Perhaps you’ve been wondering what Uncle Joe B. has been up to lately — that is, between trips to the ice cream parlor and his fictional existence as a lovable but mischievous internet meme. Lucky for you that I’ve got an update to share. On Sunday he spoke at South By Southwest about his new project, The Cancer Initiative, which seeks to propel cancer research and find cures.
According to NBC News, the former vice president called cancer “the only bipartisan thing left in America” and explained that he had come to Austin, Texas to address “some of the [world’s] most creative minds.” SXSW, a festival traditionally focusing on technology, music, and film, may seem a strange place to discuss cancer research, but Biden emphasized the need for interdisciplinary collaboration. Indeed, collaboration was one of the themes addressed in the talk, together with a second: hope.
This issue is personal for Biden (I expect it is for many of us). He lost his son Beau Biden, a former attorney general of Delaware, in 2015 when he passed away from brain cancer. And in the spirit of bipartisanship, Biden even declared that he’s excited to work with the Trump Administration to accelerate progress.
“I’m confident that the new administration, once it gets organized—and I’m not being facetious—will be as enthusiastic of ending cancer as we know it,” he told the audience.
Biden voiced less confidence, however, regarding the GOP’s plan to replace Obamacare. NBC News asked him what he thought of the proposed measures, and he kept his answer brief.
“Not a lot,” he replied.