Biden’s political gaffe calls for praise rather than an apology

In his talk to Harvard University students at the John F. Kennedy School of Government on Oct. 2, Vice President Joe Biden aimed to succinctly put current world affairs into context. Speaking about topics ranging broadly from the Ebola pandemic to the recent uprisings in Hong Kong, the vice president’s remarks turned sour when he implied that the rise of ISIS was due in large part to the actions of U.S. allies in the region. For the past week, Biden has been on an apology tour, calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed and a Saudi official to apologize for his comments.

As that long list of names suggests, Biden’s unfiltered remarks to Harvard students have been widely thought of as a major political mistake. Yet, in taking on this view, many have sorely overlooked the laudable aspects of the talk — elements that are arguably more worthy of discussion than political offenses. Though people have rushed to label Biden’s remarks as a gaffe, I say that he should be applauded for engaging in honest discussion with students. It’s refreshing to see a politician — a high-ranking one at that — abandon talking points and depart from political flashcards to speak candidly on global issues.

During the session, Biden implied that countries like Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates were supporting Islamic militants by donating “billions of dollars and tens of thousands of tons of weapons” to extremists in the region. It is important to note that the words that triggered Biden to apologize were, in a sense, technically correct. The Obama administration has been negotiating with Turkey to seal off its border with Syria to prevent extremists from funneling in weapons and manpower. The funds of wealthy Gulf nations have found their way in the hands of extremist groups in the region as well. Considering the geo-political ramifications of making allies in the region culpable parties in the rise of the Islamic State, Biden’s apologies attempted to clean up a costly political mistake — not a slanderous slip.

In retrospect, it’s true that Biden should have been more subdued with his words, especially as Obama is attempting to rally allies in a coalition against ISIS. However, the take-away resonates.

Today’s globalized world makes it possible to publicize every text, post or tweet that has ever existed in cyberspace, making it even more difficult for politicians to voice truly honest observations. For taking on that challenge, Biden shouldn’t be made to apologize for his candid comments, especially when they were made to students who are bright minds of the future that could use a little unadorned insight.

Politicians conform to diplomatic norms that no longer facilitate substantive discussions on real world issues. Harvard students — and the rest of the world, for that matter — could have watched CNN, Fox News or any other cable news program to hear the talking points of the strategy in the fight against religious extremists. The vice president gave his honest take on serious issues that the White House must currently deal with, bringing something new to the discussion table.

In a university setting, students look forward to talks from current politicians, writers, thinkers and analysts. Academia thrives on intellectual discussions and critical debate about contentious topics and hot-button issues. If Biden’s remarks came from a speech in the White House Rose Garden rather than in front of college students, the issue would be different. The attacks on Biden are as much directed toward him as they are to the integrity of universities and the community and environment they promote and foster.

It is essential to the development of students and their intellectual thinking that free form discussions be permitted, particularly in the university context. Talks presented by public and notable figures are possible only if they’re free of political implications and diplomatic consequences that could very well restrict the depth and range of the conversation. Political talking heads and TV pundits might perceive Biden’s remarks as a gaffe, but to university students, they offer a glimpse into the way our vice president thinks and the realities of political discourse.

Political mistake or not, open discussions serve students better — and Biden excelled at demonstrating the significance of that.

Athanasius Georgy is a sophomore majoring in biological sciences. His column, “On the World Stage,” runs Thursdays.