Vice President Joe Biden is no stranger to putting his foot in his mouth. Beginning before his campaign with President Obama, Biden has been on record for saying some pretty off-the-wall, and often offensive remarks. Here is a list of some of the most memorable (and shocking) Joe Biden political gaffes.
1. September 16, 2014: Biden uses the antisemitic phrase “shylocks” while speaking to a Jewish group at the Legal Services Corporation 40th Anniversary.
2. September 16, 2014: Speaking in Iowa, Biden referred to Asia as “the Orient,” which is an outdated colonial term for the continent.
3. June 17, 2006: “In Delaware, the largest growth of population is Indian Americans, moving from India,” said Biden. “You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking.”
4. April 30, 2009: “I would tell members of my family, and I have, I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places right now. It’s not that it’s going to Mexico, it’s that you are in a confined aircraft,” said Biden as he unduly alarmed people of flying or riding in subway cars for fear of swine flu. “When one person sneezes, it goes everywhere through the aircraft. That’s me.”
5. September 2013: Biden calls gay marriage “the issue of our day” at an Iowa fundraiser, which forced President Obama to reveal his evolution on the issue days later.
6. Jan. 31, 2007: “I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man,” said Biden on Pres. Obama. This description obviously drew scrutiny.
7. March 23, 2010: “This is a big fucking deal!” said Biden while wearing an open mic to congratulate Pres. Obama during the signing of universal health care in Washington, D.C.
8. January 21, 2009: “Am I doing this again? For the senior staff? My memory is not as good as Chief Justice Roberts’.” Biden makes fun of Justice Roberts swearing in of Pres. Obama in Washington, D.C.