Given the timing, President Joe Biden’s remarks to a reporter on Tuesday, July 29, led to no small amount of mockery and dark-humor hilarity online. Those remarks were about how he wants his legacy with young Americans to be that he “cured the economy.” That came just days before a market crash, leading to derisive comments.
As background, the market crashed on the night of Sunday, August 4, and then upon the market opening on Monday, August 5. The cause appears to have been mix of a surprise Japanese rate hike, causing a Japanese market sell off, and fears about a recession in the US, with some calling it the “Kamala Crash.”
Biden, in any case, was asked about his legacy by a reporter when he was returning to the White House from a trip. He began the conversation by saying, “The only reason I’m coming over is (inaudible) being here so late.” He was asked, “Mr. President, what do you want your legacy for Gen Z to be?” Responding, he said that he wants his legacy to be, “That I’ve cured the economy —and the environment and a few other small things.”
He was then asked, “When are you going to go out and campaign for the vice president?” He said, “Well, I did today.” He was next asked about his legacy with LGBTQ Americans, with a reporter asking, “Mr. President, how about your legacy for LGBTQ Americans?” He said, “Well, I’m really proud of my position. I was the first guy to come out for gay marriage. Remember that little problem with the Obama administration?”
He continued, rambling about a story regarding his day and two gay men, “And, look — my dad had a simple proposition. God’s truth. My dad was dropping me off to get a license to be a lifeguard in the city of Wilmington — the projects. As I get out of the car and — Rodney Square, it’s called — the center of the city — someone from the DuPont company and the Hercules company — two large companies that are in buildings adjacent to one another.”
Continuing, with that same story and getting to the part about the gay men, he said, “And I’m getting out of the car, and these two guys leaned up and kissed one another. I’d never seen that before. And I looked to my dad, and he said, ‘Joey, it’s simple. They love each other. It’s simple.’ That’s my position. Okay. Thank you.”
Finally, he was asked about Kamala’s VP choice. The reporter asked him who she will pick, saying, “What do you think of the VP’s choices? Who do you think she’s going to pick as VP?” President Biden either didn’t know, didn’t want to say, or there was not an answer, as instead of giving a hint about who it might be, all he said was, “We’re talking. Thank you.”
Watch his remarks, including the hilarious one about the economy and his alleged curing of it, here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
