2020 Democrat Joe Biden jokingly called a New Hampshire voter a “lying dog-faced pony soldier” in response to her question about his loss in the Iowa caucuses.
Madison Moore, a 21 year-old student at Mercer University, asked the candidate at a town hall-style event on Sunday, “How do you explain the performance in Iowa, and why should voters believe that you can win the national election?”
Biden, 77, promptly answered, “It’s a good question. Number one, Iowa is a Democratic caucus. Have you ever been to a caucus?”
Moore responded in the affirmative, but Biden joked back, “No, you haven’t. You’re a lying dog-faced pony soldier.”
NEW: Joe Biden calls a New Hampshire voter a “lying dog-faced pony soldier” pic.twitter.com/AbAYLDjUie
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) February 9, 2020
The moment marked the second time the former vice president has used the phrase in public, previously saying it during a 2018 campaign rally for former Democratic North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp. The line, he said, comes from an old John Wayne movie that he and his brother used to watch. Despite it being a joke, Moore found herself caught off guard by the response.
“I read an article that he said [Iowa] was a punch to the gut, and I’m not one to just push on wounds. I’m not trying to humiliate anyone,” she later told the Washington Post. “He wasn’t sitting in at the Senate trials for impeachment, so he had Iowa to himself. And then you’ve been a politician for like decades — how are you not way above all the other candidates?”
Some on Twitter did not find Biden’s comment amusing. Donald Trump Jr., the son of President Trump, tweeted, “If he can’t handle a simple question from one of his own supporters, how can Joe Biden possibly take on Donald Trump one on one for six months?”
If he can’t handle a simple question from one of his own supporters, how can Joe Biden possibly take on Donald Trump one on one for six months?
??? #NewHampshirePrimary https://t.co/t0KVEc9uoZ— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) February 9, 2020
Fox News host Steve Hilton also tweeted about Biden’s joke to the student, writing, “Joe Biden calls a voter a “lying dog-faced pony soldier” – but Democrats say it’s ok because John Wayne????”
Joe Biden calls a voter a “lying dog-faced pony soldier” – but Democrats say it’s ok because John Wayne????
kind of sums up the Democrats’ week
????
more @NextRevFNC TONIGHT 9pm w/@SaraCarterDC @LisaMarieBoothe @mattgaetz @MarshaBlackburn https://t.co/D6LbScagOq
— steve hilton (@SteveHiltonx) February 9, 2020
Andrew Bates, a rapid response director for the Biden campaign, fired back at critics, explaining that the candidate was only joking with Moore.
“Hi, Jr. It’s a joke he’s made before with a line from a John Wayne movie. And to quote your dad, ‘Bing bong, Joe Biden’s beating my ass in every poll. Ukraine, I won’t give you military aid you need unless you lie about him for me. Oh shit, now I’m getting impeached!'” he tweeted.
Hi, Jr. It’s a joke he’s made before with a line from a John Wayne movie.
And to quote your dad, “Bing bong, Joe Biden’s beating my ass in every poll. Ukraine, I won’t give you military aid you need unless you lie about him for me. Oh shit, now I’m getting impeached!” https://t.co/hK5IHRaqhX
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) February 9, 2020
Biden finished in fourth place during last week’s first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses. New Hampshire’s primary contest is set for Feb. 11.
