Presidential contender Joe Biden jokingly called a college student in New Hampshire a “lying, dog-faced pony soldier” during a campaign event on Sunday, just two months after he unloaded on an Iowa voter whom he called a “damn liar” and days after he dryly instructed a climate activist to “go vote for someone else.”
The campaign trail headscratchers came as Biden, 77, has gone on the offensive following his disappointing fourth-place finish in last week’s disastrous Iowa caucuses, well behind rivals Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
The student, Madison, of Mercer University in Georgia, began by asking Biden how he could remain competitive in the race after that performance.
Legal Analyst: Dems’ Trump Lawsuits Were ‘Smorgasbord of Stupid’ That Gave Him a Massive Advantage
Tech-savvy thieves exploit obits, online posts to strike homes while families grieve, expert warns
Here Are the Major Steps President Trump Took in 2025 to Tackle Immigration Reform
Venezuelan Americans Break Out Into Celebration Over Maduro Capture
Here’s How Brave US Military Operatives Captured Nicolás Maduro
Get to know the unheralded aides who help keep Trump’s White House running
Key lawmakers to watch as Congress faces another looming shutdown deadline
Kamala Harris blasts Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro as ‘unlawful and unwise’
Second front: How a socialist cell in the US mobilized pro-Maduro foot soldiers within 12 hours
Sister warned Bryan Kohberger about ‘psycho killer’ on the loose before his arrest: ‘Be careful’
Venezuelan leader Maduro, wife arrive at Brooklyn detention facility after capture by US forces
Maduro jailed at New York detention center that held Diddy, Ghislaine Maxwell and Sam Bankman-Fried
Mamdani strongly condemns Trump’s capture of Venezuelan leader Maduro as ‘act of war’
WATCH: Ohio police smash sunroof, drag injured driver from burning car after rollover crash
Who is Delcy Rodriguez? Venezuela’s new president cooperating with Trump after Maduro’s capture
“It’s a good question,” Biden responded. “Number one: Iowa’s a democratic caucus. You ever been to a caucus? No you haven’t. You’re a lying, dog-faced pony soldier. You said you were; but now you got to be honest. I’m gonna be honest with you. It was a little bit confusing in Iowa.”
After a New Hampshire voter asks @JoeBiden why they should trust he can turn his campaign around, he asks if she’s ever been to a caucus before; when she says yes, Biden snaps: "No you haven’t. You’re a lying dog-faced pony soldier." pic.twitter.com/3uxOAu0Ues
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 9, 2020
Biden had used the bizarre phrase in January as well, in response to a question about President Obama’s broken promise that individuals would be guaranteed the option to keep their doctors under the Affordable Care Act.
Contrary to Biden’s previous suggestions that the line was from a John Wayne movie, TMZ reported that the phrase may have come from the 1952 Tyrone Power film called “Pony Soldier.”
Legal Analyst: Dems’ Trump Lawsuits Were ‘Smorgasbord of Stupid’ That Gave Him a Massive Advantage
Tech-savvy thieves exploit obits, online posts to strike homes while families grieve, expert warns
Here Are the Major Steps President Trump Took in 2025 to Tackle Immigration Reform
Venezuelan Americans Break Out Into Celebration Over Maduro Capture
Here’s How Brave US Military Operatives Captured Nicolás Maduro
Get to know the unheralded aides who help keep Trump’s White House running
Key lawmakers to watch as Congress faces another looming shutdown deadline
Kamala Harris blasts Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro as ‘unlawful and unwise’
Second front: How a socialist cell in the US mobilized pro-Maduro foot soldiers within 12 hours
Sister warned Bryan Kohberger about ‘psycho killer’ on the loose before his arrest: ‘Be careful’
Venezuelan leader Maduro, wife arrive at Brooklyn detention facility after capture by US forces
Maduro jailed at New York detention center that held Diddy, Ghislaine Maxwell and Sam Bankman-Fried
Mamdani strongly condemns Trump’s capture of Venezuelan leader Maduro as ‘act of war’
WATCH: Ohio police smash sunroof, drag injured driver from burning car after rollover crash
Who is Delcy Rodriguez? Venezuela’s new president cooperating with Trump after Maduro’s capture
Nevertheless, the moment drew mockery from conservatives and other commentators.
“You’re a lying, dog-faced pony soldier.”
“If he can’t handle a simple question from one of his own supporters, how can Joe Biden possibly take on Donald Trump one on one for six months?” asked Donald Trump, Jr., on Twitter.
George Washington University law professor and GOP impeachment witness Jonathan Turley added: “Hmmm, Biden does not appear to be confining his ‘go negative’ strategy to [Pete] Buttigieg, but seems to think it will work with voters. Calling a voter ‘a lying dog-faced pony soldier’ must be a new voter suppression strategy by targeting your own voters.”
In January, former VP Joe Biden used the phrase “lying dog faced pony solider” in response to a question about Obamacare. It’s a quote from a John Wayne movie. pic.twitter.com/oduqXA0R53
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) February 9, 2020
Legal Analyst: Dems’ Trump Lawsuits Were ‘Smorgasbord of Stupid’ That Gave Him a Massive Advantage
Tech-savvy thieves exploit obits, online posts to strike homes while families grieve, expert warns
Here Are the Major Steps President Trump Took in 2025 to Tackle Immigration Reform
Venezuelan Americans Break Out Into Celebration Over Maduro Capture
Here’s How Brave US Military Operatives Captured Nicolás Maduro
Get to know the unheralded aides who help keep Trump’s White House running
Key lawmakers to watch as Congress faces another looming shutdown deadline
Kamala Harris blasts Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro as ‘unlawful and unwise’
Second front: How a socialist cell in the US mobilized pro-Maduro foot soldiers within 12 hours
Sister warned Bryan Kohberger about ‘psycho killer’ on the loose before his arrest: ‘Be careful’
Venezuelan leader Maduro, wife arrive at Brooklyn detention facility after capture by US forces
Maduro jailed at New York detention center that held Diddy, Ghislaine Maxwell and Sam Bankman-Fried
Mamdani strongly condemns Trump’s capture of Venezuelan leader Maduro as ‘act of war’
WATCH: Ohio police smash sunroof, drag injured driver from burning car after rollover crash
Who is Delcy Rodriguez? Venezuela’s new president cooperating with Trump after Maduro’s capture
Also in New Hampshire, Biden forcefully echoed failed presidential contender Eric Swalwell in dismissing Second Amendment advocates, claiming personal gun ownership is an ineffective defense against government tyranny. (In an infamous tweet, Swalwell informed a gun-rights proponent that the government “has nukes” and could defeat an uprising in a “short war.”)
“Those who say ‘the tree of liberty is watered with the blood of patriots’ — a great line, well, guess what: The fact is, if you’re going to take on the government you need an F-15 with Hellfire Missiles,” Biden said. “There is no way an AK-47 is going to take care of you, if you’re worried about the government coming and knocking down your door.”
Biden’s defensiveness on the campaign trail has raised questions about his possible electability issues, especially given President Trump’s propensity for hammering the Bidens’ perceived corruption. This past December in Iowa, Biden slammed a voter who questioned Hunter Biden’s business dealings as a “damn liar” who needed to take an “IQ test.”
The former vice president then seemingly called the man “fat” after deriding him for his self-professed sedentary lifestyle, although the Biden campaign said there was a misunderstanding.
Legal Analyst: Dems’ Trump Lawsuits Were ‘Smorgasbord of Stupid’ That Gave Him a Massive Advantage
Tech-savvy thieves exploit obits, online posts to strike homes while families grieve, expert warns
Here Are the Major Steps President Trump Took in 2025 to Tackle Immigration Reform
Venezuelan Americans Break Out Into Celebration Over Maduro Capture
Here’s How Brave US Military Operatives Captured Nicolás Maduro
Get to know the unheralded aides who help keep Trump’s White House running
Key lawmakers to watch as Congress faces another looming shutdown deadline
Kamala Harris blasts Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro as ‘unlawful and unwise’
Second front: How a socialist cell in the US mobilized pro-Maduro foot soldiers within 12 hours
Sister warned Bryan Kohberger about ‘psycho killer’ on the loose before his arrest: ‘Be careful’
Venezuelan leader Maduro, wife arrive at Brooklyn detention facility after capture by US forces
Maduro jailed at New York detention center that held Diddy, Ghislaine Maxwell and Sam Bankman-Fried
Mamdani strongly condemns Trump’s capture of Venezuelan leader Maduro as ‘act of war’
WATCH: Ohio police smash sunroof, drag injured driver from burning car after rollover crash
Who is Delcy Rodriguez? Venezuela’s new president cooperating with Trump after Maduro’s capture
Iowa voter says Joe Biden sent his son to Ukraine to work a job he didn’t have the experience for.
Joe Biden snaps, calls him a “damn liar,” challenges him to a push-up contest, and then calls him fat.
This is the Democrats’ top candidate for president. pic.twitter.com/Wi1mI1ZtBL
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) December 5, 2019
Biden has stepped up his aggressiveness in recent days, although his attacks have been increasingly directed not just at individual voters, but also other rivals for the White House.
“This guy’s not a Barack Obama. Barack Obama had been a United States senator of a really large state,” Biden said this weekend, referring to Buttigieg. “This is a very different situation.”
Biden spoke with reporters hours after his campaign went up with a new digital ad suggesting the 38-year old candidate — who’s nearly four decades younger than Biden — didn’t have enough experience to be president.
The spot used a clip of then-President Obama calling Biden “the best vice president America’s ever had,” before going on to compare arguable successes of the Obama administration with mundane mayoral actions by Buttigieg, such as installing “decorative lights under bridges.”
Legal Analyst: Dems’ Trump Lawsuits Were ‘Smorgasbord of Stupid’ That Gave Him a Massive Advantage
Tech-savvy thieves exploit obits, online posts to strike homes while families grieve, expert warns
Here Are the Major Steps President Trump Took in 2025 to Tackle Immigration Reform
Venezuelan Americans Break Out Into Celebration Over Maduro Capture
Here’s How Brave US Military Operatives Captured Nicolás Maduro
Get to know the unheralded aides who help keep Trump’s White House running
Key lawmakers to watch as Congress faces another looming shutdown deadline
Kamala Harris blasts Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro as ‘unlawful and unwise’
Second front: How a socialist cell in the US mobilized pro-Maduro foot soldiers within 12 hours
Sister warned Bryan Kohberger about ‘psycho killer’ on the loose before his arrest: ‘Be careful’
Venezuelan leader Maduro, wife arrive at Brooklyn detention facility after capture by US forces
Maduro jailed at New York detention center that held Diddy, Ghislaine Maxwell and Sam Bankman-Fried
Mamdani strongly condemns Trump’s capture of Venezuelan leader Maduro as ‘act of war’
WATCH: Ohio police smash sunroof, drag injured driver from burning car after rollover crash
Who is Delcy Rodriguez? Venezuela’s new president cooperating with Trump after Maduro’s capture
Buttigieg’s team, in response, argued: “Vice President’s decision to run this ad speaks more to where he currently stands in this race than it does about Pete’s perspective as a mayor and veteran.”
Asked about his campaign’s digital video, Biden explained: “What I’m doing is responding to what Pete’s been saying for the last two months, that all the problems we have today are from the recent past.”
“When you get attacked, you have to respond. I kept my mouth shut for a long time. I haven’t responded at all. But it’s been constant, a constant assertion that the problems we’re facing today are somehow because of our administration. That’s simply not true,” Biden said.
Story cited here.
