(Speechwriter) Neil Kinnock welcomes (plagiarist) Joe Biden nomination

[Kire]

Neil Kinnock welcomes Joe Biden nomination
Former Labour leader Lord Kinnock today welcomed Joe Biden's nomination as Barack Obama's running mate, despite the vice-presidential hopeful plagiarising one of his most famous speeches.

Last Updated: 8:29PM BST 23 Aug 2008

Veteran US senator Mr Biden's hopes of winning the 1988 White House race were scuppered when it emerged he copied parts of a speech from Lord Kinnock without acknowledging him.

Lord Kinnock said the two men had become firm friends since the scandal - with Mr Biden jokingly calling him his "greatest speech writer".

The Labour peer told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "He is a man of immense maturity and unmatched in the Senate, and probably much more widely, as an analyst and advocate in the foreign policy and defence policy areas.

"Even his enemies acknowledge his outstanding expertise."

In a 1987 speech to the Welsh Labour Party, the then Neil Kinnock asked why he was "the first Kinnock in a thousand generations to go up to University".

The Welshman's emotive style must have struck a chord with the Biden camp, because three months later he made a strikingly similar claim and his campaign unravelled when aides to presidential rival Michael Dukakis handed a video tape splicing the two speeches together to reporters.

More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/2609768/Neil-Kinnock-welcomes-Joe-Biden-nomination.html

[PatSeg]

1. Oh, that is so cool!

[gateley]

2. Agree -- this is so nice to see! nt

[muddrunner17]

3. I believe intent is a major factor in these things.

and Mr. Kinnock obviously sees that Joe didn't mean any harm all those years back. As we already know, Joe did cite his source many other times and didn't on that occasion. Still, it makes me smile to see such kind words from him.

[jillan]

4. Very cool! Now I want to hear a statement from John Sasso.

And MoDo. (did she ever comment on Obama's vp pick?)

Then I'll be very happy.