Joe Biden has a history riddled with controversial comments. During a recent “Bidenomics” discussion, Biden made an unusual statement about Governor Wes Moore’s biceps. This incident added to the list of eyebrow-raising remarks he made that day, including one about his track record on minority employment.
“We not only recovered all the jobs we lost during the pandemic, we’ve added millions more,” Biden stated. He went on, “We’ve seen record lows in unemployment, particularly — and I’ve focused on this my whole career — particularly for African Americans and Hispanic workers and veterans, you know, the workers without high-school diplomas.”
Despite the video of his statement going viral, liberal media outlets unsurprisingly downplayed its coverage. This lack of thorough reporting raises questions about the media’s bias. Furthermore, the White House’s handling of the transcript added to the controversy.
BIDEN: "…particularly for African Americans and Hispanic workers and veterans — you know, the workers without high school diplomas" pic.twitter.com/CZyCx23M8Z
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 14, 2023
The transcript included an additional “and” in Biden’s statement without indicating that it was an edit. This alteration changed the meaning of his words, sparking concerns about transparency and accuracy in official records.
Such attempts to modify transcripts have occurred before, highlighting ongoing concerns about President Biden’s communication and the need for transparent and accurate record-keeping. While this comment was wildly inappropriate and certainly wouldn’t fly if the tables were turned, this isn’t the first incident.
During a radio show appearance in May 2020, Biden infamously asserted to a predominantly Black audience that if they were unsure whether to vote for him or Trump, “You ain’t Black!”
Then in August 2020, Biden told a gathering of Black and Hispanic journalists, “Unlike the African American community, with notable exceptions, the Latino community is an incredibly diverse community with incredibly different attitudes about different things.” These statements imply that all Black people think alike.
In the same interview, when asked if he had taken a cognitive test, Biden angrily asked if the Black reporter was a drug addict. “That’s like saying you . . . before you got in this program, you’re take [sic] a test whether you’re taking cocaine or not. What do you think? Huh? Are you a junkie?”
In 2007, he said Obama was “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean.” In 2006, he said, “You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.” In 1977, he said forced busing to desegregate schools would make his kids “grow up in a racial jungle.”
The fact that these comments date back to the 70s exemplifies a pattern of problematic words (and ideas) throughout his political career. Biden’s history of inappropriate and racially insensitive comments has been a regular feature of his public life. Although, these comments are typically swept under the rug.
These unfiltered and careless statements have sparked concern about his communication style and the media’s role in reporting them. It is a reminder that leaders’ words matter. Their impact can shape public discourse and perceptions.
