Conservatives on Twitter blasted President Joe Biden for telling another "ridiculous tall tale" about himself in a speech, claiming that his uncle won a Purple Heart for his actions during World War II.
Critics slammed the claim, asserting there is no evidence it is true.
Biden made the remarks during a town hall for U.S. veterans in Delaware on Friday. At one point during his speech, the president stated, "My dad, when I got elected vice president [in 2008], he said, ‘Joey, Uncle Frank fought in the Battle of the Bulge.’ He was not feeling very well now — not because of the Battle of the Bulge, but he said, ‘and he won the Purple Heart and he never received it. He never got it. Do you think you could help him get it? We will surprise him.’"
He continued, claiming, "So I got him the Purple Heart. He had won it in the Battle of the Bulge. And I remember he came over the house and I came out and [my father] said, ‘Present it to him, okay?’ We had the family there."
Biden concluded the story, claiming he gave the medal to his uncle despite his Frank’s humble protests.
Though the New York Post shot holes through the story in a Friday report, stating, "The known facts indicate it’s not true. Biden’s father, Joseph R. Biden Sr., died in September 2002 — more than six years before his son was elected vice president. Frank Biden, Joe Sr.’s brother, died in 1999." The piece also noted, "Frank Biden’s tombstone does not identify him as a Purple Heart honoree, nor does his obituary. A partial registry of known Purple Heart recipients also doesn’t note anyone by that name receiving the award, though that database is not comprehensive."
The RNC Research Twitter account, which shared a clip of the statement to Twitter, debunked Biden’s speech, saying, "Joe Biden says after he was elected VP, he awarded his Uncle Frank with a Purple Heart he earned at the Battle of the Bulge. There is no evidence any of that is true — and Biden's uncle died in 1999, while Biden wasn't elected VP until 2008."
Conservative radio host Derek Hunter suggested an honest media would hold Biden accountable for these statements. He wrote, "Imagine if we had an honest media, or even just a less dishonest one, and the questions this guy and his press secretary, ‘historic’ or not, would be peppered with."
Popular conservative commentator "AGHamilton" stated, "Some people might play this off as having to do with his age, but Biden has had a habit of consistently making up stuff like this for 4+ decades. He does it so often that a lot of people don't even notice anymore."
The Spectator contributing editor Stephen Miller pointed out that the media would have hammered former President Donald Trump over a claim such as this. He wrote, "This is the kind of thing fact checkers would have spent a week and 3 press briefings on 4 years ago."
|
