Former Vice President Joe Biden had some strong words for President Donald Trump while speaking to a crowd at an “It’s on Us” anti-sexual harassment advocacy event at the University of Miami. This actually marks the second time that Biden has made such threats. This time around, Biden told the crowd: “They asked me would I like to debate this gentleman, and I said no. I said, ‘If we were in high school, I’d take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him.'”
The comments made by Biden were apparently in reaction to Trump’s earlier talk with Billy Bush about being famous and able to grab women. Trump has since claimed that it was nothing more than locker room talk. Personally, I have to denounce Trump’s comments, locker room talk or not. At the same time, threatening to beat someone up doesn’t exactly strike me as mature. Yet Biden’s remarks were no better.
This also marks the second time Biden has made this threat towards Trump. Back in October of 2016, in the lead-up to the election, Biden spouted a near identical threat at a rally for Clinton: “The press always asks me, don’t I wish I were debating him? No, I wish I were in high school, I could take him behind the gym. That’s what I wish.”
As a former vice president, Mr. Biden should strive to set a good example. Debating Trump like a gentleman would, if anything, require more courage than lashing out would.
Unsurprisingly, Trump fired back via Twitter. Like Biden, the president didn’t bother taking the high ground, instead calling Joe weak and promising that the former vice president would go down “fast and hard.”
Crazy Joe Biden is trying to act like a tough guy. Actually, he is weak, both mentally and physically, and yet he threatens me, for the second time, with physical assault. He doesn’t know me, but he would go down fast and hard, crying all the way. Don’t threaten people Joe!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 22, 2018
Trump was right to chastise Biden against threatening people. But can you really tell someone to do that when you yourself are threatening them? This would have been a good moment for the president to take a deep breath and call Biden out without stooping to his level.
Neither sexual harassment nor physical violence is acceptable. Biden has a right to be upset over Trump’s comments, but he should know better than to make sophomoric comments and to threaten someone, especially an elected official.
The president likewise needs to remember to act presidential. Both Biden and Trump have long been known for their fiery tempers and lack of filtering. Given the stress of their jobs, a bit of a temper shouldn’t be a shocker. However, public office comes with many responsibilities, and the actions of public officials will influence how other people act.
Both Biden and President Trump should take the high ground and leave physical threats off the table. Sure, Biden may have started this round, but Trump could have ended it by refusing to lower himself. Meanwhile, Biden has every right to dislike the president, but he should respect his own position, the office of the presidency, and the simple fact that violence isn’t a toy.
