President Biden flubbed a joke once made by Ronald Reagan as he delivered his first commencement address to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s 2021 graduating class on Wednesday.
He then called the cadets “dull” for not laughing at it.
Reagan was 77-years-old in 1988 when he told the joke to a Coast Guard Academy graduating class and his delivery was received as very funny. Biden at 78-years-old, not so much. Cadets collectively groaned and rolled their eyes at the botched attempt at humor and forced camaraderie.
“I can only assume that you’ll enjoy educating your family about how the Coast Guard is quote ‘The hard nucleus around the Navy forms in times of war,’” Biden quipped to a silent audience. He then admonished them: “You’re a really dull class. Come on, man. Is the sun getting to you?”
Reagan’s original delivery over three decades ago was decidedly different.
“My Coast Guard aides have been excellent. One of them taught me that, and I quote, ‘The Coast Guard is that hard nucleus about which the Navy forms in time of war,'” the 40th U.S. president snarked to the cadets in 1988. The joke received loud cheers at the time. Delivery is apparently everything.
fyi, Reagan delivered this joke in 1988, at the end of his presidency and when dementia rumors were rampant.
— tsar becket adams (@BecketAdams) May 19, 2021
Washington Examiner commentator Becket Adams noted online the similarity in age between the two presidents. Reagan was in his last year as president whereas Biden is in his first.
“fyi, Reagan delivered this joke in 1988, at the end of his presidency and when dementia rumors were rampant,” Adams noted.
Dick Cheney also told the joke in 2008, so Adams contends that Biden did not steal it. Biden has been accused of plagiarism numerous times during his career.
it’s like accusing someone of plagiarizing the old Marine joke about stealing the globe for their emblem when they overran God’s perimeter on the seventh day.
— tsar becket adams (@BecketAdams) May 19, 2021
Biden was infamously forced to drop out of his first run for president in August of 1987 after he was caught lifting a speech from former British Labour leader Neil Kinnock. The scandal and the ensuing investigation at the time revealed that Biden had used parts of other political speeches without credit.
There have been a number of other reported instances as well. He has also allegedly taken lines from Robert F. Kennedy and former Vice President Hubert Humphrey Jr. without crediting either of them. Canadians also reportedly believe he used the words of Jack Layton, leader of the left-wing New Democratic Party, during 2020’s Democratic National Convention. No credit was given there either.
Biden seems to be having a terrible time with humor. This failed attempt at making another joke comes just one day after he cracked a joke about running over a reporter with a truck.
Tuesday, as the president was touring the Ford plant in Michigan, he drove past a group of reporters while testing the Ford F-150 Lightning. They asked Biden what he thought of the truck and if he liked it.
One reporter, however, got down to business and questioned Biden over the ongoing Middle East crisis: “Mr. President, can I ask you a quick question on Israel before you drive away since it’s so important?” the reporter inquired.
“No, you can’t,” Biden snapped. “Not unless you get in front of the car as I step on it.”
“I’m only teasing,” the president stated before he drove off.
(Video Credit: CNN)
Twitter had a field day with Biden’s latest flub:
Biden: “The hard nucleus around…the Navy forms in time of war.” Comedians know the importance of clarity and meter in delivery. The Great Communicator had both. Biden dropped the word “which” and stumbled to the end of the joke. Hence the audience confusion. So who’s dull?
— Open the Schools (@johndid) May 19, 2021
You can tell Biden was totally expecting a huge response there. Instead, he gets the crickets he deserves.
— Joseph Gonzales (@joseph7gonzales) May 19, 2021
Lmfaooo this is hilarious
— BrokeAsFuck (@BrokeAsFuckWSB) May 19, 2021
yikes
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) May 19, 2021
If there were rumors with Reagan, Biden is leaving no doubt.
— AGM (@tonymatt9) May 19, 2021
Biden is always very good at insulting people.
— Dr. Maike Hickson (@HicksonMaike) May 19, 2021
The audience was probably counting the minutes until he stops talking. Response to his speech only prolongs the torturous time of listening to him talk.
— Ally (@CrookdSmileCre8) May 19, 2021
It seems that Biden is that soft nucleus about which humour flees amidst groans of “no more!”
— LascellesH (@LascellesH) May 19, 2021
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