The Cardinal Times staff attended a speech by former Vice President Joe Biden on Nov. 30 at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Organized by Literary Arts, the speech was part of Biden’s tour for his new book, Promise Me, Son.

At the end of his speech, which mainly centered on his late son and Biden’s decision not to run for President last year, Biden asked all high schoolers in the audience to stand and told them, “America is in a great position. So why are we walking around with our heads down? I’ve never been so optimistic about our place in the world. It’s in our young people. There is no solitary thing we can’t do.”