President Joe Biden scolded a class of U.S. Coast Guard graduates when they did not applaud during his first presidential commencement address Wednesday.
“I can only assume that you will enjoy educating your family about how the Coast Guard is, quote, the hard nucleus around the Navy formed in times of war,” Biden said during the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s 140th commencement in New London, Connecticut.
When the audience did not applaud what he said, Biden interjected, “You’re a really dull class. I mean, come on, man. Is the sun getting to you? I would think that you would have an opportunity, that when I say that about the Navy, to clap.”
The cadets responded with some light chuckles and a smattering of applause.
WATCH:
Joe Biden calls Coast Guard graduates “dull” when they don’t clap during his speech pic.twitter.com/STnvJxMuLl
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 19, 2021
The quote that all Coast Guard cadets learn, which Biden botched, was swiped from a speech former Vice President Dick Cheney gave during the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s commencement in 2008.
At another point in the speech, Biden also quoted communist Chinese dictator Mao Zedong to praise the large number of female graduates in the class and the increasing number of women in leading military positions. “There’s a saying we use in a different context, it’s a Chinese saying, it says, ‘Women hold up half the world.’ It’s an absolutely stupid position not to make sure they represent at least half of what we do.”
Biden quotes Mao Zedong in address to Coast Guard Class of 2021: "Women hold up half the world." He goes on to say "It's an absolutely stupid position not to make sure they represent at least half of what we do." pic.twitter.com/ZaKwZTQqPX
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) May 19, 2021
At another point in the speech, Biden struggled to recall the name of a Coast Guard lieutenant commander.
Biden seems to struggle to remember Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander's name pic.twitter.com/E2XmE6FvVS
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 19, 2021
The Biden campaign had to respond last fall when video emerged showing Biden calling U.S. service members “dull” and “stupid bastards” when they neglected to clap during a speech on March 7, 2016, at a military base in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“I have incredibly good judgment,” Biden said. “One, I married Jill, and two, I appointed Johnson to the academy. I just want you to know that,” referring to Delaware Lt. Carrie Johnson, who had introduced him to the stage.
“Clap for that, you stupid bastards,” Biden said when no one applauded. Moments later, Biden appeared to say that the soldiers were “a dull bunch” and that they “must be slow.”
WATCH:
Wow. Democrat Presidential candidate Joe Biden called our troops "stupid bastards" in 2016. How did this video stay hidden for so long? There’s only one stupid bastard in this clip and it’s definitely not any of our troops… pic.twitter.com/YZ99utMx30
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 25, 2020
The Biden campaign responded to the resurfaced video, explaining that Biden was simply joking.
“Vice President Biden was jokingly encouraging the audience to clap for an airwoman on the stage, and a number of service members can be seen laughing and smiling at the comment. Seconds before, he praised them for ‘the incredible sacrifices [they] make for our country,’” Biden campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates said to The Daily Beast. “He thanked them for their patriotism and courage throughout, and closed his remarks by saying, ‘you’re the finest generation of warriors the world has ever, ever known’—receiving an enthusiastic ovation.”