Vice President Joe Biden was trending — not in a good way — on Wednesday after calling fraudulent money lenders "shylocks." Jewish leaders, bearing in mind Biden's reputation as a friend of Israel and Jews, chastised him gently. Then, after that, he referred to Asia as "the Orient." Read on for more Bidenisms on topics racial.
1. "You know on the way back from Mumbai … I stopped in Singapore to meet with a guy named Lee Kuan Yew who most foreign policy experts around the world say is the wisest man in the Orient.” That term, of course, is commonly associated with imperalism — and your grandfather.
2. "You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent … I'm not joking." Hot mike; 2006.
3. On Barack Obama: "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."
4. During the 2012 political campaign, Biden told a Virginia crowd that Romney's plan would "put y'all back in chains."
5. Then again, as Jewish leaders know, the veep's candidness can cut two ways. Last year in a J Street conference, Mr. Biden said, "If there were not an Israel, we would have to invent one to make sure our interests were preserved.” He then continued: “America’s support for Israel’s security is unshakable, period. Period, period.”
editor@jewishweek.org
