Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden has, for some reason, named his Iowa bus tour the “No Malarkey” tour.
“No malarkey” essentially means no nonsense, and is a term rarely used by anyone under the age of 77 – the current age of Mr. Biden.
The Democratic frontrunner plastered the term, and, helpfully, its definition, to the side of the bus he’s using on the 18-county tour.
Take a took:
Fired up and ready to go for the #NoMalarkey barnstorm! pic.twitter.com/4lpU7waqzh
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 30, 2019
As one might imagine, Biden was roundly mocked for the name of the tour, which isn’t exactly the most promising sign to the folks working on the candidate’s youth outreach.
For example, GOP Rapid Response Director Steve Guest highlighted: “It’s not a great slogan when you have to put the dictionary definition on the side of your bus.”
It's not a great slogan when you have to put the dictionary definition on the side of your bus.
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) November 30, 2019
“That’ll reach younger voters,” snarked conservative columnist Kimberly Ross.
That'll reach younger voters. https://t.co/LwCEfzsz4Q
— Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) November 30, 2019
“This is the weirdest campaign slogan. It seems like you’ve completely abandoned the idea of millennials even considering you,” commented social activist and Trump supporter Scott Presler.
This is the weirdest campaign slogan.
It seems like you’ve completely abandoned the idea of millennials even considering you.
— ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) December 1, 2019
“Can someone translate Malarkey for me,” mockingly asked The Hill’s Saagar Enjeti. “I don’t speak boomer.”
Can someone translate Malarkey for me. I don't speak boomer https://t.co/Ya8CmdnTad
— Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) December 1, 2019
“My teen just asked what the heck malarkey is. I told her to call grandma cause I ain’t gotta clue,” said Kambree Kawahine Koa.
My teen just asked what the heck malarkey is. I told her to call grandma cause I ain’t gotta clue.
— Kambree (@KamVTV) November 30, 2019
As of Sunday afternoon, Biden’s “No Malarkey” bus post acquired thousands more replies than it did “likes,” which, in the land of Twitter, is called being “ratioed.” And it’s not a good sign.
There was, however, a bit of “malarkey” on the “No Malarkey” bus tour on Saturday. As reported by The Daily Wire, Mr. Biden playfully nibbled on his wife’s finger while she was giving a speech in Iowa. Apparently, Dr. Jill Biden’s hand kept waving in the candidate’s face as she spoke, so he gave her a nibble.
WATCH:
YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS UP.
Joe Biden just NIBBLED on his wife's finger at a campaign stop in Iowa. pic.twitter.com/PcCqTMPJez
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) November 30, 2019
Some folks thought the moment was another sign of a declining Biden, given his recent inability to string a few sentences together without making a gaffe, or, frankly, spilling out something incompressible.
For example, Biden recently said “poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids,” implying that all poor kids are minorities and perceived as lesser than whites.
In another moment, the Democratic frontrunner was unable to tell the primary debate audience his text number accurately.
“Biden at one point blurted out ‘go to Joe 3-0-3-3-0.’ He didn’t say where you should go to find that Joe 30330 (some Gen Z wag immediately bought joe30330.com and mocked the muddled Biden),” The Daily Wire reported in August. “Apparently, Uncle Joe meant to say that viewers should text ‘Joe’ to 30330, which invites signees to ‘chip in’ and declares the campaign is expecting a ‘MASSIVE rush of donations.'”
WATCH:
"Go to Joe 30330." Biden offered a number to text while other candidates gave out URLs https://t.co/kCHKb47A5V pic.twitter.com/EZY0bTWXCc
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) August 1, 2019
Biden also told a story about a man named “Corn Pop” in 2017 that was mocked and largely viewed as troubling.
“Corn Pop was a bad dude. And he ran a bunch of bad boys,” Biden recalled, surrounded by youths. “He was waiting for me with three guys with straight razors. Not a joke,” he claimed.
