Joe Biden gives emotional SXSW speech on his Cancer Moonshot

The former VP was in top form speaking in Austin.
 By 
Marcus Gilmer
 on 
Joe Biden gives emotional SXSW speech on his Cancer Moonshot
America's favorite uncle, Joe Biden, is back in the spotlight at SXSW Credit: Buckner/Variety/REX/Shutterstock

On Sunday, former Vice President Joe Biden stepped into the spotlight at the SXSW festival, giving a typically enthusiastic Biden speech on all aspects of his new Cancer Moonshot venture.

Speaking to a packed audience, Biden talked about the advancements in cancer research and at length about his own ongoing education on the topic, plus the work of the Biden Foundation.

He also opened up about his family's struggle with the illness and death of his son Beau, who died in May 2015 from brain cancer.

You can watch the entire speech below.

It was the same impassioned Biden we've known and loved from his years in the White House, with plenty of notable moments, from his biggest regret to his hope of working with the Trump administration.

  • Same ol' Joe: Biden relied on a tried and true introduction -- "My name's Joe Biden, I'm Jill Biden's husband" -- and it's just as charming coming from Private Citizen Biden.

  • His one regret: Talking about his decision to not run for president in 2016 after the death of Beau, Biden said, "I have one regret in making the decision not to run, and that was I would have loved to have been the president who presided over the end of cancer as we know it."

  • On what he's learned about cancer: "I also learned from the best minds in the world that the strategy we've been following up to now has been the equivalent of fighting the last war."

  • On working with the Trump administration: "It is my hope that this new administration, once it gets organized, I'm not being facetious, will be able to focus on and be as committed and enthusiastic as we were in the goal of ending cancer as we know it."

But, really, those are just a few moments in an hour-long speech so if you love Biden, and we know you do, check out the whole thing.

Topics SXSW Joe Biden

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Marcus Gilmer

Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.

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