3:24 PM EST Section: News
Vice President Joe Biden is known for having a certain way with words. In college, it was the wrong way - borrowing words and cutting some corners.
In May 1965, Biden plagiarized a law review article during his first year at Syracuse University law school. Biden acknowledged the incident in 1987 to The New York Times, stating that he "had simply misunderstood the need to cite sources carefully," the Times reported.
In politics, he's had a straightforward way with words, sometimes carelessly, but often admirably sticking to a 'tell it like it is' attitude. His words have drawn criticism and respect and kept press secretaries and audiences on edge.
The words he delivered to the graduating class of 2009 at Syracuse University were all of these - honest, inspiring and a little bit borrowed.
Biden followed a speech by University Scholar and SU graduating senior Colin Fanning. Fanning gave an articulate tribute to the importance of "play" in a world burdened by obstacles. His speech was a difficult act to follow, even for the vice president of the United States.
But Biden incorporated much of Fanning's playful sentiment and those of famous writers and celebrities to motivate the graduating class.
He quoted Frank Sinatra, who said "orange is the happiest color," reflecting that, "he must have been thinking about Syracuse," when he said it.
He humorously addressed the controversy surrounding his own tenure at SU, saying, "Hey Colin, I'll tell you what, you would have loved me. I never had to be told that play was important. It just came naturally. It came naturally all the way through law school. Oh, God."
He recalled a favorite memory at SU, watching Floyd Little outscore Gayle Sayers in an eight-touchdown shoot out.
And he remembered another event at Archbold Stadium: 1968 graduation.
Biden's tone became far less playful as he described the state of the world upon his graduation. He recounted the Tet Offensive in January of his senior year, the subsequent student occupation of the Chancellor's office a month later and then the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, who he described as the hope of his generation.
In May 1965, Biden plagiarized a law review article during his first year at Syracuse University law school. Biden acknowledged the incident in 1987 to The New York Times, stating that he "had simply misunderstood the need to cite sources carefully," the Times reported.
In politics, he's had a straightforward way with words, sometimes carelessly, but often admirably sticking to a 'tell it like it is' attitude. His words have drawn criticism and respect and kept press secretaries and audiences on edge.
The words he delivered to the graduating class of 2009 at Syracuse University were all of these - honest, inspiring and a little bit borrowed.
Biden followed a speech by University Scholar and SU graduating senior Colin Fanning. Fanning gave an articulate tribute to the importance of "play" in a world burdened by obstacles. His speech was a difficult act to follow, even for the vice president of the United States.
But Biden incorporated much of Fanning's playful sentiment and those of famous writers and celebrities to motivate the graduating class.
He quoted Frank Sinatra, who said "orange is the happiest color," reflecting that, "he must have been thinking about Syracuse," when he said it.
He humorously addressed the controversy surrounding his own tenure at SU, saying, "Hey Colin, I'll tell you what, you would have loved me. I never had to be told that play was important. It just came naturally. It came naturally all the way through law school. Oh, God."
He recalled a favorite memory at SU, watching Floyd Little outscore Gayle Sayers in an eight-touchdown shoot out.
And he remembered another event at Archbold Stadium: 1968 graduation.
Biden's tone became far less playful as he described the state of the world upon his graduation. He recounted the Tet Offensive in January of his senior year, the subsequent student occupation of the Chancellor's office a month later and then the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, who he described as the hope of his generation.
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