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In VP Debate, Biden Seemed to Overstate His Role in Social Security Reform
In VP Debate, Biden Seemed to Overstate His Role in Social Security Reform - ABC News
During the vice presidential debate last week, Vice President Joe Biden seemed to significantly overstate his role in the 1983 negotiations over Social Security.
Asked about Medicare reform, the vice president said, Look, I was there when we did that with Social Security in 1983. I was one of eight people sitting in the room that included Tip ONeill negotiating with President Reagan. We all got together and everybody said, as long as everybodys in the deal, everybodys in the deal, and everybody is making some sacrifice, we can find a way.
The comment would seem to suggest that Biden was one of the few, key players in the room working in a bipartisan way to reform Social Security.
On Meet the Press on April 29, 2007, then-Sen. Biden made a similar claim, saying he was one of five people I was the junior guy in the meeting with Bob Dole and George Mitchell when we put Social Security on the right path for 60 years.
But according to the historical record, Biden was not one of the small group of people in the room, or in the meeting nor was he even a key player in reforms.
In VP Debate, Biden Seemed to Overstate His Role in Social Security Reform - ABC News