The White House has stepped in to clean up a mix-up President Joe Biden made when speaking about a famous victory by Ireland’s rugby team.
During a trip to Ireland, Biden spoke about a tie with a shamrock on it that was given to him by a rugby player.
“This was given to me by one of these guys right here. He was a hell of a rugby player, and he beat the hell out of the Black and Tans,” the president said.
He added, “But it was when you — or it’s Solider Field. Wasn’t it, the game?… Chicago. And after it was all over, he gave my brother — allegedly for me, but if it wasn’t, I still took it. I still got the tie. I wear it with great pride.”
Watch the video below:
In yet another incoherent babble at an Irish pub Joe Biden speaks of his delight at Ireland beating the “hell out of the Black and Tans”.
— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) April 13, 2023
He meant the All Blacks of New Zealand.
The Black and Tans were a British unit during the 1919-21 Irish independence war.
Utter embarrassment. pic.twitter.com/MBzCBOMVsG
Conservative commentator Darren Grimes pointed out the issue in Biden’s comment as he wrote in a tweet, “In yet another incoherent babble at an Irish pub Joe Biden speaks of his delight at Ireland beating the ‘hell out of the Black and Tans’. He meant the All Blacks of New Zealand.”
“The Black and Tans were a British unit during the 1919-21 Irish independence war. Utter embarrassment,” he added.
The Guardian noted, “Ireland’s rugby team won a famous victory against the All Blacks at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2016.”
However, it added, “Irish rebels fought a bloody conflict against the Black and Tans – an auxiliary military force nicknamed for the colours of their uniforms – during the 1919-21 Irish war of independence.”
The White House transcript of the event added a correction to the president’s remarks. It reads:
“And the closing comment I make: You see this tie I have with this shamrock on it? This was given to me by one of these guys right here. He was a hell of a rugby player, and he beat the hell out of the
Black and Tans[All Blacks]. Oh, God. (Laughter.)”
The White House have now corrected Joe Biden’s embarrassing Ireland gaffe. I wonder how much of their time is spent doing this? pic.twitter.com/Z7bAvRvbxL
— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) April 13, 2023
According to The Guardian, commentators in Ireland brushed off the gaffe, “In Ireland most commentary seemed to view it as funny and harmless. The Irish Times called it a ‘delicious gaffe’, while the Irish Mirror said Biden had left people ‘in stitches’. Twitter users called it a highlight of the trip. ‘A fantastic Freudian slip. Good lad Joe,’ said one.”
This was not the first gaffe Biden made during his trip. He struggled over the word “young,” which led some to joke he was speaking a different language.