Teen who bonded with Biden over stutter recites passage from JFK inaugural address

A New Hampshire 13-year-old who spoke at the Democratic National Convention about his stutter recited a portion of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address Wednesday night at President Biden’s inaugural celebration.

“In the long history of the world only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger, I do not shrink from that responsibility. I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us will exchange places with any other people or any other generation,” Brayden Harrington recited.

“The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what can you do for your country.”

Proud to have Brayden Harrington join us to recite President Kennedy’s powerful words. Like our new @POTUS, Brayden leads with the power of his speech.#Inauguration2021 pic.twitter.com/BWQ3RnZkMN

— Biden Inaugural Committee (@BidenInaugural) January 21, 2021

In August 2020, at a speech at the predominantly virtual DNC, Harrington described meeting Biden at a campaign event in Concord, N.H., that February and bonding with the then-candidate about their respective stutters.

Harrington added that the former vice president had shown him his notes on his own prepared speeches and how he marked them to make them easier for him to deliver.

“He told me that we were members of the same club: We stutter. It was really amazing to hear that someone like me became vice president,” Harrington said.