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Joe Biden - His Lies and Exaggerations

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I just listened to a tape of a statement made by Joe Biden during his campaign for president in 1988. Someone in the audience asked him "Where did you go to school and how did you do?"

Joe said. "I will gladly compare my IQ with yours. I went to school and graduated with 3 degrees and was the leading student in the Political Science department. I went to law school on a full scholarship. In my first year I did not want to be there and I was in the bottom 2/3 of my class. I changed my mind and finished in the top half of my class. I will gladly compare my IQ to yours." I cannot be sure that these are the EXACT words but they are very close.

The facts are:

1) He did NOT get 3 degrees, he did not get 2 degrees it was 1 in Political Science. He never answered WHERE he went.

2) He received a HALF scholarship to law school based on need. When confronted with this he said he never remembered paying anything for law school.One can only speculate why that is.

3) His math abilities are not very good. The top 2/3 overlaps with the top 1/2. In addition he lied. He was 76th in a class of 85. That places him in the bottom 10.5% of his law school class.

4) He never stated where he attended school in the answer to this question

The attitude displayed demonstrates how he feels he is superior to others. Somehow he thinks that placing in the bottom 10% (11%, if you must) proves that he has the superior intellect.

He was later proven to have plagiarized on papers in law school and he used a speech originally given by a British politician without giving any attribution or acknowledgment.

Is this the quality of person we want leading our country?

  • 19 Votes
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2.5
{"commentId":2582793,"authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

Why does anyone think this should be the man who leads the country if Obama is elected but cannot finish his term?

He cannot 'remember' paying for law school. Did he not repay student loans? If you got a student loan in those days the money was sent directly to the school.

His 'self esteem' is very high but should it be? The records do not agree with what he claims to have been.

{"commentId":2582793,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"DrKnow"}
  • 9 votes
Reply#1 - Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:14 PM EDT
{"commentId":2589108,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

Biden got all of 9,000 votes in his bid for office. I think that says it all.

{"commentId":2589108,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}
  • 7 votes
#1.1 - Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:09 AM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":2583052,"authorDomain":"mysticchick"}
He was later proven to have plagiarized on papers in law school and he used a speech originally given by a British politician without giving any attribution or acknowledgment.

!! I hate plagiarizers! Do you have a link to the speech and to his paper? Argh, if that's true I'm ticked off.

{"commentId":2583052,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"mysticchick"}
  • 6 votes
Reply#2 - Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:33 PM EDT
{"commentId":2586517,"authorDomain":"jaybutler"}

I cringe at linking to Wikipedia, but the description is consistent with what I remember. Biden plagiarized one of Neil Kinnock's speeches. The article does cite some passages from the speech.

{"commentId":2586517,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"jaybutler"}
  • 5 votes
#2.1 - Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:21 AM EDT
{"commentId":2643628,"authorDomain":"jknmmichael"}

He actually made the speech that uses lines from Neil Kinnock's speech many times, always giving credit to Kinnock, but one time he forgot to cite Kinnock and the opposition pounced on the mistake. And he was accused of plagarism while in law school but was cleared after an investigation. I don't know about this 2/3 of the class stuff but I wouldn't consider bad math skills (in this instance anyway) as any big deal. A lot of us would be guilty! :)

{"commentId":2643628,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"jknmmichael"}
  • 2 votes
#2.2 - Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:45 PM EDT
{"commentId":2650606,"authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

He KNEW he was NOT in the top half of his class. It does not take much in the way of math skills to know that 76 out of 86 is not top grades which is what he claimed.

{"commentId":2650606,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"DrKnow"}
  • 5 votes
#2.3 - Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:42 PM EDT
{"commentId":3385796,"authorDomain":"ironhorse"}

maybe he meant top of his class in........... jr high art class...

just a thought...

{"commentId":3385796,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"ironhorse"}
  • 4 votes
#2.4 - Wed Oct 8, 2008 4:00 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":2584065,"authorDomain":"lpwillham"}

More interesting news the chicago sun times just released that Biden has ties to Rezko!

http://lpwillham.newsvine.com/_news/2008/08/25/1784930-breaking-news-biden-has-deep-ties-to-rezko-accomplice-

{"commentId":2584065,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"lpwillham"}
  • 6 votes
Reply#3 - Mon Aug 25, 2008 9:08 PM EDT
{"commentId":2586228,"authorDomain":"alicelmcgee"}

What Slime--Are you perfect?? Some of us do find our way to higher ground. Educational experiences are just the beginning.

{"commentId":2586228,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"alicelmcgee"}
    Reply#4 - Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:38 AM EDT
    {"commentId":6414840,"authorDomain":"holloway"}

    Biden is Slime. He is the worst possible choice for a VP - other than the racketeering Hillary Clinton.

    I feel sorry for him in a way because he's mentally ill. Biden simply has a psychological disorder that prevents him from telling the truth. He is a serial, pathological liar. Regardless of our pity he should not be in any elected office.

    {"commentId":6414840,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"holloway"}
    • 1 vote
    #4.1 - Fri Apr 10, 2009 10:41 AM EDT
    {"commentId":6416044,"authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

    He tells the lies that the voters want to hear.

    {"commentId":6416044,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"DrKnow"}
    • 1 vote
    #4.2 - Fri Apr 10, 2009 11:48 AM EDT
    Reply
    {"commentId":2588036,"authorDomain":"brettandrew"}

    I believe Sen. Obama made a costly mistake when he chose Sen. Biden as his running mate. Biden's own words about Obama's lack of experience and his praise for Sen. McCain have already been used to demonstrate that mistake. Biden is also renowned for his ability to go off message and walk into political minefields.

    {"commentId":2588036,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"brettandrew"}
    • 7 votes
    Reply#5 - Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:32 AM EDT
    {"commentId":2651092,"authorDomain":"politicalcenter"}

    Obama is a beautiful fit with Biden. If two liars in the White House were what we can expect from an Obama administration, that would be plenty. But Obama's group is made up of liars. A group that includes Dr. Dean, the one who claimed that the Republican Party is racist. Pelosi, who cannot remember who she is or what she is saying one minute to the next. Ted Kennedy, who lied about leaving a drowning woman. A whole group of liars.

    And the fact is that two people who tell the truth would be a blessing for us now. In this we can be certain. McCain and Palin will ensure a clean White House with no Rezkos or Ayreses or Dohrns or Roland Martins shouting about prejudice and hate all around them. Claiming our problems are with all corporations. Attempting to reorganize our economy as if we were in a Communist state.

    {"commentId":2651092,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"politicalcenter"}
    • 6 votes
    Reply#6 - Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:11 PM EDT
    {"commentId":2651522,"authorDomain":"redacted-"}

    Palin will eat Biden for lunch. I can't wait to see those debates. Bidens first mistake will be treating her with kid gloves. His second mistake will be taking those gloves off.

    {"commentId":2651522,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"redacted-"}
    • 6 votes
    Reply#7 - Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:36 PM EDT
    {"commentId":3384007,"authorDomain":"orson41"}

    K, folks, before we get our brains in a wad, let's look at ALL the candidates and their educational prowess.  Clearly, by any objective measure, Sen. Obama shows the highest scholastic aptitude. And all lying aside, Sen. Biden is second in line having achieved a degree in History, Political Science and successfully became a Jurist Doctor.  Sen. McCain or Gov. Palin would follow and be the least impressive from an educational standpoint.  All intelligence does not come from School, however it is a fairly decent barometer of the focus and discipline of the candidate.  Doesn't mean you have to like their policies or like them as people or vote for them, but whether Sen. Biden was 76th out of 85 or 760th out of 850 that does not put him as low on the scholastic achievement level as Sen. McCain who finished 894th out of 899.  Just some facts we all should know on balance.

    Obama:
    Occidental College - Two years.
    Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.
    Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

    Biden:
    University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.
    Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Ranked 76th out of 85.

    vs.

    McCain:
    United States Naval Academy - ranked 894 out of 899

    Palin:
    Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
    North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
    University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
    Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
    University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism

    {"commentId":3384007,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"orson41"}
      Reply#8 - Wed Oct 8, 2008 2:47 PM EDT
      {"commentId":3384797,"authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

      McCain has never claimed high academic prowess. Biden has. The point was NOT the degrees they have acquired. It is about the lawyers predilection to LIE about things.

      {"commentId":3384797,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"DrKnow"}
      • 3 votes
      #8.1 - Wed Oct 8, 2008 3:19 PM EDT
      Reply
      {"commentId":3385369,"authorDomain":"a0ted"}

      Biden is flamboyant.

      {"commentId":3385369,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"a0ted"}
      • 2 votes
      Reply#9 - Wed Oct 8, 2008 3:43 PM EDT
      {"commentId":3385650,"authorDomain":"orson41"}

      So, let's see if I understand you correctly; McCain has claimed many things that aren't true, in fact he recently said he has 'NEVER lied.' Really.  So you don't hold Sen. McCain and his words to as high a level or with the same hypocritical analysis as you do Sen Biden because?  Because he's not a lawyer?  Why is that?  Could it be bias?  Does it really matter to you if it's a lawyer or a doctor, a teacher or a politician lying?  Are you suggesting that Sen. McCain has not lied on the level of Sen. Biden or that the fact that Sen. Biden is a lawyer gives him a predilection to lying and Sen. McCain is just 'a natural?'  Here's a newsflash folks; people lie.  Politicians seem to lie more because they are people in a position where they must satisfy so many varied constituents and their lies are captured on recording devices which are played back again and again.  Now if you are trying to make a narrow point that Lawyers have a predilection to lie MORE THAN other folks in other professions, etc. fine, but your example is of a single lawyer, not exactly a controlled group test, now, was it?  Not to mention that Sen. Biden is not a practicing lawyer.   Perhaps you might have tried making the point that Politicians lie.  Then again, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are as much Politicians as Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden so that wouldn't have served your true aim, which was to sully Sen. Biden while not holding the same glaring light of truth onto ALL of the candidates lies.  Just don't try to cloak yourself as 'objective' with an attack on Sen. Biden's lies while looking the other way and tacitly endorsing Sen. McCain who has his own history of them.  Because that's sort of a lie of omission, don'tcha think?  Both meanings.

      {"commentId":3385650,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"orson41"}
      • 1 vote
      Reply#10 - Wed Oct 8, 2008 3:54 PM EDT
      {"commentId":3385967,"authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

      It is true that all politicians lie. It is also true that lawyers like to at least exaggerate the truth. One lawyer even argued about the meaning of "is".

      I am an advocate of the NO Amendment. There would be box for NO. If NO got more votes than either candidate, neither would be elected and new ones have to run. I am tired of going to the polls trying to decide the "lesser of two evils"

      {"commentId":3385967,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"DrKnow"}
      • 4 votes
      #10.1 - Wed Oct 8, 2008 4:08 PM EDT
      {"commentId":3386129,"authorDomain":"orson41"}

      LOL...yes, but but then we all know what would occur...you would just secretly run as...Dr. NO! and win all those 'no' votes...lol

      {"commentId":3386129,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"orson41"}
        #10.2 - Wed Oct 8, 2008 4:14 PM EDT
        {"commentId":3386215,"authorDomain":"ironhorse"}

        I once heard it put like this...

        "Electing a president is like ordering the best  selection off of a really crappy menu."

        I had to agree...

        {"commentId":3386215,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"ironhorse"}
        • 3 votes
        #10.3 - Wed Oct 8, 2008 4:18 PM EDT
        {"commentId":3386467,"authorDomain":"orson41"}

        Ahh, but is it better than the alternative?...

        {"commentId":3386467,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"orson41"}
          #10.4 - Wed Oct 8, 2008 4:28 PM EDT
          Reply
          {"commentId":3410309,"authorDomain":"jenniferwalsh"}

          Hey Dr. Know,

          You spelled "bottome" wrong!  Might need some fact-checking of your own!

          {"commentId":3410309,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"jenniferwalsh"}
            Reply#11 - Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:02 AM EDT
            {"commentId":3413548,"authorDomain":"mysticchick"}

            You spelled "bottome" wrong!  Might need some fact-checking of your own!

            No, that would be spell-checking, not fact checking.

            ::gong::

            Thanks for playing.

            {"commentId":3413548,"threadId":"339844","contentId":"1784793","authorDomain":"mysticchick"}
            • 2 votes
            #11.1 - Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:13 AM EDT
            Reply
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