Biden Jokes: Felt 'Self-Conscious' Growing Up With a Name That Didn't End in 'S-K-I' or 'O'

(CNSNews.com) – In remarks at a meeting with Polish leaders on Tuesday, President Joe Biden — as usual — recalled his childhood in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he said he was self-conscious about his Irish surname.

Mr. President, the connection between Polish and — Polish and American people is extremely strong and deep,” Biden said.

“I was kidding with the (Polish) president. I was, as a young man, I was born in a coal town of Scranton, Pennsylvania, northeastern Pennsylvania, in an Irish Catholic neighborhood.

“Then when coal died we moved down to Delaware, to a town called Claymont, Delaware, which was a working class town, and ah, but everyone in town was either Polish or Italian. I grew up feeling self-conscious my name didn’t end in “s-k-i” or an “o.”

“But all kidding aside, the connection between — I was telling the president, the pride — the overwhelming, demonstrable pride that Polish Americans feel about Poland and the role you you’re playing now.

“We were talking about it. It’s extreme. It is — you would be, if you haven’t seen it, you should come and see it…”

Biden also said that he and the Polish president had “reaffirmed” their commitment to NATO’s collective security, “including guaranteeing that the command headquarters for our forces in Europe are going to be in Poland, period.”

He was referring to a new military base in Poland to house the U.S. Army’s V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe.

“And we are also launching new strategic partnership plans to build nuclear power plants and boost Poland’s energy security for generations to come,” he said.

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