With 36 years in the United States Senate and over six as vice president, much of Joe Biden’s fame has come from his penchant for being unfiltered. As Biden mulls a challenge to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, we want to know which of his gaffes you think were some of his best hits. Tweet us your top picks @dcexaminer.
A ‘Stand up’ moment
Sept. 9, 2008: During a campaign stop in Missouri, Biden once told a handicapped state senator to stand up.
“I’m told Chuck Graham, state senator, is here. Stand up Chuck, let ’em see you. Oh, God love you. What am I talking about. I’ll tell you what, you’re making everybody else stand up, though, pal.”
A BFD
March 23, 2010: During the signing ceremony for Obamacare, Biden followed his introduction of President Obama by embracing him and telling him “This is a big f——- deal.” Then White House press secretary Robert Gibbs quickly affirmed the vice president’s barely off-mic comments via Twitter saying, “And yes, Mr. Vice President, you’re right…”
God rest her … living soul
March 17, 2010: Just days before the Biden had his BFD moment, he asked God to bless the late mother of Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen. The only problem: Cowen’s mother was very much alive and it was his father that had passed.
“His mom lived in Long Island for 10 years or so. God rest her soul. And, although, she’s, wait, your mom’s still, your mom’s still alive. Your dad passed. God bless her soul.”
Wielding a big stick
April 26, 2012: Call it a Freudian slip. During a campaign event at New York University Biden channeled Teddy Roosevelt, promising “the president has a big stick.”
A slight Indian accent
June 17, 2006: While a Biden spokesperson later said, “The point Sen. Biden was making is that there has been a vibrant Indian-American community in Delaware for decades,” that’s not exactly what C-SPAN’s cameras caught.
“In Delaware, the largest growth of population is Indian-Americans, moving from India. You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking.”
Copycat
Aug. 23, 1987: Allegations that Biden lifted passages and even gestures from a speech by Neil Kinnock without giving credit to the leader of the British Labour Party helped ruin his presidential bid.
Two weeks later, C-SPAN footage surfaced revealing Biden inflating his law school academic record. Biden claimed he had finished in the top half of his class at Syracuse Law School, but he graduated 76th of 85. He later called the plagiarism allegations “much ado about nothing,” but eventually dropped out of the race on Sept. 23.
“I started thinking as I was coming over here, Why is it that Joe Biden is the first in his family ever to go to a university?”
Not the best pick
Sept. 10, 2008: After being tapped as President Obama’s VP, Biden suggested he may not have been the best pick during a campaign stop in Nashua, N.H.
“Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be Vice President of the United States of America. Let’s get that straight. She’s a truly close personal friend. She is qualified to be President of the United States of America. She’s easily qualified to be Vice President of the United States of America. Quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me. But she’s first rate.”
‘Unchained’ melody
Aug. 14, 2012: While addressing a predominately black audience in Danville, Va., Biden criticized Republicans for wanting to deregulate big banks using an unfortunate racial reference.
“Romney wants to, he said in the first 100 days, he’s going to let the big banks again write their own rules, unchain Wall Street. They’re going to put y’all back in chains.”
Bonus:
Swearing in silliness: Joe Biden had some fun swearing in new members of Congress after the 2014 midterms.
