When President Joe Biden spoke at Arlington National Cemetery during Thursday's Veterans Day ceremony, his words once again became the story instead of what he was attempting to highlight.
As Townhall highlighted on Twitter, Biden — in the course of telling a story — tried to tell an anecdote about Satchel Paige in which Biden referred to him as "the great Negro at the time." Watch for yourself:
Biden tells a story about "the great negro at the time" Satchel Paige. pic.twitter.com/VcyfHQkCEm
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 11, 2021
There it is, on video for perpetuity, Biden making another gaffe. Nevertheless, the folks at Mediaite decided to pretend we didn't see and hear what we did in fact see and hear.
"No, Joe Biden Did Not Refer to Satchel Paige as a 'Negro' During Veterans Day Speech," Mediaite claimed. Silly Americans, you didn't hear what you just heard, we know what he *meant* to say.
No, Joe Biden Did Not Refer to Satchel Paige as a 'Negro' During Veterans Day Speech https://t.co/N0wU4nsWqK
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) November 11, 2021
One would hope that Biden meant to say something else, but he didn't. His twin teleprompters were rolling there for him, all he had to do was read them. Instead, he botched the line and ended up calling Satchel Paige "the great Negro, at the time."
Direct quote: “I’ve adopted the attitude of the great negro, at the time, pitcher in the negro league, went on to become a great pitcher in the pros.”
— Abigail Marone ???? (@abigailmarone) November 11, 2021
Maybe he meant something else or maybe he had a verbal stumble (as he often does), but Biden said what he said.
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You literally have the transcript in the article - you can say he didn’t mean it or he slipped up but it’s right there. pic.twitter.com/HD3yZZZh5x
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) November 11, 2021
Mediaite's attempt to convince readers that "Conservative critics falsely claimed that President Joe Biden referred to legendary pitcher Satchel Paige as a 'Negro' during a Veterans Day speech" revolves around — supposedly — what he was actually trying to say:
What actually happened is that the president was wishing Amb. Donald Blinken a happy birthday during his Veterans Day speech, and injected one of his favorite stories: a roundabout way of saying that you’re only as old as you feel.
I’ve adopted the attitude of the great Negro, at the time, pitcher in the Negro Leagues, went on to become a great pitcher in the pros and Major League Baseball after Jackie Robinson.
His name was Satchel Paige, and Satchel Paige, on his 47th birthday pitched a win against Chicago. And all the press went in and said, “Satch, it’s amazing. Forty-seven years old, no one’s ever, ever pitched a win at age 47. How do you feel about being 47?”
He said “Boys, that’s not how I look at it.”
He says “How do you look at it, Satch?”, and he said “I look at it this way, how old would you be if you know how old you were?”
I’m 50 years old and the ambassador’s 47.
The president obviously began to say “Great Negro League pitcher,” but then paused and shifted to saying “at the time, pitcher in the Negro Leagues,” which was, in fact, the name of the league that Black players formed when they were shut out of Major League Baseball. That this needs to be explained is beyond absurd.
What's absurd is that Mediaite would feel the need to attack conservatives while jumping to the defense of our gaffe machine of a president when there is video of the flub that proves Biden called Satchel Paige "the great Negro, at the time." Not only is there video, but Mediaite included the transcript of his remarks that again proves exactly what Biden said.
As a result of their failed attempt to cover for Biden, Mediaite received a well-deserved ratio on Twitter:
Lmao pic.twitter.com/OOHhW4UupH
— Abigail Marone ???? (@abigailmarone) November 11, 2021
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