Friday 21 August 2020

'Without Joe, I wouldn't be talking to you today': 13-year old boy who got a pep-talk from Biden about overcoming his stutter delivers a speech watched by millions at Democratic convention

Thursday's Democratic convention featured a video about a 13-year-old boy who forged a connection with party nominee Joe Biden over problems they both share overcoming a stutter.
Brayden Harrington says he met Biden a few months ago during the primaries, and discussed the obstacle they both share. Biden had a serious stutter as a child, and says he had to spend hours practicing and learn special techniques to find a way to work through it.  
He said Biden 'made me feel more confident about something that's bothered me my whole life.' 

Brayden Harrington, 13, read a speech about meeting Joe Biden and getting advice about how to manage a stutter
Brayden Harrington, 13, read a speech about meeting Joe Biden and getting advice about how to manage a stutter
Biden delivered a forceful nomination speech Thursday that some commentators are calling the best of his career.
Harrington also turned in an impressive performance, smiling and making his way through his comments in a video that would play before a TV audience of millions. 
'Without Joe Biden, I wouldn't be talking to you today,' he said, flashing a grin, as the convention video showed images of the two of them together.
'He told me that we were members of the same club: we stutter,' Harrington said. 
He stuttered a few times on the video, but kept going, saying it was 'amazing' to see how someone 'like me went on to be vice president.' He said Biden told him about a book of Yates poetry he used to practice. Biden also continues to put special markings on his speeches to assist him.

Biden told him his method of making special markings on his speeches
Biden told him his method of making special markings on his speeches
The DNC made a video out of Harrington's telling of the encounter
The DNC made a video out of Harrington's telling of the encounter
Biden would practice poems by William Butler Yeats
Biden would practice poems by William Butler Yeats
Harrington said he met Biden at a campaign event in New Hampshire
Harrington said he met Biden at a campaign event in New Hampshire
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden's childhood home in Pennsylvania. Joe Biden's childhood home, Scranton
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden's childhood home in Pennsylvania. Joe Biden's childhood home, Scranton
It was one of several videos meant to feature Biden's character, in a convention that also focused on grief and connections Biden has forged with others who have lost family members.
The video had more than 2 million views on Twitter as of early Friday. 
Biden spoke about his childhood stutter in February at a CNN town hall. 'You know, stuttering, when you think about it, is the only handicap that people still laugh about. That (they) still humiliate people about. And they don't even mean to,' he said. 
'We all want the world to feel better. We need the world to feel better,' said Harrington. 

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