'Hard to Believe POTUS on Anything': Tweeps Guffaw as Biden Says 'House Burned With My Wife In It'

President Biden, who has been called out for exaggerating or embellishing stories on numerous occasions, recalled an incident when a fire broke out at his home in Delaware before; when he was serving as vice president under then-POTUS Barack Obama, in 2013, he thanked firefighters for saving his wife and his "67 Corvette” from the blaze.

While few people are able to claim they have never embellished a story, the current US POTUS seems particularly prone to tweaking facts.

Giving a speech on a New Hampshire bridge on 16 November, US President Joe Biden claimed his house had once burned down with his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, inside. Biden had been speaking on Tuesday about his bipartisan 1 trillion infrastructure bill - key to his post-COVID-19 economic rebuilding agenda – that he recently signed into law.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will set aside huge amounts to invest in projects ranging from transportation improvements and maintenance to expanding broadband internet and replacing ageing lead water pipes, among other upgrades, including $110 billion for roads and bridges, $66 billion for railroads, $39 billion for public transit systems, $65 billion into broadband expansion, and $55 billion into water system repairs.

Speaking on the NH 175 bridge in Woodstock, N.H., as part of an administration-wide tour aimed at selling the benefits of the newly signed bipartisan law, Biden said, according to a transcript posted by the White House:

“Without this bridge, as I said earlier, it’s a 10-mile detour just to get to the other side. And I know, having had a house burn down with my wife in it — she got out safely, God willing — that having a significant portion of it burn, I can tell: 10 minutes makes a hell of a difference. It makes a big difference.”

Biden, however, was quick to correct himself, saying only a significant portion of the house burned. The president was referring to the 2004 fire that began when lightning struck his home in Delaware when he was still serving as a senator. Firefighters had arrived at the scene and were able to contain the blaze in the kitchen 20 minutes later, according to Cranston Heights Fire Company Chief George Lamborn.

Biden had recalled the story before, when he was serving as the vice president under then-president Barack Obama. In 2013 Biden thanked firefighters and first responders for saving his wife and his “second-best love” – his “67 Corvette”, while claiming the blaze had “destroyed a significant portion” of his home. While Joe Biden’s blunders when speaking in public are hardly a surprise, netizens could not pass up an opportunity to comment on the recent “embellishment”.

“Misspoke”….is that what we are callin it now?

— Liberty Prime - A Giant Liberty Loving Robot (@LibertyPrime011) November 17, 2021

In fairness, the fact that @POTUS can remember ANYTHING from 2004 is quite remarkable.

— Ferret Among Weasels (@TheGoodFerret) November 17, 2021

Embellished facts again! It is very hard to believe @POTUS on anything.

— Sue Thomas (@barbiesuecowbog) November 17, 2021

@ddale8 where are we at with that lie counter?

— Ryan (@RyChi97) November 16, 2021

Tomorrow he'll claim it was just aurora borealis.

— Politically Homeless (@PltcllyHomeless) November 16, 2021

Dementia for sure

— Sheree Parent (@ShereeParent2) November 18, 2021

What was the point of that story? He’s an embarrassment

— christine hennessy (@dogcatbird3) November 18, 2021

This man cannot open his mouth without expelling untruths.

— Ron Pekkala, Sr. (@Gog8it) November 17, 2021