A nice catch by a reader of Michelle Malkin’s. During his interview with Katie Couric on CBS News, Joe Biden (AKA Gaffemaster) had this to say:
“When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on the television and didn’t just talk about the princes of greed. He said, ‘look, here’s what happened.’”
Where to start. First of all, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected 1932 — the market crashed in 1929. Second of all, Philo Farnsworth created the first working television in 1928. Again, the market crashed in 1929. FDR got on a device nobody had at a time when he wasn’t president? Joe, get a history book. Good Lord.
Update: Another commenter says that FDR was on television when he gave his inaugural address in 1933. Oy. From Wikipedia:
Commercially available since the late 1930s, the television set has become a common communications receiver in homes, businesses and institutions, particularly as a source of entertainment and news.
Emphasis mine. The first televised inaugural address? President Harry Truman’s in 1949.
Update (10/2): I’ve closed the comment section. The spin got just downright pathetic. Folks, even Jon Stewart took the time to make fun of Biden for the comment. Biden was wrong. FDR didn’t get on TV in 1929 to explain the stock market crisis. He wasn’t president and almost no one had a TV. It was a gaffe. Move the hell on.
23. September 2008 at 1:06 pm
Then Joe went on to explain how after President Abe Lincoln wrote the Declaration of Independence, he got right on the internet and blogged about it.
23. September 2008 at 1:34 pm
in 1929 FDR was Governor of New York. Did Biden say FDR was president?
FDR was a prominent man in 1929 and most likely presented his views to the public via telecommunications, prob ably radio instead of TV.
23. September 2008 at 1:43 pm
“in 1929 FDR was Governor of New York. Did Biden say FDR was president?
FDR was a prominent man in 1929 and most likely presented his views to the public via telecommunications, prob ably radio instead of TV.”
Please tell me you’re joking. A) FDR wasn’t giving addresses to the nation about the Great Depression while Governor of New York, B) Television was only invented in 1928 and wasn’t in the general public until more than a decade later. Don’t try to spin this. Biden messed up.
23. September 2008 at 2:15 pm
The crash Biden speaks of is the 1937 crash. FDR was president and Televsion existed, albeit in its infancy.
23. September 2008 at 3:09 pm
William,
Nice spin. Unfortunately, that also doesn’t make sense. FDR gave fireside radio chats. He didn’t address the nation on TV in 1937, either. Either way, he needs a history book.
23. September 2008 at 5:19 pm
Joe – didn’t Al Gore invent the internet in 1925?
23. September 2008 at 6:02 pm
FDR WAS on television, at the height of the stock market crisis, in 1933, when he was inaugurated. He said the famous line ‘the only thing to fear is fear itself’. This was when banks all over the country were collapsing, the financially system was nearly dead, and Hoover could do nothing to stop it. Biden was right, people just ASSUMED he meant the stock market crisis in 1929, it lasted for years. Anyone else worried about their futures…?
23. September 2008 at 6:14 pm
“FDR WAS on television, at the height of the stock market crisis, in 1933, when he was inaugurated. He said the famous line ‘the only thing to fear is fear itself’.”
The first televised inauguration address? Harry Truman in 1949.
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/inaugural-quiz/answer-03.html#answer
“In 1949, the inauguration of President Harry S Truman and Vice President Alben W. Barkley was the first to be televised.”
23. September 2008 at 7:06 pm
Ahem…to those apologists like ol Robbie…why would the NATION…you know those 47 other states at the time( I say that because I’m certain Biden plagiarized that there must have been 50 states in 1929 and the Rubes like Robert will believe it) listen to the governor of New York?
You are trying to spin the fact that if it was McCain or Palin that made such a gaffe…your panties would be wet with joy. Tell you what, if you are trying to explain Biden’s gaffe and put him in an intelligent light..do what Biden did…steal someone else’s words to do it. PLUS pose for a pic…the dictionary needs it for their entry under ‘HYPOCRITE”
24. September 2008 at 2:13 am
OK, so Biden is running for VP and doesn’t know that Herbert Hoover was President when the stock market crashed (how could a Democrat not know that?) or that television only became widely available after WWII. It could be worse. Afterall the guy running for President on his ticket thinks there are 57 states in the Union.
1. October 2008 at 4:58 pm
FDR began his fireside chats as New York governor in 1929 after the crash on radio.
1. October 2008 at 5:48 pm
“FDR began his fireside chats as New York governor in 1929 after the crash on radio.”
And that has what to do with television?
2. October 2008 at 12:52 pm
You realize of course, that television was invented before 1929 and FDR appeared as slow moving silhouettes broad-casted with sound in 1929 correct?
While it is true it wasn’t until 1934 or 1939, depending on who you listen to and what they actually consider the first motion picture tube as being a television, the year and speech you requesting will change.
But Biden was correct FDR appeared on what is considered the first televisions prior to 1930.
The GE Octagon was released in 1928. and the western television in 1929. These where actually radios that could receive a silhouette, but they are still considered the first television when discussing history.
Some people don’t consider them as the first televisions because they weren’t electronic, but where actually mechanical.
Biden was correct however, FDR did appear on a gadget that received picture transmission and is considered the first TV or predecessor of the TV in 1929.
of course, since it wasn’t electronic and didn’t have a cathode ray tube in it, you could technically consider it a radio. But it was the predecessor of the modern television.
Don’t blame Biden for right-wing lack of knowledge.
http://www.tvhistory.tv/pre-1935.htm
2. October 2008 at 1:21 pm
Best. Spin. Yet. Biden didn’t appear on television on 1929 to explain the crisis. Just freakin accept it. Even Jon Stewart was making fun of him for it. Are you people that hacky?