Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden raised plenty of eyebrows during comments about America’s future role in the world in the wake of the global pandemic.
The former vice president was in the middle of a CBS Miami interview on Monday night when he declared that the United States could not pull back from engaging globally and not have “economic intercourse around the world.”
.@JoeBiden: What we need is more “economic intercourse” pic.twitter.com/zLa8hqspC0
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 28, 2020
While the 77-year-old has delivered his share of gaffes and garbled nonsense from the basement of his home during the coronavirus crisis, the unexpected phrase on Monday’s interview caught many by surprise and had some wondering if he had been mulling over the latest sexual assault allegations against him.
“I would get much more engaged in the world, we can’t step back,” Biden told CBS Miami.
“If in fact, for example, we solve the problem in the United States of America and you don’t solve it in other parts of the world, you know what’s going to happen?” he asked.
“You’re going to have travel bans, you’re going to not be able to do, have economic intercourse around the world,” he continued. “There’s a lot, look, when America goes alone, when America is first, it’s America alone.”
While it could certainly be argued that much of what he said actually made little sense, it was the use of the “economic intercourse” phrase that got instant attention on social media.
Joe Biden tells @CBSMiami that the United States needs to be more engaged in the world.
Otherwise, he argues, “You’re not going to be able to have economic intercrourse around the world.” (The phrase “economic intercourse” is one that I, for one, have never heard before)
— Matt Viser (@mviser) April 28, 2020
Biden has still not addressed the allegations made by former Senate staffer Tara Reade who claimed she was sexually assaulted in the early 1990s by the then-Delaware senator.
Following primary victories in March, Biden had declared that “this election is the one that has character on the ballot.”
“The character of the candidates, the character of the nation is on the ballot,” he said at the time, adding that “we need presidential leadership that’s honest, trusted, truthful and steady.”
Biden had also addressed a claim by former Nevada lieutenant governor nominee Lucy Flores that he had kissed her hair at a campaign rally in 2014.
“I will also remain the strongest advocate I can be for the rights of women. I will fight to build on the work I’ve done in my career to end violence against women and ensure women are treated with the equality they deserve,” Biden said more than a year ago.
His strange choice of words during Monday’s CBS interview did little to distract from the elephant in the room and soon began trending on Twitter.
I wouldn’t be bringing up intercourse right now if I was you @JoeBiden
— Doug Jones (@DOUG__JONES) April 28, 2020
“Joe Biden has still not directly addressed the sexual assault allegations against him but here he is talking about ‘economic intercourse,'” Turning Point USA’s Benny Johnson tweeted.
“’Economic Intercourse?’ This is beyond demented. Did Jill just faint out of camera view,” Juanita Broaddrick asked.
Some Twitter users argued that there was nothing wrong with the words Biden chose.
To those who think “Economic Intercourse” is a gaffe or somehow funny. It’s not Joe, it’s you –
in·ter·course
/ˈin(t)ərˌkôrs/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: intercoursecommunication or dealings between individuals or groups.
“everyday social intercourse”— Redden (@Ry_Redden) April 28, 2020
Thank you for being one of the few people familiar with a dictionary.
— Dee Fennie (@FennieDee) April 28, 2020
But for everyone else, it made the day’s entertainment.
What’s on your mind @JoeBiden?
— Nigel Von S. Wolf (@NigelVonSWolf) April 28, 2020
“Economic Intercourse” is not recommended if one of the partners has the #WuhanVirus
— VinceFogarty (@RudyQuinn) April 28, 2020
Economic intercourse? Like China has done to the US for decades?
— John Allen (@Jallen_67) April 28, 2020
Joe Biden’s greatest opponent is Joe Biden.
— Matzo (@Matzo222) April 28, 2020
Biden’s media relations adviser pic.twitter.com/UY5ytp98JM
— Stephe96 (@Stephe96) April 28, 2020
Joe Biden says the world needs more economic intercourse.
No wonder they are hiding him in the basement 😂😂.
— RD (@real_defender) April 28, 2020
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