During the Democratic presidential debate in South Carolina, former Vice President Joe Biden (D) tried to use Sen. Bernie Sanders‘ (I-Vt.) vote for legislation that exempted gun manufacturers from liability for gun violence against him.
“Imagine if I stood here and said, we give immunity to drug companies, we give immunity to tobacco companies,” Biden said.
However, while Biden was trying to emphasize the number of firearm-related deaths that had occurred since Sanders voted for the bill, he accidentally said that 150 million people— or about half the population of the United States — had been killed since 2007.
“That has caused carnage on our streets, 150 million people have been killed since 2007 when Bernie voted to exempt the gun manufacturers from liability, more than all the wars, including Vietnam from that point on.”
Watch Biden’s comments below:
https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1232482489693683712
According to the Center for American Progress, between 2008 and 2017, there have been 342,439 gun deaths in America.
Check out some of the reactions below:
Joe Biden said 150 million Americans have been killed by gun violence. I’m no expert, but that seems pretty high. The whole country has 320 million people.
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) February 26, 2020
Joe Biden thinks 150 million people were killed in shootings since 2007.
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) February 26, 2020
He also thinks he's running for Senate and he once had a rivalry with a breakfast cereal in Delaware.
He may actually be telling the truth that he can't remember discussing the Ukraine deal with Hunter…
I and my fellow contestants on the radio show in the morning will be alerting people to the 150 million dead, the Joe Biden record of doing everything, and the fact that ability to tell even a lame joke isn’t necessary to be elected mayor of NYC 3 times.
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) February 26, 2020
Did Joe Biden just claim that 150 MILLION people have been killed by gun violence since 2007?
— Big Dan Rodimer (@DanRodimer) February 26, 2020
The population of the USA is 331 Million.
Something seems a bit off with Joe's numbers…#DemDebate2020 #Democraticdebates #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/QH1k50ZExt
https://twitter.com/brad_polumbo/status/1232481525716750336
According to Joe Biden, 150 million people in America have been killed by firearms since 2007… What?!?
— Matt Bevin (@MattBevin) February 26, 2020
Almost half of all Americans?
Really?
Joe Biden just said 150 million people have been killed by guns since 2007. That would mean half the country has been shot and killed in the past 13 years.
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) February 26, 2020
FACT CHECK: 100% false. pic.twitter.com/XzzFWd6RMw
"150 million people have been killed since 2007! More than all the wars!" – @JoeBiden . Talking about guns. Half our county was shot to death by guns in the last 13 years? It does not seem so empty. 🙁 Wow! He is so lost. Right after SC, he is done, too. #democraticdebates
— Larry Sharpe (@LarrySharpe) February 26, 2020
Biden just said 150 million people have been killed by "gun violence" over the past 10+ years. This is so so false. There are 300 million people in America.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) February 26, 2020
Joe Biden just said that 159 million people have died from gun violence since 2007, damn Joe thats almoat half the population of the country.
— Charlie Daniels (@CharlieDaniels) February 26, 2020
And ac cording to Joe Biden, roughly 1/3 of the entire American population is killed every year because of “gun violence.” #DemDebate
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) February 26, 2020
he meant 150,000, right? He was off by a factor of….a thousand?
— Kyle Smith (@rkylesmith) February 26, 2020
that's half the country lol
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) February 26, 2020
Biden just said 150 million people have been killed by gun violence. Nobody says a word. Insane? Or did I hear it wrong?
— Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) February 26, 2020
Biden’s campaign later said the former vice president misspoke and meant to say 150,000 people had been killed since 2007.
“He meant 150k. He’s used that line multiple times before,” his campaign told the Washington Examiner.