Biden, who served as a senator for over thirty years before becoming Barack Obama's VP, already ran for president in 1988 and 2008, but withdrew early on both occasions, ducking out of the 1988 race over a long-forgotten speech plagiarism scandal.
Creepy Joe
The latter meme, dubbed 'Creepy Joe' online, is based on a series of photos and video of the former vice president appearing to violate the personal space of multiple women and young children, and has given rise to a never-ending series of photoshopped images, many of them remembered after Biden formally announced his bid for the White House on Thursday.
BREAKING: Creepy Joe Biden officially announces his bid for President. pic.twitter.com/T9tIjR20Ti
— Michael J. Morrison (@OfficeOfMike) 25 апреля 2019 г.
Creepy Joe Biden securing the anime girl vote. @JoeBiden #CreepyUncleJoe pic.twitter.com/y0WhWE2G7n
— Attackfinch (@AttackFinch) 4 апреля 2019 г.
#CreepyUncleJoe #CreepyJoeBiden pic.twitter.com/WPzpSD9lAH
— kris (@Kristopher_eric) 25 апреля 2019 г.
Throughout the affair, Biden has maintained his innocence, saying he was "not sorry" for "anything" he had ever done, and justifying his behaviour by saying that "the times have changed" and that personal space norms were different when he was growing up.
Bromance With Obama
Another well-known source of Biden memes comes from the former vice president's close personal friendship with Barack Obama, with users tweeting an endless series of photos accompanied by hilarious captions to express the men's closeness over the years. With Biden's announcement that he was in the race, some users excitedly noted that they could hardly wait for the memes' return.
After a great night, sit back and enjoy some Obama Biden memes. pic.twitter.com/HSrV2WMA9p
— Jamie Carter ❄ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ (@JCTheResistance) 23 мая 2018 г.
Yay, the Biden is unleashed 😂 https://t.co/XasuWon3RF
— Louise Holland (@HollyBerryBooks) 25 апреля 2019 г.
Gaffe Machine
The vice president's habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, from swearing on hot mics, to making awkward (and perhaps) racist comments about minorities, has been widespread enough over the years for major networks to make 'best of compilations' about it, and to give rise to a special term: 'Bidenism'.
Following his announcement, users recalling this tendency to gaffe marked concerns over whether or not Biden would be able to defeat his greatest challenger – his tongue.
“I am a gaffe machine” — Joe Biden, December 2018
— Thomas Fornash (@Tom4nash) 25 апреля 2019 г.
The things that make Biden lovable, Uncle Joe if you will, are the very things that can cause him to implode. I am skeptical that under the relentless glare of being the front runner he can stay disciplined enough not to… pic.twitter.com/PeFYJfiq93
Two minutes into his official candidacy for president, human gaffe machine #Biden praised a slave owner, endorsed Antifa, and spread the most damaging race hoax in American history. #Biden2020
— Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) 25 апреля 2019 г.
How many hours after Biden's video announcement until his first gaffe, act of plagiarism, or episode of unwanted touching, nose-rubbing or sniffing…?
— Jeffrey St. Clair (@JSCCounterPunch) 23 апреля 2019 г.
Biden is the most electable except for being a one man gaffe machine. And I’m a big fan of joe biden.
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) 12 апреля 2019 г.
Biden-Trump Feud
Last but not least, there is the Biden-Trump feud, which appeared to seethe ever since Trump became president, but exploded in March 2018, after Biden said that if he and Trump were in high school and Trump bragged about 'grabbing women by the *****', he'd "take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him."
The comment received an immediate response from Trump himself, who nicknamed Biden "Crazy Joe" and accused him of being "weak, both mentally and physically" while acting "like a tough guy." Biden later expressed regret over his remark, but not before the meme machine got ahold of it, with users debating whether a fight between the two would be good for America.
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) 22 марта 2018 г.
A preview of the Donald Trump v Joe Biden fight. pic.twitter.com/Px6Obi8y2k
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) 22 марта 2018 г.
The Biden-Trump fight is gonna be lit pic.twitter.com/JmC4MwhdM3
— Kyle Smith (@rkylesmith) 22 марта 2018 г.
Joe Biden gets his wish to "take Trump behind the gym!" We'll see what's left of him after the "young guns" of the congress are through with him.
— 10 x 0 = Banana (@SamuraiJW) 25 апреля 2019 г.
Joe said if he were in high school with trump, he would "take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him." Trump tweeted "crazy Joe Biden is trying to act like a tough guy." Watching two old guys trying to out-crazy each other?? No thanks.
— Barbara (@BarbaraDaddari2) 25 апреля 2019 г.
Donald Trump himself greeted his new challenger, welcoming "Sleepy Joe" to the race and saying he would see him in the general election if Biden made it past the primaries.
Welcome to the race Sleepy Joe. I only hope you have the intelligence, long in doubt, to wage a successful primary campaign. It will be nasty — you will be dealing with people who truly have some very sick & demented ideas. But if you make it, I will see you at the Starting Gate!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 25 апреля 2019 г.
