"Joe Biden Just Called a Woman at One of His Events a 'Lying, Dog-Faced Pony Soldier.' What?"

My question exactly, and Slate (Matthew Dessem) has what might well be the answer, though it still draws a blank on "dog-faced." (Rattlesnake-tongued might be seen as referring to lying, perhaps because of the forked tongue, but dog faces seem pretty honest to me.)

Comments

[Darth Chocolate]

He sure knows how to sweet talk his would-be supporters.

[North49]

If they don't like it, I'm sure uncle joe would just tell them to vote for trump. :shruggie:

[MKE]

His supporters (if there are any) should consider themselves lucky that he didn't call her fat too.

[WJack]

Wondering how the progressive propaganda pumps (i.e., the W. P., N.Y.Ts., CNN, et. al.) would play this, if Trump . . . .?

[North49]

Do you wonder? Really?

[NoVaNick]

They’ve already given up on Uncle Joe-Bloomberg is their favorite now

[NToJ]

Biden is no favorite of the progressive wing of the Democratic party. I'm sure the Bernie Bros will be out in force.

[ThePublius]

NY Times: "Biden Shows Tenderness and Temper on 2020 Presidential ..."

WaPo: "Biden jokingly calls voter who asked about Iowa a 'lying dog ..."

Tenderness. Jokingly. And if it was Trump who said such a thing? We'd be hearing of the trauma he caused the young lady, his shaming her for her looks (dog faced), of her humiliation, his misogyny, and on and on and on.

[ThePublius]

He's clearly suffering from dementia. Sad.

[Brett Bellmore]

Yeah, he's losing his internal censor.

It really is sad. At 61, I see anybody developing dementia, and think, "That could be me in a few years." I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Doesn't he have anybody who loves him enough to just tell him to retire already, before he embarrasses himself? Or is he not listening to them?

[HackJackerson]

He just forgets that they mentioned it.

[Kazinski]

Hunter needs Joe in office to earn a living.

[santamonica811]

An accidental oversight to fail to mention Ivanka, Don Jr, and Eric. Has any of them gotten a job on their own merits. (Yeah; I'm not a big fan of "but whatabout...". But such a glaring double standard deserves to be at least pointed out.)

[Malvolio]

You aren't a fan of whataboutism? This seems to be a pretty blatant example. It isn't like we were comparing Biden to Trump in any way, or even that Trump is in the conversation.

If there is a Democrat who doesn't suffer from dementia and whose children have jobs, and miraculously, that Democrat is nominated, then you can jump in and point out those two advantages they have over the incumbent.

[Sarcastr0]

Sure, that's whattaboutism.

But the failsons of the powerful being on corporate boards has been the norm since the 1990s at least, probably before.

Not that Hunter shouldn't have to work more to make his money, but that's more an indictment of capitalism than Hunter.

And separate from the matter asserted, the GOP hypocrisy and special pleading is extremely rank.

[ThePublius]

Yes, but.... Hunter's father's family business was peddling influence. And the indictment shouldn't be of capitalism, of course, it should be be an indictment of Joe and Hunter for bribery.

[Sarcastr0]

Shouldn’t be. But is.

That’s not bribery by any definition other than your special pleading.

[ThePublius]

Not so, Sarcastr0. It's interesting how few people understand, know bribery law in the context of business, and international business. It's taught to people as part of corporate ethics and compliance training, and it is, on the surface, really quite simple. What apparently happened with Joe and Hunter Biden is a TEXT BOOK CASE of bribery. Joe is in charge of US relations with Ukraine. Major Ukraine energy company gives Hunter a job (board seat, and, BTW, pays him much more that usual for a board member). Payment to a family member is bribing YOU. Background: Hunter has ZERO skill or experience related to Burisma's business.

Do some reading, you can learn this stuff in five minutes.

[ThePublius]

18 U.S. Code § 201. Bribery of public officials and witnesses
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/201

[ThePublius]

Just in case it's not clear enough, here it is:

Joe Biden was bribed by Burisma corporation for favorable treatment and other benefits from the US government[1]. The payment was by way of giving a family member, Hunter Biden, a job[2].

[1] Note that according to the law, it isn't necessary that Burisma actually received favorable treatment or other benefits for it to be bribery; but, in fact, they did, which was (at least) Biden's pressuring the Ukrainian government to fire the prosecutor who was looking into Burisma's dealings. Joe has incriminated himself in this (there's video).
[2] Note that according to the law, it isn't necessary that Joe or Hunter or anyone actually received any money or other thing of value for it to be bribery - just the promise of it is sufficient (though they did, Hunter received in excess of $1M).

[Kazinski]

Well actually Jared and Ivanka seem to have done quite well for themselves. Don Jr. and Eric are running a large family enterprise and I haven't heard of any missteps.

Hunter on the other hand was kicked out of the Navy for smoking crack, his drug use and sexcapades at the DC strip clubs are notorious, even apart from the baby momma scandal. Besides Joe getting him gigs on the Amtrak board where the justification was 'he takes a lot of trains', and his Ukraine and China gigs which he admitted were nepotism, what's he ever done besides getting arrested?

[Sarcastr0]

Yeah, the Trumps are upstanding citizens with no skeletons at all.

[ThePublius]

You got nothing!

[Robert Beckman]

Didn’t President Obama do just that?

“You don’t have to run, Joe.”

He just tried to say it in a nice sounding way.

[FlameCCT]

IIRC President Obama told him not to run; whether that was to help Joe or protect his own azz is the question.

[Armchair Lawyer]

Obama made many poor choices. Biden may be his worst though. It's certainly the one he regrets the most now.

[Brett Bellmore]

I recall quite well people back in 2008 referring to Biden as "assassination insurance". It seems to have worked.

[Nuclear Beemer]

Obama best judgement was to not endorse Biden.

[Hank Phillips]

Imagine the screeching if a libertarian candidate were to say something like that.

[Armchair Lawyer]

If a libertarian candidate falls in the woods, does it make a sound?

[Unicorn Abattoir]

Only a lying, four-footed monkey licker would say that!

[Eugene Volokh]

Funny!

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

John Wayne definitely did say the reason there are so many stupid people is because it's illegal to kill them.

[jdgalt1]

"Dog-faced" is a common pejorative for Army soldiers, usually spoken by sailors and Marines when they've had too much to drink. My take on hearing this is that Biden was in one of those services and had a flashback. Just a guess.

[Pettifogger]

It was a common term for infantry in World War II, along the lines of the current "grunt."

[Echospinner]

Hence the famous Bill Murray speech from Stripes.

“We are the wretched refuse. We're the underdog. We're mutts! Here's proof: his nose is cold! But there's no animal that's more faithful, that's more loyal, more loveable than the mutt. Who saw Old Yeller? Who cried when Old Yeller got shot at the end? [raises his hand] Nobody cried when Old Yeller got shot? I'm sure. [hands are reluctantly raised] I cried my eyes out. [even more hands go up] So we're all dogfaces. “

[Kazinski]

Biden was never in the military.

But I don't see what the problem is, he's just acting like a normal 78 year old man.

[SykesFive]

As suggested by the other replies, I don't think "dogface" is a pejorative used by the other services. U.S. Army infantrymen referred to themselves as dogfaces and the term was also used by journalists in a compassionate way.

[Pettifogger]

So was Biden channeling some spirit sympathetic to American Indians? The pony soldier might indicate that.

[FlameCCT]

I suspect Joey was confused as the Cheyenne used dog-soldier not pony-soldier. Perhaps he actually meant horse-face but was again confused and used pony.

Who the hell knows when Joey's Old Timers Disease kicks in.

[Bob from Ohio]

Pony soldier is US cavalry.

[Longtobefree]

And 'dog face' is infantry; old Joe can't keep it all straight anymore.

[Dan Schiavetta]

Trump has said worse, and not playfully but maliciously.

[Colossal Douchebag]

Yeah, this post is all about Trump.

[Pettifogger]

Tu quoque.

[TwelveInchPianist]

"Trump has said worse, and not playfully but maliciously."

Yeah, but at least Trump had the courtesy to sleep with the lady before he called her "horseface". At the most Biden just pawed her or sniffed her hair.

[santamonica811]

Okay, that was funny.

[Ron]

the media is playing it off as playfull and funny but the woman he said it to probably thought otherwise just like everyone else who heard it.

[Naaman Brown]

21 y.o. Madison Moore: "How do you explain the performance in Iowa, and why should voters believe that you can win the national election?"
Joe Biden: "Iowa’s a caucus. Have you ever been to a caucus?"
Moore nodded yes.
Joe Biden: "No, you haven’t. You’re a lying dog-faced pony soldier."

Later she claimed she nodded because she was nervous. So, no, she had not been to a caucus. So the Answer Nazi was right to reply, no answer for you, lying dog-faced pony soldier.

And Biden did it "jokingly" according to Washington Post using one of his favorite quotes from a John Wayne movie, a statement sourced to the Biden campaign. Apparently if a 21 y.o, woman doesn't get the joke of being called a lying dog-faced pony soldier, that's her problem for not having a Democrat sense of humor. On Twitter, a Biden defender chimed in:
Gobsmacked Nolonger @4everResist
It’s a funny line John Wayne was known to use in da movies

NBC News says "The remark appears to be a reference to a John Wayne quote that no one else seems to have heard of". So far no one can find a movie where "lying, dog faced pony soldier" is line from John Wayne to anyone. Someone claimed they found a movie "Pony Soldier" (1952) where the line "The pony soldier speaks with a tongue of the snake that rattles" is a from Stuart Randall as Chief Standing Bear to Tyrone Power as Duncan MacDonald RCMP.

How easy could it be to confuse Tyrone Power in Canadian Mountie red jacket and white pith helmet with John Wayne in US Cavalry uniform? Or misremember a line spoken by Stuart Randall as a Cree Indian Chief as having been spoken by John Wayne?

Looking a little deeper Biden himself claims he learned about the line from his brother and never saw the movie, just heard his brother describe the line. So we meanies are not only calling Biden a liar, we are attacking his brother as well.

Democrats have adopted the Afro-American meme of Poetic Truth, something does not have to be factual for it to feel true and if it feels true, it is true, facts be damned. If Biden sincerely feels John Wayne said "lying dog-faced pony soldier" then it is true for him and who are we doubt his poetic truth?

[Jerry B.]

"And Biden did it “jokingly” according to Washington Post using one of his favorite quotes from a John Wayne movie, a statement sourced to the Biden campaign."

Sort'a like Virginia Governor Northam "jokingly wore blackface for a picture in his yearbook.

But both Biden and Northam have the magic (D) behind their names, so they can get away with such foibles.

[Longtobefree]

Of course, it is not a quote from a John Wayne movie. It is proof of senility in a mean old man.
Maybe old Joe should watch 'She Wore A Yellow Ribbon', and learn the quote "Never apologize, Mister. It's a sign of weakness.".

[Hit and Run]

Trump breast him to it on that one.

[IamtheBruce]

I don't know who you are Naaman Brown, but your post made my day. Or at least the spend-a-few-minutes-aimlessly-perusing-the-web part of it.

[TwelveInchPianist]

Whelp, I guess both sides call women names like dogface or horseface.

[Leo Marvin]

Don't pull a muscle trying to equate a clumsy Biden joke with Trump's regular offerings of sadistic insults.

[TwelveInchPianist]

Or hair-sniffing with pussy-grabbing?

[Leo Marvin]

Yes, of course that too. Why? Do you think hair sniffing and pussy grabbing are remotely equivalent?

[loki]

Depends. Carpet or drapes?

[FlameCCT]

Lord forgive me but that right there is funny! (h/t Larry the Cable Guy)

[TwelveInchPianist]

"Do you think hair sniffing and pussy grabbing are remotely equivalent?"

I guess if Biden wins the nomination, that will be something for the voters to decide. Do we want a pussy-grabber or a hair-sniffer in the White House?

Interesting times.

[Hit and Run]

One is figurative, one is literal.

[Bob from Ohio]

"sadistic"?

Mini Mike, Slow Joe, Pochontos are silly, not sadistic.

[Leo Marvin]

You're right. "Your wife is ugly" (expressed graphically, not verbally) is just silly. Mimicking a disabled reporter is so silly it's hilarious.

Do you really dispute Trump takes pleasure in inflicting public humiliation?

[AmosArch]

As expected, crickets from the 'Top News' sources when this would have been front page for at least 5 cycles if Trump had tried to pull this. Although a few second stringers are carrying it to their credit.

[Sarcastr0]

As usual, you get your victimization from contrary to fact hypotheticals. Because reality just isn't pure enough for your constant grievance needs these days.

[Robert Beckman]

Are you being redundant, or trying to convey some additional meaning with “contrary to fact” + “hypotheticals” structured that way?

Since a hypothetical is inherently something that hasn’t occurred (or needn’t have occurred) you don’t need to specify that. But perhaps you’re using “contrary to fact” as a descriptor of a class of hypotheticals - the kind that not only hasn’t happened, but won’t happen, perhaps with some probability function? Like, “When Trump wins both the Republican and Democrat Presidential nominations in 2020...” as it’s an inherently implausible hypothetical, rather than merely a hypothetical used to explore a contingency.

If that’s the case, why do you think his hypothetical is implausible, given (or perhaps you don’t give this) the numerous examples of trivial Trumpisms repeated in various media? I read the “5 cycles” as obvious hyperbole, maybe you think that’s a specific duration?

There’s a miscommunication problem in our country, and until we better understand why we talk past each other we can’t fix it.

[Sarcastr0]

Whatever semantics you wish to call it, Amos getting all 'het up about double standards that totally woulda happened if the parties were reversed.

That is a self-licking victimization and rage flavored iced-cream-cone with no space for facts to intrude on the delicious cycle of ever increasing offense at imaginary realities.

[IceTrey]

Check out these guys ask Bloomberg about Epstein.
https://youtu.be/kMO0GPf-SAU

[Malvolio]

Frédéric Bastiat wrote “The worst thing that can happen to a good cause is, not to be skillfully attacked, but to be ineptly defended.”
Here a bad cause is not skillfully defended, but to be ineptly attacked. Was Epstein supplying Bloomberg with under-age prostitutes? No idea, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
But now, asking the question is associated with these pin-headed boors.

[Unicorn Abattoir]

Lying, dog-faced pony soldier? That's no way to talk to the cavalry!

Horse Soldier

[Jimmy the Dane]

If Trump said something like this it would be BREAKING NEWS all over the internet. Not even a peep of this on the usual fake news suspects. Wonder why...

[Brian]

The poor old fool.

[SaraB96]

The phrase gets stuck in your head...I've already called three people one tonight

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

Look who’s back to comment on national politics! The long period of obsequious, silent bootlicking appears to have concluded — on Wednesday of last week.

#ConservativeCourage

[Bob from Ohio]

Surprised Biden used the phrase. Warren, now that I would expect, its the langauge of her people.

[Hit and Run]

"rattlesnake tongue"

[Gaear Grimsrud]

There's only one way to settle this controversy. Push up contest!

[Shawn Levasseur]

That's not even the weirdest thing Biden said at that event.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

Artie (Ray Lee Wayne Jim-Bob Kirkland) was banned by the Volokh Conspiracy's Board of Censors. For making fun of conservatives.

#ChampionOfFreeExpression