Biden Suggests That Mocking a 'Gay Waiter' Was Seen as OK Five Years Ago

[DonViejo]

Last edited Sun Jun 30, 2019, 12:42 PM - Edit history (1)

Audrey McNamara
Reporter
Published 06.30.19 10:42AM ET

Joe Biden reportedly suggested that mocking a “gay waiter” would have been fine just five years ago while speaking at a gay rights fundraiser in Seattle on Saturday. Per a pool report of the event, the Democratic frontrunner for president said that five years ago—in 2014—if someone in a business meeting in Seattle “made fun of a gay waiter” people would have let it go. The former vice president's remark reportedly drew pushback from the crowd, who yelled: “Not in Seattle!” Others in attendance reportedly said that kind of behavior would only have been acceptable much longer than five years ago. Biden then made the point that times have changed for the better. “Today, that person would not be invited back,” he said.

It’s not the first time the Democratic nominee has put his proverbial foot in his mouth. Just last week, Biden came under fire for saying that a kid in a hoodie “may very well be the next poet laureate and not a gangbanger.” The remarks came a day after Biden also drew ire for his response to criticism from senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) over his record on civil rights issues, specifically his position on school-desegregation busing in the 1970s while he was a senator. The controversial comments highlight Biden's vulnerabilities and what has so far been a defensive campaign approach.

Link to tweet

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https://www.thedailybeast.com/biden-suggests-that-mocking-a-gay-waiter-was-seen-as-ok-five-years-ago?ref=home

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Biden's 'gay waiter' comment on LGBTQ rights falls flat in Seattle

By Kate Sullivan, CNN

Updated 12:31 PM ET, Sun June 30, 2019

Washington (CNN) - People gathered at a 2020 presidential fundraiser for Joe Biden Saturday pushed back against the former vice president's claim that just a few years ago people in Washington state would have let a homophobic comment slide, saying "Not in Seattle!"

The presidential hopeful suggested public sentiment toward gay rights issues has come far in a short period of time, saying five years ago if someone at a business meeting in Seattle "made fun of a gay waiter" people would just let it go, according to a pool report of the event. The audience vocally responded to the remark and some in the crowd said homophobic comments would not have gone unchallenged even before five years ago, according to the report.

The event was hosted by public relations executive Roger Nyhus, who is known as a leader in the Seattle gay rights community.

Biden said if someone made homophobic comments today, "that person would not be invited back," and said it was wrong that a gay couple could get married one day and get fired the next in 22 states because they lacked legal protections from job discrimination.

Biden recalled when he, as vice president, said publicly in 2012 that he supported same-sex marriage before former President Barack Obama. Obama, who had previously said his position on the issue was "evolving," announced his support for same-sex marriage after Biden's comments.

more
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/30/politics/joe-biden-pushback-gay-rights-waiter-comment-seattle/index.html

[highplainsdem]

1. Biden's dead wrong there. ... EDITING to add that I was dead wrong to post my first reaction

Last edited Sun Jun 30, 2019, 01:18 PM - Edit history (1)

here, as I realized after reading this very important OP from DUer dsc, which I hope everyone will read:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287181717

[Cha]

106. Right.. Unfortunately, I'm sure there are parts of America that aren't

as enlightened as Seattle or Hawaii..

Link to tweet

[Quackers]

2. I'm really not liking Joe these days. I don't think he'll be our nominee. nt

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

6. Joe keeps making unforced errors...easy to see why he previously lost two Democratic primary races.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Butterflylady]

11. Up against Obama and Hillary

Oh yeah I can see how he really had a chance. Not.

[Chitown Kev]

23. Dukakis and Jackson, too...

[hedda_foil]

57. And neither Dukakis nor Jackson was that strong an opponent.

But as has been the case way too often, he made a completely unforced error by plagiarizing parts of an English politician's speech and initially denying it. He was 45 and vigorous and he could have won the nomination fairly easily as Dukakis was a dork and Jackson was unfortunately divisive. But he put his own foot in his mouth and then chewed on it until forced to drop out.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

93. Yeah, was not a good showing...was hopin Joe learned from mistakes in his prior two primary losses.

Last edited Sun Jun 30, 2019, 10:36 PM - Edit history (1)

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[redstateblues]

147. He's only lost one more than Bernie! Doesn't look like Bernie has learned much this time

[stopbush]

26. Up against Kamala and Pete and Amy and Elizabeth and Cory this time.

I don’t see how he has a chance.

[Quackers]

38. Mic drop

Lol

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

94. I'd say it's pretty much zero... I expect Joe will drop out before the first votes are counted.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[LanternWaste]

157. Almost as many errors as Sanders.

Easy to see why he's never been nor will never be the Democratic candidate!

(see... we both can make unsupported allegations and pretend they're real)

[Blue_true]

124. He seems to not research stuff well before talking.

Seattle was not ok with gay jokes a couple of decades ago. Long one of the most progressive cities in the country.

[dalton99a]

3. Loquaciousness has its disadvantages

[Curky]

4. Context please

What question was he asked? was he talking about Seattle or the United States in general? The pundits and Biden's opponents want death by a thousand soundbites.

[hedda_foil]

63. He was making a speech to an LGBTQ group.

[Curky]

85. I know that

I didn't ask who he was addressing. I want to know what he said, with a paragraph following and subsequent to his controversial sound bite.

[saidsimplesimon]

5. Joe, say it ain't so.

If accurate, the man who made the comment is more than 5 years "out of touch". imo

[Butterflylady]

13. Around where I live that is happening right now

So he isn't really far off.

[saidsimplesimon]

17. Thanks for letting us know

What part of the country or where is it still happening? I must live in a bubble.

[FreeState]

121. It happens here

Hillcrest, San Diego, CA. I’ve seen it no less than three times this year - in the heart of Hillcrest.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

149. It's so... and so true!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[tulipsandroses]

7. He needs a speech writer

Someone in his camp needs to sit him down and go over his talking points before he goes out in the public - He should know everything he says will be scrutinized. Having said that - I think most people know he pushed Obama on marriage equality. His team needs to do more prep before he goes out.

[gldstwmn]

73. He's not a good listener.

[Turin_C3PO]

8. Joe needs to up his game.

Tighter messaging, not speaking as much off the cuff, etc.

[pangaia]

46. Messaging.. off the cuff.. might this be where ones true beliefs, thoughts

feelings come out?

In addition, i will admit, to just miostakes...

[Turin_C3PO]

48. Joe's a good guy.

But he doesn’t always express himself in the best way. I definitely don’t believe he’s a bigot.

[pangaia]

53. I don;t either..believe he is a bigot and I do believe he is a 'good guy.'

[Turin_C3PO]

54. He needs to tighten up his messaging, for sure.

[Blue_true]

125. He is not a bigot. But his slips of the tongue makes one wonder whether

he will forcefully confront bigot in a tough situation out of public view. That is my concern about him given his recent statements.

[brush]

59. Nah, Joe's intentions are good he just makes unforced errors.

At this rate it's going to be a long campaign for his staffers.

[BeyondGeography]

9. This whole candidacy is veering into Not the Onion territory

Last edited Sun Jun 30, 2019, 11:55 AM - Edit history (1)

[bluewater]

10. THIS is why the Biden Campaign is hiding Joe as much as possible

It's why they didn't let him go to the "Spin Room" with the other candidates after the debates.

The more exposure he gets interacting with people, the more this type of thing will happen.

Everyone knows he's famous for his gaffes, but they are coming much more frequently in this campaign in 2019.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

95. Smart move if you ask me.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[UniteFightBack]

12. Maybe Biden should join the other Dem candidates in not having reporters in closed door

fundraisers. This is stupid and fucking nitpicking.

I won't be giving a shit about BULLSHIT like this for any candidate. But everybody else feel free to FEED into nonsense.

Oh and any "purists" wanna come at...FUCKING DON'T.

[emmaverybo]

133. Incredibly so. And ironic that though he has been such a supporter for civil and gay rights, he is

now harassed over every word, often just when he is in some act of support.

[SWBTATTReg]

14. No it wasn't and it never was okay, and it still isn't okay...god...

[Dream Girl]

90. Did he say it was ok? Or that some viewed it as okay? There is a difference.

Sheesh some still view it as okay.

[Blue_true]

129. No he did not. He just bungled an important point that he wanted to make. nt

[emmaverybo]

155. No. He said at one time gay mocking among a private party might have been considered ok

but no longer. HE didn’t say it was ever ok. He was making a point about social change, that
decent folks today would now ostracize a person at the table who made fun of gays.

[Blue_true]

127. He didn't say that it was ok. I think that he meant to use the fact that it did happen

at one time to make a point about where we were, where we are now and where we need to go. He definitely is not President Obama gifted with words at important times.

I really like Joe Biden as a human being. I am becoming less sure about him as our party nominee.

[peggysue2]

15. So . . .

If he'd said 15 years as opposed to 5? How about 20 years? Or are we going to pretend that homophobic comments or jokes made at the gay community's expense weren't a thing? Because if we are, then we're simply rewriting history.

The whole point of Biden's comment was to underscore the turnaround in public sentiment. Coming from a man who pushed hard for marriage equality.

But then the critics know that. Another nothingburger dressed up in outrage.

[Chitown Kev]

18. But you don't get to hide under the "he supported marriage equality" shield either

LGBT's criticized Alec Baldwin for the same type of assumption...that being an "ally" allowed him to get away with mildly offensive jokes...which, it does, to be honest...but you have to have good advisors to inform you when you are tiptoe-ing to and, maybe, stepping over a line.

[peggysue2]

28. This wasn't an offensive joke

This was misstating the length of time--5 years as opposed to say 15 or 20 years ago. Because homophobic jokes and comments in casual conversation were a thing, rarely if ever criticized in public.

The change in behavior overall has been relatively recent.

[Chitown Kev]

32. Trust me, I know

and on a personal level, if the person were a friend/ally, there's some leeway there.

But I am really not ready for the type of campaign where supposed "allys" tell me what I should and should not be offended by...

[Blue_true]

130. It seems to me that Biden was trying to make and important point and messed it up with his leadin.

That touches on the concern that I have about him. His soul and heart is golden, but his tongue is too often stone.

[Blue_true]

131. In Seattle a joke like that would have nailed a person 15+ years ago.

Joe should have said 15 or more years ago, maybe in some situations 10 years ago, then moved on to the larger point that he wanted to make. His mistake shows like of background on the city that he was speaking in.

[treestar]

24. To Joe the last 15 might fee like 5

time passes quicker the older you get, so a time estimate could come up short for older people.

[peggysue2]

29. Cheap shot!

[treestar]

34. I'm old enough myself to notice it!

Babies in my family are now 23! How did that happen?

[pangaia]

70. me too ---- GOD was that THIRTY years ago !!!!!!!!!!!

[treestar]

75. And hearing a song on the radio

I remember that song from high school. OMG that song is 40 years old!

[pangaia]

76. It also is NOT just about age. Different minds age differently...

A dear friend of mine passed away a couple years ago when he was 78 and I was 73. His brain was crystal clear, sharp as a tack.. Mine... nut do mudh i stol kant tipo

and i get lost counting rests lating Shostakocivh simfonyes

[stopbush]

45. Not really. I'm 64, and my relationship to time is very different than it was

even a decade ago.

[peggysue2]

78. No one is disputing that Joe Biden is old

But not every oldster is losing his/her mind or grasp on reality, even time. Yes, time appears to speed up as we grow older. But a length of time misspoken--5 years to 15-20--is not about time speeding up. A misstatement is just that, a misstatement.

Despite all the joking on age, there's also the argument of experience and accumulated knowledge, something that's going to be sorely needed to patch up our Republic and heal our relationships abroad if we manage to unseat the Trumpster.

We should all be chilled by Putin's recent statement that Western liberalism is obsolete, that the populist fervor racing across Europe and Trumplandia is the future, not a blip on the radar. And moron Trump after sharing in a giggle fest with Putin--because hacked elections is so-o-o very funny--then went on to trash San Francisco and Los Angeles, his version of 'Western liberalism.'

We have a cruel, ignorant wanna-be dictator squatting in the White House. That is no joke.

If Western liberalism is obsolete then all those rights, all those freedoms that were fought for, that we think are forever? We can kiss them goodbye.

Again, no joke, nor a time for cheap shots.

[stopbush]

84. We are fortunate that Biden is NOT our only shot at winning the POTUS

and beginning the arduous task of rebuilding this nation.

[Chitown Kev]

16. Yes, this is nitpicking...yes, this is somewhat offensive to a gay man like myself

coming from a supposed ally...but leaving all of that aside...

Why is Biden recycling lines like this from 5 years ago?

Either his communications team is really falling short or he's really not listening to them...and you can go to the "we don't care about anything else as long as we beat Trump" well only so much.

[bluewater]

22. "Why is Biden recycling lines like this from 5 years ago?"

Honestly, it's exactly what my father used to do. Old people just like to tell the same old stories.

[Chitown Kev]

25. It's in the Twitter thread

it's an old story of Biden's

Link to tweet

but he set the scene a little better in the old story.

Your father isn't an old guy running for POTUS, for one...

[bluewater]

42. "Your father isn't an old guy running for POTUS, for one..."

Very true. My father is dead, but that's not my point.

I think old people all fall back on telling old stories, even at times when those stories are not appropriate.

I don't think that's a good look for a Presidential Candidate in 2019 either, but I was trying to be subtle about it.

[Chitown Kev]

47. ...fair enough

I mean, if it comes to it, I suppose that I would settle for someone who comes off as a kinder, gentler Archie Bunker, when I consider what we have now

But...really?

[bluewater]

55. IKR

Let me really not be subtle...

I think old people repeating old stories, even when those stories are not appropriate is a symptom of advancing age and decline.

I think it's a very bad sign when a candidate in 2019 does it over and over again.

I think that it's a good reason not to vote for that candidate.

[Chitown Kev]

62. Yeah, I'm trying to be subtle

even a comdedian in their prime has to update the old jokes and/or find new material...otherwise the old jokes do get, by and large, stale.

It's the same way with political storytelling...it's about the ability of a candidate to adjust to changing times...and usually, a Democratic nominee for POTUS only gets elected POTUS when they show themselves able to ride the wave in front of them...which has always been my main argument against Biden and the CW that he can beat Trump.

[bluewater]

65. Being serious though, Biden seems to have no idea what is offensive any more

It's like he has no internal filter, or if he does it stopped working in the 1980's.

[treestar]

68. Offensive to DU vs. the rest of the country is not the same

Some people are more easily offended than others. Going up against the Offender of all Time, we have to have a thicker skin.

[Chitown Kev]

77. But at the present time

Biden is running for the Democratic nomination...not a general election

[treestar]

119. This stuff will still be out there though

dirtying up the candidate and suppressing voter turnout - that "Oh, they are all corrupt" feeling that people express and use as an excuse to not vote.

And in considering electability, the argument that he says these offensive things would have to mean it would offend the less interested type voter who votes in swing states. The type that might well vote for the Idiot in the WH Now because "the economy is good." That's terrifying. So we need to be positive this time. That's my take, anyway.

[stopbush]

19. Joe continues to make unforced errors and his fans continue to blame others for them.

I have yet to see a Joe supporter defend/explain what he meant at the debate when asked what his first act would be as president and his response was “defeating Donald tRump.”

Say wha? If you’re still concentrating on defeating tRump you have not been elected POTUS.

Slow on the uptake or something more serious?

[Opel_Justwax]

20. Uncle Joe Suffers from foot in the mouth disease.

[snowybirdie]

21. Misleading headline

I'm surprised you'd sink low to distribute misinformation to DUrs about a candidate your not supporting. Keep going high folks! They all are better than what we've got! Please read the last sentence before passing judgment!

[Quackers]

44. I'm surprised that you'd accuse DonViejo of distributing misinformation on DU.

Talk about going high...

[treestar]

69. We are told not to have absolute trust in politicians

but now we are told to have absolute trust in other DU posters.

[ucrdem]

27. Oh please, he should have said 25, he said five.

No one could miss his meaning. This is the smallest of potatoes.

[Demsrule86]

33. Where do you live? I live in Ohio and folks showed up with guns at my daughters unity meeting

at college...they got the address of of facebook...her group was disbanded at the end of this year because , they couldn't get faculty support...one said it hurt her resume...Joe is not wrong. And look at the laws...most Gay people can still face discrimination in housing and the workplace...and acceptance of gay marriage is down 16%.I have a Gay daughter who has faced serious discrimination so I watch this stuff...and I would say it could still happen.

[ucrdem]

36. You're absolutely right.

A lot depends on location. And even in Calif the gay waiter remains a staple of sitcoms and routines. Picking nits on this one seems utterly counter productive.

[stopbush]

51. I think what this shows is that Joe is on the defensive

as are his supporters on DU. Big time.

I am hearing nothing positive being discussed about Joe’s debate performance, notably here on DU. All his supporters can do is blame the messengers. But it isn’t the messengers who screwed up. It was Joe. He wasn’t prepared. No matter what the attack, a deft, connected politician can offer a response that turns the tables. Joe didn't do that with Kamala. He made it worse.

That speaks volumes.

[ucrdem]

52. You know what? When I saw it, I thought he did exactly what he needed to.

She implied that he praised segregationists. He didn't and said so. She implied that he opposed her busing program. She was wrong and he told her why. She implied that he was a racist. He forcefully defended his civil rights record. And then he respected the freaking format and shut up. Would that they all had shown such self control. So, MSM to the contrary, I thought he did a good job on that and other questions, and have said so in many threads.

[stopbush]

56. My take was quite different than yours.

[Demsrule86]

92. You support Harris ...not surprising...I spent most of the night on a thread about her and the

Catholic Diocese...couldn' sleep...I bet we would have different ideas about this too...I live in Ohio and fear for my daughter's safety...I am ashamed to say that part of me was glad unity was disbanded as it makes her less of a target. So Joe is right,I do think it is better but it is still possible for a gay waither to be ridiculed and worse...My husband have though seriously about moving the entire family or sending my daughter to Ireland if Trump wins reelection...we have the right of return.

[stopbush]

98. I was born in Ohio and lived there until I got out at age 22. All of my siblings still live there.

Half are Ds, half are tRumpers (who all happen to be born agains).

I saw posts on the RNC and Harris. I disagree with the premise entirely. Harris reversed a policy held by her predecessor, a policy I disagreed with at the time.

[Demsrule86]

99. I see it differently.

[emmaverybo]

135. +1000

[UniteFightBack]

111. I live in NYC and plenty of people make 'jokes' who are not allies all the time. nt

[Blue_true]

134. Have her come live in Florida.

Gainesville, Tallahassee, Orlando. Tampa/St. Pete would be primo. Of course pretty much all of South Florida would be beyond great, but it's expensive down there. Even my red county is gay friendly, I was rather surprised when I saw official sanctioning of Pride events, but it is.

[Chitown Kev]

35. It is indicative of the fact

that Biden really needs to tighten up, though...times have changed

[Politicub]

39. Just stop, okay? If it was acceptable in your circles, it wasn't everywhere. It made people feel

unsafe then, and it does now. It's a form of demeaning people. It goes below skin deep.

Please don't defend Biden here. Just let it go. He was wrong. Full stop.

On edit - Maybe someone was making fun of queer people around him five years ago. I wonder if he would have had a chuckle or said something about it?

[MoonchildCA]

30. I love Joe, but I've always seen this as his greatest flaw.

He says things like this all the time without realizing how they come off. Obama was “clean and articulate.” He’ s trying to be complimentary or unbiased and enlightened, but it often comes off as the opposite.

This issue has always plagued him. I hope it’s not too late for him to overcome. He may win in spite of it, but it’s not doing his campaign any favors. It makes him sound out of touch.

[Blue_true]

136. It makes him sound unprepared.

I don't doubt that his heart is golden, but I can say the same about several of the other democratic candidates.

[DesertRat]

156. I agree

And I don't think he's going to change now.

[Iliyah]

31. Oh geez . . .

years ago I truly felt that gays were evil. Today, I know I was completely wrong.

[Blue_true]

137. I had a bisexual brother.

From my earliest days I knew that gay people were not evil. I also know that NO ONE chooses to be gay after watching the abuse that he endured.

[Politicub]

37. I was harassed (made "fun of") when I worked at McDonalds in 1989. It was by fellow employees...

they exaggerated a lisp and holding their hand flopping as they talked. If I said anything, they would repeat it in the same exaggerated lisp. It made me feel like garbage and afraid.

I was also bullied in high school for being gay (even before I had a sense of what being gay meant). People that don't know better may have thought I was just being mocked or "made fun of" and have a chuckle over it.

I haven't thought about that in more than 20 years. I don't like reliving it. Fuck.

In the professional workplace, it has not been acceptable for the 25 years I've been working and probably long before that. If someone were to harass me by mocking or "making fun" of me, I would have reported them into my manager and then HR.

The closest thing that someone has come to mocking behavior at work is when a fresh out of college intern joined my team around 2007. She would say, that's "so gay" frequently. It made me so uncomfortable. I let her that's unprofessional and offensive, and to please not do that around me or anyone else.

Five years? This is shocking to me that someone would think that no one would "challenge" or stand up for someone who was being made fun of.

[Blue_true]

140. You touched brilliantly on my life experiences.

One of my brothers was bisexual. From the earliest that I remember of him, he was bisexual. I went to elementary school with boys that were gay, that became clearer as they and I grew older. No one that I have ever come across chose to be gay or bisexual, that is one thing a lot of rightwing evangelicals can't seem to understand, the supreme presence of the universe and beyond MADE LGBTQ people what they are.

You are right about the workplace. Two decades ago insulting a coworker who was LGBTQ or female got a person fired. I am surprised that Joe Biden said what he said using the timeline that he used.

[Politicub]

148. The next time a person says "it's a choice" to me in real life...

I’m going to ask them, “oh, so when did you choose?” just to see what they say.

About the workplace... sadly, not every workplace is progressive. Where I live, the backward state of Georgia, LGBT folk do not have any kind of legal protection, so they can be fired simply because they are gay. That’s why the Equality Act is so important. I’m glad Biden and most of the other folks running support it.

[brush]

40. Joe, Joe, Joe! These unforced errors are going to kill your campaign.

His staff must be pulling out their hair. The things he's saying are things he shouldn't be saying. Even twenty years ago the boy/segregationist remark, the out-of-step Hyde Amendment thing, and now this—his intentions are good but these comments are just not going to work in 2019.

I feel bad because he could handle trump on the debate stage but it's looking more and more like he won't get there.

[Blue_true]

142. He really should talk to his staff people hours before speaking to

say the key points that he wants to make and see how they take them. A senior person in his campaign needs to sit down with him and ask him to run everything he plans to say at events past a group of diverse staff.

I would trust Joe's decisionmaking as President, I have no qualms about that. But he has a tendency to butcher points that he wants to make while speaking and create unneeded drama.

[McCamy Taylor]

41. Yes, we all know that Biden's tongue is his biggest weakness.

He needs to keep his mouth shut and look avuncular.

[Blue_true]

143. He can be very good and passionate when he speaks.

He just need to use a diverse cross-section of his staff as a sounding board.

[pangaia]

43. WHAT ?? Is that true.. that Biden actually said that--recently?

If that is true..

Look, I decided not to get into the primary fights going on here---- it'd pretty depressing..
but-- if it is true that he said that.....

that is really, really sad...

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

97. Hard to believe, I know, but Joe said it all right!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[UniteFightBack]

112. Why do you bash Joe Biden all the time? nt

[LanternWaste]

159. Sounds almost as bad as Sanders' "white people don't know what it's like to live in a 'ghetto."

But I imagine we all justify the motes in our eyes while magnifying those in others.

It's consistent.

[Blue_true]

144. I believe that he was trying to make an important statement in support of LGBTQ

rights and completely butchered his segway into that point.

[Galraedia]

49. 5 years ago same-sex marrage wasn't legal in all 50 states.

It wasn't until June 26, 2015 that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage, legalizing it in all fifty states.
Pretty pathetic to use that against Joe when people on this very forum were defending and trying to protect the rights of gays a little more than 4 years ago.

[emmaverybo]

139. I think it was today that a DUer asked that we stop with the gay Trump-Putin jokes. This crap--

Last edited Sun Jun 30, 2019, 11:17 PM - Edit history (1)

poring over allusions, jokes, examples, to find Biden “out of step,” or worse, spin these out of context, to show he’s not worthy to support the causes he has proven his authentic and unwavering support for—is counter-productive and petty.

Open a Biden gaffe thread and have at it.

[dsc]

50. I will concede that Seattle might be different in this regard

but I am absolutely certain that in some circles in places like Raleigh, Atlanta, Cleveland, and many, many other cities he would have been dead right 5 years ago. Remember when Kevin Hart lost the Oscar gig over comments he made on Twitter from 2009 to 2011, people in 2018 were saying he should be able to host despite refusing to apologize for threatening to beat his child if he were gay and saying a person's profile pic was a gay billboard for AIDS. Again, he was defended in 2018, which last I checked wasn't 5 years ago, it wasn't 4 years ago, it wasn't 3 years ago, it wasn't 2 years ago, it was one, count it one year ago.

[Blue_true]

145. If I am correct you have identified yourself as a gay man.

What I know for sure is that if a person name called an LGBTQ person in the corporations that I worked in, that person would be fired within 2 hours, if that. That goes back into the 90s.

I have been in a lot of situations, dinners all over the country, private meetings, in stadiums, playing in sporting leagues. I honestly never heard a person use a gay slur, never. And I am sensitive to that stuff because one of my brothers was bisexual.

[MineralMan]

58. There are people TODAY who are mocking gay waiters.

For pete's sake!

[Thekaspervote]

74. You're right and he's right!

[Cha]

105. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure the whole

country isn't as enlightened as Seattle or Hawaii!

Link to tweet

[Voltaire2]

109. Right over your head.

[Faux pas]

60. It must be your

nap time joe. Sheeeeeeeeeeeeesh

[underpants]

61. I read they whole statement. He's right. This issue has radically changed in the last few years.

And in a good way.

[Blue_true]

146. He was trying to make an important point. His entry into that point

was off.

[still_one]

64. What does "reportedly suggested mean"? Is there a video or transcript?

[Funtatlaguy]

66. Joe, please Stay on script, on message, don't ad lib

[Demit]

67. Gangbangers, gay waiters...he's doing his best to keep stereotypes alive.

I'm beginning to think these are all winks to the troglodyte demographic. The old white guys in diners who think everybody else's issues are "identity politics."

[Chitown Kev]

79. Yep...

[Curky]

86. Did Biden call African Americans gangbangers?

Enlighten us.

[Celerity]

101. He set up very problematic dichotomy that narrowed down the inferred perception

of a young black man in a hoodie to either 'poet laureate' or a 'gang-banger'. That instantly ties wearing a hoodie whilst being black to gang-banging. Gang-banger itself is never a good thing for him to say, as it was one of his favourite words when stumping for that horrid 1994 crime bill that he help author, a bill that has devastating disparate impact over the past 25 years on our communities of colour.

here is his exact quote

"We've got to recognize that kid wearing a hoodie may very well be the next poet laureate and not a gangbanger."

video in this tweet

Link to tweet

[Curky]

107. Or...He rejected the hoodie stereotype

I respect the lens through you see his comment though.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

96. I couldn't believe that Joe really said these things... where are his advisors

to advise him on what he should and should not say?!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[gldstwmn]

71. Tone deaf gaffe of the day.

[still_one]

72. I find it interesting that a short time ago here, some were making snickering gay references to

Lindsey Graham

Jon Stewart made similar “jokes” when referencing Graham and McCain when he was on the air

It isn’t just 5 years ago either, it still happens. Is it acceptable?

Among some it is

It wasn’t that long ago prop 8 in California

[Dickbaker]

80. Are these women FOR Trump?

The more I read about women mocking Joe Biden for terribly minor issues the more I have to be afraid that those women represent another front that is extremely pro woman politicians or worse they front for the GOP who fear Joe Biden! They seem willing to help Trump provide another terrible term. Is it women against me or women for Trump?
Dick

[emmaverybo]

154. "The initial woman who brought the issue out in public, Linda Flores, was a Bernie campaign

advisor whom Biden had endorsed and championed at one time.

I had a problem with her second complaint after Biden made a self-effacing, good humored comment about asking permission to hug a small boy at a firefighting union event. This was after Flores and other women had complained that he was not respecting their space an should not hug or touch a woman without asking permission first. His comment drew pleasant laughter, not snickering. Flores then accused Biden of mocking women and mocking CONSENT.

She had to know that Biden wrote the VAWA and spoke at many campuses about consent. He admonished young men that a woman unable to give consent meant no etc. He worked on sex abuse and domestic abuse issues so prevalent on campuses. His legislation under Obama was revived.

Snowballed from there. It is ironic. But then so are all the veiled and overt accusations about racism. He is kept on the defensive.

Joe has been excellent on women’s issues. The VAWA is retired under Trump, but it is a significant
piece of legislation. A group of women complained during the whole Biden hugs too much thing that he was paternalistic in spearheading his initiative and talking to young men on campuses as he had taken over and they should have been doing the talking.

Anita Hill accused Biden of holding back the #MeToo movement by twenty years. I honestly don’t
know how he managed that one.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

81. This is disqualifying

[Buzz cook]

82. That's what happens when you recycle speech material.

Right sentiment, poorly worded.

[FloridaBlues]

83. Every word the man makes is under scrutiny

[Demsrule86]

87. They got nothing else...and in this case he is right...although where I live a gay waiter would

still be mocked.

[FloridaBlues]

91. Yes in my red town it's not just gay waiters it happens now. We have all heard it.

People won't be happy until he's out than the next front runner will get smeared on a daily basis. Just a matter of time.

[treestar]

122. Should apply to them all

and especially to the Idiot in the WH. How friendly is he to LGBT rights? Hasn't he already kicked some people out of the military? Is Joe going to do that?

[Dream Girl]

88. He is just so "hurtful"

[KitSileya]

89. Considering the hatred the GOP have of LGBTQ people,

I would say that VP Biden erred by about five years - being homophobic isn't considered a problem in large swathes of the Republican party and their voters *today*. Their voters have no problems with Pence, a know and avid homophobe, as VP. VP Biden might be right if he refers to the evolution within the Democratic party, as well as among those further to the left - they have become more tolerant. Even so, some would still not speak up about homophobic remarks, just as they refrain from upsetting the apple cart of racist relatives at Thanksgiving etc.

Many of our candidates today, VP Biden and Senator Sanders among them, went from supporting civil unions and letting it be up to the states, to supporting Obergefell and proper equal marriage. This is a huge plus, and, with the caveat that I am not LGBTQ myself and so cannot speak for that oppressed group, I do not think VP Biden should be criticized for what he said. He spoke the truth, from what I can see.

[SouthernProgressive]

100. Often, it still is today.

Open your ears and ask the “waiter.”

[tirebiter]

102. Biden pushed Obama to support gay rights

That’s not a joke.

[Paladin]

103. Does Biden just not want the nomination?

That's the way he's acting---and that's a charitable interpretation...

[d_b]

104. Jesus, Joe..

[Voltaire2]

108. Great Gaffesby strikes again.

Get used to it. Try watching episodes of Veep for some background.

[melman]

110. Holy shit

[UniteFightBack]

113. Biden said if someone made homophobic comments today, "that person would not be invited back,"

This whole OP is misleading and look at how many DUers you got to just go along ...OH MY GOD HE SAID THAT!!!!!!! Fucking PLEASE.

[Voltaire2]

114. Once again there be many splains

trying to reframe yet another gaffe as nothing at all.

[UniteFightBack]

116. Y'all are really stretching on this one. Whatever go on and hate...I'll have no part of it with any

candidate unless they shoot someone on 5th Ave. No wonder we lose a lot.

[treestar]

120. Or using his prior reputation to

spin everything as a gaffe.

Gaffes hardly matter after the Age of the Orange Idiot. Uncle Joe's are at least well meant and not intended to be mean. How about the guy who intends to be mean?

[emmaverybo]

141. Yep. Yep. Yep. NT

[melman]

115. He's told this story more than once before

Here's the version he told five years ago. "feminizing his voice"? WTF





https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2014/07/16/joe-biden-suggests-his-obama-administration-legacy-is-same-sex-marriage

[Glimmer of Hope]

117. Ugh. He really needs to think harder before he opens his mouth.

[Otto Lidenbrock]

118. in many places it is seemed ok today

progress has been made but still a long way to go...especially when some of the progress has been rolled back since 2017

it's clear what he meant and totally disingenuous to suggest the highest ranking official to publicly declare their support for gay marriage meant anything else. whether you think he is the man to further the advancements for lgbt rights is another question when there is a member of the lgbt community running too.

[dr03]

123. Biden

I don't understand why so many people on here back him. This guy has never done anything before in past primaries. Stuff like this is why.

[stonecutter357]

126. let's go Joe !

[Sugarcoated]

128. So what?

What is this nitpicking crap?

[IronLionZion]

132. Ironically Joe's gaffes helped push the Obama administration forward on equality

But this is a reminder that Joe speaks off the cuff and doesn't carefully prepare his remarks or consider the consequences.

[OhZone]

138. I heard Biden once said -

"Hi there."

Instead of "Hello!"

How could he?

[58Sunliner]

150. BS. This headline is dishonest, Biden said they would let it go, not that it was ok.

You should edit your fake post headline.
Whoever in Seattle said it would not happen there is effing full of it.
This post is ridiculous. And don't bother to try to flame me, I was LGBTQ when even in SF, it was truly dangerous, still is.
Much ado about zero. I'm sure Joe visits many towns where it is a common occurrence. If anyone tells you it does not happen because it's Seattle, they are being disingenuous. They may challenge them, but it happens. I used to live in Seattle.

[emmaverybo]

151. One hundred percent correct. Lived in SF a few years ago and still visit. Am a proud parent

of gay adult child.
And yeah, Joe gets around. Lots.

[58Sunliner]

152. Kudos to you-support is so important.

[emmaverybo]

153. Thanks! Happy Pride Day.

[LanternWaste]

158. Another benign comment

that will feed the Manufactured Indignation machine which, as we've seen over the past few weeks, has zero dietary restrictions.


It is bemusing to watch people pretend to be concerned and offended, however. The Righteous Rage (new and improved!) though, is somewhat minimized by the lack of a melodramatic soundtrack. Something by Jerry Goldsmith or Alan Silvestri could give it the sincerity currently lacking.