A tribute meant to honor the legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson included an unexpected moment when former President Joe Biden delivered a pointed remark to the crowd gathered in Chicago.
According to the New York Post, Biden spoke Friday during a memorial service celebrating the life of the longtime civil rights leader, who died at age 84.
The event brought together major Democratic figures and civil rights activists reflecting on Jackson’s decades of political influence.
During his remarks, Biden recalled being mocked as a child because of his stutter, explaining 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.”
The memorial took place at the 10,000-seat House of Hope arena in Chicago, where hundreds gathered to celebrate Jackson’s contributions to the civil rights movement and American politics.
Among those attending were former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and civil rights activist Al Sharpton.
Jackson rose to prominence as a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. He later founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and launched two Democratic presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 that helped expand Black voter participation and reshape the party’s political coalition.
Biden also spoke about the late leader’s global connections, recalling a conversation about meeting anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.
“I remember telling Jesse that I knew I knew a guy, in South Africa,” Biden recalled.
“I was going to go see name is Nelson Mandela. And, I’m Jesse saying, how are you going? You guys actually see him, by the way? You know, the continent of Africa is going to be the largest continent in the world in terms of population of the year 2050, the largest in the entire world. Watch, man. Watch.”
