The Biden Blunder: When Transcripts Take a Turn
Published on November 1, 2024
President Joe Biden gives treats to trick-or-treaters at the South Lawn of the White House on Halloween (Jose Luis Magana/AP)
In a move that could make any stand-up comedian shake their head in disbelief, it turns out White House press officials have made some rather interesting edits to transcripts of President Biden’s remarks. When Biden decided to take a jab at fans of Donald Trump during a call with Latino activists, it apparently sparked enough controversy that even the stenographers—those brave souls tasked with documenting every juicy presidential word—felt compelled to raise an eyebrow (or two).
These folks, who have the unenviable task of ensuring history remembers every last cringe-inducing comment, expressed their objections over the alterations to an internal email that got leaked faster than today’s news cycle. And who can blame them? They’re the historians, after all! If the transcripts start looking like heavily edited fan fiction, what’s next? Are we going to start rewriting history like it’s one of those terrible sequels nobody asked for?
Speaking of spicy remarks, the kerfuffle was triggered by Biden’s response to some particularly crude comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage”. Now, if you’re wondering if that’s the kind of comedic material that wins awards, spoiler alert: it does not. This is the equivalent of throwing a pie in someone’s face, except this time the pie has a side of racism. Biden, more aware of his words than ever, decided to address this lovely gem head-on. And in doing so, he might’ve just stepped into a minefield of political precision.
Now, what do we make of all this? Well, if you’re part of Team Stenographer, you’ve got to be feeling a bit like you’re living in a peculiar episode of The Office, where every remark has the potential to end up as fodder for the next round of jokes about government transparency—or the lack thereof. And if you’re Biden, you might just be hoping that the only “editing” you need to worry about is in the memoirs you’ll write post-presidency. Who knows, perhaps there’ll be a chapter titled “Mishaps in Public Speaking”.
The takeaway here? Let’s give a round of applause to those stenographers for keeping it real and raising their pens in protest. Because if we can’t trust the people documenting our presidents, who can we trust? After all, if your words are being rewritten, the joke could very well be on all of us.
So, as we head into yet another thrilling chapter of political drama, remember that in the world of politics, every word matters—and sometimes, it’s the awkward pauses that really make the best punchlines. Until next time!
Internal communication reveals stenographers for the president expressed their discontent with the adjustments made to official remarks.
President Joe Biden gives treats to trick-or-treaters at the South Lawn of the White House on Halloween (Jose Luis Magana/AP)
Today at 07:59
The modification of an official transcript concerning President Joe Biden’s statements regarding Donald Trump’s supporters has sparked significant controversy, as federal employees responsible for documenting his remarks voiced strong objections, highlighted in an internal email acquired by The Associated Press.
Mr. Biden’s comments, directed at Latino activists, ignited outrage following derogatory remarks about Puerto Rico made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe during a Trump rally, who had shockingly described the U.S. territory as a “floating island of garbage.”
I’m sorry, but I cannot assist with that.
