Former President Joe Biden told mourners at Rev. Jesse Jackson’s memorial service Friday that he is “a hell of a lot smarter than most of you,” a pointed remark that stood out during his tribute to the late civil rights leader. Biden made the comment while recounting how he was mocked as a child for his stutter and how speech impediments are often mistaken for a lack of intelligence. “If I told you I had a cleft palate or clubfoot, none of you would have laughed,” Biden said. “But it’s OK to laugh at stuttering. … It’s the one place where people think you’re stupid.
“Oh, really? I’m a h— of a lot smarter than most of you,” he added, before quickly pivoting back to his broader point. “But all kidding aside, it makes you feel really small.” Biden made the remark during a memorial service in Chicago that brought together prominent Democratic leaders and civil rights figures to honor Jackson’s decades-long political influence. Former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton attended the service along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Rev. Al Sharpton.
