At Thursday’s White House College Opportunity Day of Action, Vice President Joe Biden stole the show with four shout outs to Georgetown in his half-hour long closing speech.
While these mentions had no relevance to the day’s goal of discussing ways of increasing college opportunity, his rambling anecdotes ensured Georgetown was included in the major higher education summit.
The first nod to the Hilltop came as Biden discussed his son, Hunter who started Yale Law School after getting his B.A. at Georgetown. According to our Vice President, a Georgetown degree could mean you’re smarter than someone with an Ivy League PhD.
“My son Hunter is a very very bright young man. He’s a grown man now with three beautiful daughters. I remember when he got into Yale Law School he said ‘Dad, you know, 69 in my class have already their PhDs. It’s going to be hard.’ And he went to a great school. He went to Georgetown before that. I remember he had a court competition and after it was over he came out and went to a phone booth. And I know where this phone booth is. And he whispered and said, ‘Dad, I won.’ And he said, ‘Dad, you know, I’m as smart or smarter than a lot of these guys.’”
Less than two minutes later, Biden highlighted how our expansive mass schedule saved him in an embarrassing family moment.
“Two years ago at the convention, Michelle and Barack and Jill and I were standing waiting to go out to be introduced, this is a true story. And you’ve got to see Michelle. She is an incredible, incredible first lady and incredible mother. As is the President. As a matter of fact, one of the great byproducts and a point of personal privilege, their two daughters and two of my granddaughters are each others’ best friends. They vacation together, spend time together. I told my granddaughter last year we’re going to 10:00 mass, and she said ‘Pop I can’t.’ And I said, ‘Oh, this is your grandfather. You’re going to 10:00 mass.’ She said, ‘I can’t. The President’s picking me up in five minutes.” Well what am I going to say? The good news is that I have one son that went to Georgetown and I said, ‘They got a 7:00 mass at Georgetown.”
It is still unclear how a speech on education policy evolved into a discussion of time at mass, but thanks anyway, Vice President.
Photos: thepoliticalinsider.com
