Joe Biden in 2012 Democratic National Convention speeches

On Corporations: Auto bailout saved a million American jobs

Barack saved more than 1 million American jobs. In our first days in office, GM and Chrysler were on the verge of liquidation.

We listened to Senators, Congressmen, advisors--we shouldn't step in, the risks were too high, the outcome too uncertain. But the President didn't see it their way. He understood something they didn't: this wasn't just about cars. It was about the Americans who built those cars.

In those meetings, I often thought about my dad. My dad was an automobile man. He would have been one of those guys selling American cars to the American people. I thought about what this crisis would have meant for the mechanics, the secretaries, the sales people who he managed. And I know for certain, that if my dad were here today, he would be fighting for this President, who fought to save all those jobs, his job, and the jobs of all the people he cared about. He would respect Barack Obama for having the guts to stand up for the automobile industry, when others walked away.

Source: 2012 Democratic National Convention speech Sep 6, 2012

On Jobs: A job is about more than a paycheck; it's about dignity

I was a kid, but I can remember the day that my dad sat at the end of my bed, and said, things are going to be tough for a while. I have to go to Delaware to get a new job. But it's going to be better for us. The rest of my life, my dad never failed to remind me--that a job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It's about dignity. It's about respect. It's about being able to look your children in the eye--and say honey, it's going to be okay, and believe it was going to be okay. When Barack and I were growing up, there was an implicit understanding. If you took responsibility, you'd get a fair shot at a better deal. The values behind that deal--were the values that shaped us both. And today, they are Barack's guiding star. Source: 2012 Democratic National Convention speech Sep 6, 2012

On War & Peace: Will track terrorists to end of the earth

Look, Barack understood that the search for bin Laden was about a lot more than taking a monstrous leader off the battlefield. It was about so much more than that. It was about righting an unspeakable wrong. It was about--literally, it was about-- it was about healing an unbearable wound, a nearly unbearable wound in America's heart. And he also knew--he also knew the message we had to send around the world: If you attack innocent Americans, we will follow you to the end of the earth. Source: Speech at 2012 Democratic National Convention Sep 6, 2012

On Welfare & Poverty: It's not "culture of dependency"; it's acquiring skills

One thing that perplexed me the most at their [Republican] convention was this idea of a culture of dependency. They seem to think you create a culture of dependency when you provide a bright, qualified child from a working family a loan to get to college, or when you provide job training in a new industry, for a dad who lost his job, because it was outsourced.

Folks, that's not how we look at it. Americans have never looked at it that way. These men and women aren't looking for a handout. They're just looking for a chance to acquire the tools and the skills to provide for their families--so they can hold their heads high and lead independent lives with dignity.

The choice is stark. Two different visions. Two different value sets. And at its core, the difference is, we have incredible faith in the decency, and the hard work of the American people. And we know what has made this country great--its people.

Source: 2012 Democratic National Convention speech Sep 6, 2012

The above quotations are from Speeches at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte NC, Sept. 4-6, 2012. Click here for main summary page. Click here for a profile of Joe Biden. Click here for Joe Biden on all issues.
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Page last updated: Jul 18, 2019