Apathy not an option, Biden says in Class Day address
Though these can feel like turbulent and divisive times for many Americans, standing on the sidelines out of apathy or disaffection is an unacceptable option, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden told graduating Harvard College seniors Wednesday afternoon during the annual Class Day celebration at Tercentenary Theatre. Nicknamed “Uncle Joe” for his folksy, gregarious demeanor and lack of pretense, the two-term Democratic vice president who left office in January gave students the “full Biden experience.” At times funny, Biden, 74, an unintentional star of popular internet memes, delighted students by dramatically pulling out his Ray Ban sunglasses and posing for a selfie with College Dean Rakesh Khurana. “Me and the dean in one place. Let’s break the internet!” he joked. He speculated that the Class of 2017 chose him over Thursday’s Commencement speaker, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, because, “You needed someone more in tune with your generation.” And he admonished students who avoid...