Joe Biden, in 2018 famously said, ” I am a gaffe machine.” The remark was not very far from the truth. His ‘tornado is a not tornado‘ remark on Tuesday just proved that. The 78-year-old US  President is known to make statements that are not always politically, socially correct. And he is also known to further get entangled in controversies while trying to clarify his statements.

On Tuesday, he tied himself in knots with his ‘tornado’ remark while touring areas hit by hurricane Ida. While speaking about climate change, Biden said that tornados are not called tornados anymore. He said, “It is all across the country, you know…it looks like a tornado, they don’t call ’em that anymore, that hit the crops and wetlands in the middle of the country in Iowa and Nevada and I mean, it’s just across the board. And you know, as I said, we are in this together.”

Also read: Joe Biden’s climate change warning after Ida

A Twitter user wrote, “I’ve lived in Nevada for 32 years and I just became aware that we are A. in the middle of the country,  B. have crops and wetlands and C. have tornadoes that wipe those out” adding that Nevada has some crops but not in vast amounts like Nebraska, which is being assumed what Biden originally meant to say.

Earlier gaffes

In 2019, when attacked for his past opposition to racially integrating schools through busing in a June 2019 debate, Biden fumbled to clarify. “We’ve got to recognize that a kid wearing a hoodie may very well be the next poet laureate,” he told members of Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition — “not a gangbanger.”  In seeking to dispel damaging stereotypes, critics said, Biden reinforced them, reports nypost.com.

Also Read | Disaster declarations for 11 counties affected by flooding in NY and NJ

In 2019, in a speech to a group of minority activists, Biden said,  “We have this notion that somehow if you’re poor you can not do it,” Biden went on. “Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids.” Realizing the gaffe, he added, “Wealthy kids, black kids, Asian kids…No, I really mean it, but think about how we think about it.” reports nypost.com

In 2010, Biden was confused over which of the Irish PM’s parents had died. “his mom lived in Long Island for 10 years…wait… your mom is still alive. It is your dad that passed. I gotta get this straight.”

In 2008, during his campaign as vice-president nominee, Biden urged senator Chuck Graham to get up and receive the audience’s applause. “Stand up, Chuck. Let them see you. Graham is paraplegic since age 16. He soon realized his mistake and said, “What am I talking about…”, reports theguardian.com.

In 2015, Donald Trump had said about then possible Democratic candidate Joe Biden, ” When I say something that you might think is a gaffe, it’s on purpose… When Biden says something dumb, it’s because he is dumb.