Joe Biden wrongly refers to the Proud Boys as the 'Poor Boys' when trying to link Trump to the organization at the final debate
Joe Biden suffered yet another verbal gaffe during the second presidential debate Thursday night when he wrongly referred to far-right group the Proud Boys as 'the Poor Boys.'
The former vice president stumbled over his words while responding to President Trump's claim that he was the 'least racist person in the room' as both candidates fielded questions on racial issues and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Biden mocked Trump over his response, sarcastically calling him 'Abraham Lincoln' before bringing up his questionable track record with race and his refusal to denounce white supremacist groups.
Joe Biden wrongly referred to the Proud Boys as the 'Poor Boys' as he tried to link Trump to the white supremacist organization after the president claimed he was the 'least racist person in the room'
'He started his campaign coming down the escalators that he was going to get rid of those Mexican rapists. He banned Muslims because they are Muslims,' Biden began.
'He said about the Poor Boys last time he was on stage, he told them to stand down and stand ready. Come on, this guy has a dog whistle about as big as a fog horn.'
Biden was referring to Trump's controversial response at the first presidential debate last month when he infamously failed to unequivocally condemn The Proud Boys, a white supremacist group.
Biden during his attack however, incorrectly quoted Trump, who had actually told them to 'stand down and stand by'.
The verbal blunder quickly drew reaction on social media with some Biden supporters embracing it as a new name for the organization.
'Did Biden just accidentally call the Proud Boys the "Poor Boys"? Amazing. Let's call them that,' user Helena Darwin tweeted.
Another added: 'Gotta say my fave gaffe was when Biden said Trump told the "Poor Boys" to standby.'
Trump came under fire during the first presidential debate last month when he infamously failed to unequivocally denounce The Proud Boys (pictured) a white supremacist group
YouTuber Steven Crowder said the gaffe was a sign Biden is 'clearly deteriorating'
One journalist said it was time for Biden to call it at night
Some users however, said the mistake was an alarming sign of Biden's alleged declining mental health.
'Biden just called Trump Abraham Lincoln and called the Proud Boys the Poor Boys. I think it might be time to call it a night for him,' tweeted journalist Mollie Hemingway.
YouTube Steve Crowder added: 'Biden, clearly deteriorating, refers to the "Poor Boys" hahahah!'
'Biden called Trump Abraham Lincoln and said Poor Boys referring to Proud Boys. I think his dementia cocktail is going out,' said another.
'Poor boys? Stand down and stand ready? Wait, what? Did Mr Biden have a stroke?' a user added.
Biden has sparked concern over his mental sharpness as a 77-year-old presidential candidate after suffering several on-air blunders and slips of the tongue on the campaign trail over the last year.
Trump and his supporters meanwhile have seized on Biden's gaffe-prone ways to discredit him and argue he's not fit to be president.
Earlier in the conversation, debate moderator Kristen Welker asked Trump about a different part of his record - noting how he had called the Black Lives Matter movement a 'symbol of hate.'
She also mentioned how Trump had shared a video of a man chanting 'white power' and he lashed out at athletes who have taken a knee over racial inequality.
The verbal blunder quickly drew reaction on social media, with some Biden supporters embracing it as a new name for the group
'The first time I ever heard of Black Lives Matter, they were chanting "Pigs in a blanket," talking about our police, "fry them like a bacon," I said that is a horrible thing,' the president said. 'I thought it was a terrible thing.'
He then made the claim,' I am the least racist person in this room.'
Welker had kicked off the segment on race by asking each of the candidates if they understand why families of color had to give their kids 'the talk' - essentially tell them they could be victimized, including by the police, because of the color of their skin.
Trump went on the offensive on health care, an issue Democrats used to pick up seats in 2018 and are seeking to ride to victory in 2020
Trump also tried to tarnish Biden's civil rights record by pointing to his Senate vote in the 1994 crime bill and falsely claimed the former vice president had referred to black men as 'super predators.'
Biden had flat-out said the crime bill 'was a mistake.'
He pushed that no American should be on jail for just drug charges, they should be placed in rehabilitation instead.
The night in Nashville began with a battle over the president's handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than 225,000 Americans and cost millions of jobs.
Trump declared that the virus will go away while Biden warned that the nation was heading toward 'a dark winter.'
Polling suggests it is the campaign's defining issue for voters, and Biden declared, 'Anyone responsible for that many deaths should not remain president of the United States of America.'
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