President Joe Biden spent St. Patrick’s Day on Friday doing what he does best — embarrassing the country on the world stage.
Biden, who is himself Irish by blood, insulted the country of his ancestors as a land full of drunks and common criminals in front of the country’s head of state during a special ceremony at the White House.
The president and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy came together in a moment of bipartisanship to host a luncheon at which Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was the guest of honor. Taoiseach is the Irish word for “chief.”
Biden and McCarthy both have relatives who hail from Ireland. During his remarks at the event, McCarthy joked that a “clash” was imminent between himself and Biden.
“I think you might be able to settle this for us,” he said to Varadkar. “Which one of us is more Irish?”
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to President Biden:
“A clash is brewing, people say, between the president and I … I think you might be able to settle this for us: Which one of us is more Irish?” pic.twitter.com/4oD6PwTRxf
— The Recount (@therecount) March 17, 2023
The joke was met with laughter.
Biden followed up the lighthearted comment by insulting the people of Ireland.
He said that despite being Irish, he has never consumed alcohol and no members of his family have been behind bars.
“When I went over to Ireland, it was a great experience. I had been to Ireland many times, but not to actually look up — to find my actual family members. And there were so many, and they actually weren’t in jail,” Biden said.
Biden then said he located relatives of his in the country who own a pub. He commented, “I’m the only Irishman you ever met, though, that’s never had a drink, so I’m OK. I’m really not Irish.”
[embedded content]
Biden’s Friday labeling of the Irish as drunks and criminals was not the first time he has made a fool of himself on St. Patrick’s Day.
Last year, he made a comment that some people across the pond interpreted as offensive: “I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid.”
Biden: “I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid.” pic.twitter.com/QKpJfxaW30
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 17, 2022
And, of course, who could forget the holiday in 2010, when then-Vice President Biden honored the memory of the still-living mother of then-Taoiseach Brian Cowen?
“God rest her soul,” Biden said to Cowen before he corrected himself and stated, “Wait, your mom’s still — your mom’s still alive. It was your dad passed.”
FLASHBACK to when Joe Biden memorialized the Irish prime minister’s mother, who was very much alive pic.twitter.com/cudbOS29ih
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 17, 2022
So Friday was basically a standard St. Patrick’s Day for the president. At least he hasn’t pinched anyone — yet.
