Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

The King of Gaffes Retains His Crown

Sunday, March 1, 2020

The King of Gaffes Retains His Crown

After the Las Vegas, Nev. Democrat Presidential debate, where New York City billionaire Michael Bloomberg made his embarrassing debut on the stage, many expected the Charleston, S.C. debate to be another debacle. They were not disappointed.

After a relatively quiet performance in Vegas, the undisputed, undefeated King of Gaffes, former Vice President Joe Biden, returned to form. Biden seemed to take a step back while Bloomberg was pummeled in Sin City. A solid strategy for a man prone to making mistakes whenever he speaks publicly.

But Joe simply couldn’t go two debates without saying something that would leave most scratching their heads.

While trying to show how much more anti-gun he is than all of his colleagues on the stage, Biden claimed that nearly half of all Americans had lost their lives due to firearms over the last 13 years.

“150 million people have been killed since 2007,” Biden announced.

Apparently, Biden watched Avengers: Infinity War as his debate prep, and thinks that gun manufacturers are owned by Marvel Comics villain Thanos. This character, of course, wiped out half of the life forms in the universe with the snap of his fingers, in spite of facing off against the mightiest superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Sorry, no spoiler alert.

Maybe in Biden’s unique mind, he fancies himself the greatest power on earth. He does, after all, seem to take credit for nearly everything. This elevated sense of power might explain his awkward turn to the camera during the debate as he stated, “I’m coming for you, and gun manufacturers, I’m gonna take you on, and I’m gonna beat you.”

Where Biden came up with the ludicrous number of 150 million is anybody’s guess, but it is simply not true. In fact, saying it is not true is putting it mildly. The claim is absolutely preposterous.

Sadly, not a single person, either candidate or moderator, bothered to call into question such an absurd claim. While not everyone is well-versed in the actual numbers of fatalities related to firearms, more than half of which are suicides, someone might have done a quick calculation to figure out that firearms are clearly not involved in 11.5 million deaths each year.

Had he actually made the claim jokingly attributed to him by the satire site The Babylon Bee, he likely would not have been challenged by anyone at the debate.

But that is where we are today with the field of Democrat candidates who want to destroy the Second Amendment, along with their enablers in the media (the moderators); no lie is too big to make guns look bad. In fact, leading into the whole discussion on firearms at the debate, moderator Gayle King lamented over the fact that Congress had not passed “major gun legislation in a quarter of a century,” after running through a litany of tragic events she apparently blames on that notion.

King and her fellow moderators did not fare very well in how they handled the debate.

Biden didn’t make “150 million” his only gaffe, though. He also claimed he was able to get “magazines that could not hold more than ten rounds in them…eliminated.” What he was referring to, of course, was the 1994 ban on “assault weapons,” which also included a ban on the manufacture or importation of magazines that COULD hold more than ten rounds. And they were clearly not “eliminated,” as those already possessed, manufactured or imported when the law went into effect were completely legal.

But at least he’s not still confused over the terms clips, magazines, and rounds.

And the debate wasn’t the end of Biden’s gaffe-fest for the week.

The very next night, during a CNN town hall event, the former VP said of the Second Amendment, “From the very beginning the Founder[s] said, ‘Not everyone is able to have a gun and you can’t have any weapon you want.’”

Really, Joe?

That’s not just a misinterpretation of what the Founders said, it is patently false.

Thomas Jefferson said quite a bit about armed citizens, but perhaps his best counter to Joe’s claim was when he wrote, “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” Sounds like Jefferson meant everyone.

Samuel Adams wrote, “The Constitution shall never be construed to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.” Again, no equivocation about who can own what arms. Or maybe Joe has another government list in mind, where he gets to determine who is “peaceable,” and who is not.

Of course, we do not object to those who are not “free” because they are in prison from having access to firearms. Perhaps that is also what is meant by “peaceable,” as in, persons not in jail are presumed to be “peaceable.” If that’s what Biden means, then that’s fine, but somehow we think that is not the case. But beyond the obvious distinction of actual convicted criminals, leaving it up to Biden to determine who can own what firearms is clearly not what the Founders had in mind.

There are innumerable quotes from our Founding Fathers that support the correct view that the Second Amendment means what it says: “…the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” If Joe can point to any of them indicating they only meant some “people” (and how it is determined which ones) and some “Arms” (again, what is the criteria for determining which “Arms” are allowed), we’d be happy to look into whatever rewrite of history he has found.

When the next debate rolls around, which is scheduled for March 15 in Phoenix, Ariz., we look forward to seeing him add to his ever-lengthening list of gaffes. Not to mention his public appearances between now and then. Joe has made it clear that, if you want to see someone say something absurd, laughable, or embarrassing, he is, as they say, Must Watch TV.

IN THIS ARTICLE
Joe Biden Election 2020
TRENDING NOW
Trump’s DOJ Will Participate in Oral Arguments in Illinois Semi-Auto Ban Case

News  

Monday, September 15, 2025

Trump’s DOJ Will Participate in Oral Arguments in Illinois Semi-Auto Ban Case

Within six months of the landmark United States Supreme Court decision of NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022), Illinois disregarded the Court’s clear directives and enacted into law H.B. 5741, the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA). 

Armed Citizens: Not Just an American Concept

News  

Monday, September 15, 2025

Armed Citizens: Not Just an American Concept

We frequently post stories about law-abiding citizens who, by exercising their rights protected under the Second Amendment, bring an end to violent criminal assaults.  

New York Law Imperils U.S. Olympic Target Shooting, Favors China’s Dominance

News  

Monday, September 15, 2025

New York Law Imperils U.S. Olympic Target Shooting, Favors China’s Dominance

As U.S. shooting sports athletes prepare for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, New York law is burdening target shooters in the Empire State.

Third Circuit Strikes Some New Jersey Carry Restrictions in NRA Case

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Third Circuit Strikes Some New Jersey Carry Restrictions in NRA Case

Yesterday, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion in Siegel v. Platkin, striking some of the carry restrictions New Jersey enacted in response to the NRA’s landmark Supreme Court victory, New York State Rifle & ...

“Sensitive Places” Embolden Criminals and Threaten the Law-abiding

News  

Monday, September 15, 2025

“Sensitive Places” Embolden Criminals and Threaten the Law-abiding

A beyond horrific murder flashed before our eyes in recent weeks, and a nation collectively mourned Iryna Zarutska after the sickening attack that took her life on a public train in Charlotte, North Carolina

California: Legislature Adjourns with Anti-Gun Bills Headed to the Governor's Desk

Monday, September 15, 2025

California: Legislature Adjourns with Anti-Gun Bills Headed to the Governor's Desk

On Friday the California State Legislature adjourned the 2025 legislative session in typical California fashion, advancing anti-gun legislation to Governor Newsom's desk. Contact Governor Newsome today and urge his veto of AB 1078, AB 1127, AB ...

Gun Control “Journalist” Says the Quiet Part Out Loud

News  

Monday, September 8, 2025

Gun Control “Journalist” Says the Quiet Part Out Loud

Pure gun control. As in disarmament and banning of firearms. It’s rare that anti-gunners get straight to the exact point that we have been warning of for decades. 

Colorado: CSSA Files Suit Challenging "Polis Permission Slip" Permit-to-Purchase Law

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Colorado: CSSA Files Suit Challenging "Polis Permission Slip" Permit-to-Purchase Law

Last week, the Colorado State Shooting Association (CSSA), the official state affiliate of NRA, filed a lawsuit challenging Senate Bill 25-003...

Minnesota: Senate Gun Violence Prevention Working Group Meeting on Monday

Friday, September 12, 2025

Minnesota: Senate Gun Violence Prevention Working Group Meeting on Monday

On Monday, September 15th, the Minnesota Senate will hold a special working group on "gun violence prevention."

The Desperate Deflection to the “Red State Murder Problem”

News  

Monday, September 8, 2025

The Desperate Deflection to the “Red State Murder Problem”

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) may have thought he had scored against President Donald Trump in a recent war of words over rampant crime and the deployment of federal law enforcement agents to Democratic-led cities

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.