1988 Biden Plagiarism Scandal

bhkad · #1 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 10:28 AM

1988 Biden Plagiarism Scandal

Quote:

In 1987, Joe Biden ran as a Democratic presidential candidate, formally declaring his candidacy at the Wilmington train station on June 9, 1987. In his speech, he challenged Americans to step beyond the materialism of the Reagan years. When the campaign began, Biden was considered a potentially strong candidate because of his moderate image, his supposed appeal to Baby Boomers, his fundraising appeal[24] (Biden's $1.7 million raised in the first quarter of 1987 was more than any other candidate, including the then front-runner, Gary Hart), his high profile position as chair of the Senate Judiciary committee during the Robert Bork confirmation hearings, and, perhaps above all, his soaring oratory. Biden often seemed to try to inspire the same hope and idealism associated with 1960s liberals such as Robert Kennedy, especially as related to civil rights. He received considerable attention in the summer of 1986 when he excoriated Secretary of State George Shultz at a Senate Hearing because of the Reagan administration's support of South Africa, which continued to support a system of Apartheid. By August 1987, however, Biden's campaign had already begun to lag behind those of Michael Dukakis and Richard Gephardt.[24]

In September 1987, the campaign ran into serious trouble when he plagiarized a speech by Neil Kinnock, then-leader of the British Labour Party. [25]

Kinnock’s speech included the lines:

Why am I the first Kinnock in a thousand generations to be able to get to university? Then pointing to his wife in the audience, he continued: Why is Glenys the first woman in her family in a thousand generations to be able to get to university? Was it because all our predecessors were thick?

While Biden’s speech included the lines:

I started thinking as I was coming over here, why is it that Joe Biden is the first in his family ever to go to a university? Then, pointing to his wife, he continued: Why is it that my wife who is sitting out there in the audience is the first in her family to ever go to college? Is it because our fathers and mothers were not bright? Is it because I'm the first Biden in a thousand generations to get a college and a graduate degree that I was smarter than the rest?

Biden defended himself by claiming he had correctly credited the original author in all speeches but one - the one where he failed to make mention of the originator was caught on video. Within days, it was also discovered that, while a first year law student at Syracuse Law School, Biden had plagiarized a law review article in a class paper he wrote. Though the then-dean of the law school, as well as Biden's former professor, played down the incident of plagiarism, they did find that Biden drew "chunks of heavy legal prose directly from" the article in question. Biden said the act was inadvertent due to his not knowing the proper rules of citation, and Biden was permitted to retake the course after receiving a grade of F, which was subsequently dropped from his record.[26] Biden also released his undergraduate grades, which started off poorly and remained unexceptional.[26] Further, when questioned by a New Hampshire resident about his grades in law school, Biden had claimed falsely to have graduated in the "top half" of his class (when he actually graduated 76th in a class of 85), that he had attended on a full scholarship, and had received three degrees.[27] In fact, he had received two majors, History and Political Science, and a single B.A., as well as a half scholarship based on financial need.[27]

Faced with these revelations, Biden withdrew from the nomination race on September 23, 1987, saying his candidacy had been overrun by "the exaggerated shadow" of his mistakes.[28] After Biden withdrew from the race it was learned that the Dukakis campaign had secretly made a video showcasing the Biden/Kinnock comparison and distributed it to news outlets. Dukakis fired John Sasso, his campaign manager and long-time Chief of Staff.[29][30]

Joe Biden - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

FWIW.

Mikeyy · #2 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 12:17 PM

What else do you have? His High school report cards? Ya know he made a mistake. He has also been a hell of a guy. He has dealt with the lose of a wife and son. He has come close to death himself. He has been one hell of a senator. And he is worth $150,000. Sounds to me like a real life human being. How many pols who have been around as long as him have not become wealthy? Infact e was scheduled to teach a college course. You guys will tear anyone down. Why don't you give the guy a break. He is exactly the kind of public servant we should celebrate. One that is there to do some good for people.

cnredd · #3 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 12:47 PM

Just because there are 25 LEGITIMATE ISSUES that Biden will have to explain, deny, and stall with, I wouldn't throw 700 things up and pray something sticks...

This is EXACTLY what I was talking about when I mentioned this...

Quote:

Obama detractors are seriously getting into Michael Moore territory...

I've said, for YEARS, that Michael Moore could've done a 1/2 hour documntary on legitimate issues with Bush...Instead, he put 40 tons of propaganda, spin, and outright lies on top of it which nullified them...

That's what's happening now...

If one were to look at the legitimate issues of Obama and his associations, his advisors, his beliefs and his value system, there's plenty of things there that show he's nowhere near being qualified to tour the White House let alone work there...

But when things like saying "He's not really an American citizen" or "He has a secret Muslim agenda" or "The Michelle Obama-Whitey tape" infilitrate the legitimate discussions, it waters down the rest of the true reasons Obama shouldn't be where he is today...

This feeds into the Obama campaign's narrative...They'll continue to point out the most extravagant, extreme, and proposturous conspiracies and say "That's what they ALL are!" instead of just blowing off the radical ones and responding truthfully to the real issues at hand...

tristanrobin · #4 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhkad

[b]FWIW.

not a helluva lot

bhkad · #5 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikeyy

What else do you have? His High school report cards? Ya know he made a mistake. He has also been a hell of a guy. He has dealt with the lose of a wife and son. He has come close to death himself. He has been one hell of a senator. And he is worth $150,000. Sounds to me like a real life human being. How many pols who have been around as long as him have not become wealthy? Infact e was scheduled to teach a college course. You guys will tear anyone down. Why don't you give the guy a break. He is exactly the kind of public servant we should celebrate. One that is there to do some good for people.

You have a misguided idea of what a campaign should be about. Now is the time to make the voters aware of those aspects of a candidate's history which might possibly give clues to negative character traits.

If you aren't going to enlighten the readers on this subject why don't you bow out?

tristanrobin · #6 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 05:27 PM

dredging up crap from the lowest, slimiest floors of the internet is HARDLY to be considered "enlightenment."

I believe many Americans believe as I do - this kind of childish garbage takes time, energy, focus, and serious thought away from the business at hand.

dabateman · #7 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 05:28 PM

Negative character traits do not equate poor leadership. Otherwise you would have to view McCain leaving his first wife and the Keeting situation, and his ties with certain fundamentalist dominionist Christian leaders.

FDR wasn't exactly the champion of high personal morality. Churchill too. Any politician has the things you are discussing. You'll have to make an argument that is EXCLUSIVELY Obama. If it has been related to another national leader, the issue is void.

bhkad · #8 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tristanrobin

dredging up crap from the lowest, slimiest floors of the internet is HARDLY to be considered "enlightenment."

I believe many Americans believe as I do - this kind of childish garbage takes time, energy, focus, and serious thought away from the business at hand.

Then maybe he shouldn't have plagiarized the speech.

What do you think?

bhkad · #9 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dabateman

Negative character traits do not equate poor leadership. Otherwise you would have to view McCain leaving his first wife and the Keeting situation, and his ties with certain fundamentalist dominionist Christian leaders.

FDR wasn't exactly the champion of high personal morality. Churchill too. Any politician has the things you are discussing. You'll have to make an argument that is EXCLUSIVELY Obama. If it has been related to another national leader, the issue is void.

That is YOUR opinion after having been made known of the facts. What will the rest of the voters think? Do you think we should keep this information from them?

Spencer Collins · #10 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 06:10 PM

No doubt Biden is guilty of plagiarism,he forgot to give credit in "every" speech.Does it really matter?..sure it does but frankly...all writers do this to some extent but most of us make an "effort to note that the work presented is in part drawn from someone else. Biden has been careless and the accusation is fair but in an election year,things get blown out of proportion by both camps. It's political warfare at it's worst but it is what it is.This is the business they have chosen.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

LinkBacks (?) LinkBack to this Thread: http://www.politicalwrinkles.com/elections/4297-1988-biden-plagiarism-scandal.html
Posted By	For	Type	Date
Biden Plagiarism - Very Recent News & Buzz	This thread	Refback	08-24-2008 10:49 PM

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to cnredd For This Useful Post:
foundit66, Mikeyy, Spencer Collins