Joe Biden Refers to Asia as the ‘Orient’

Just hours after apologizing for using what was perceived as an anti-Semitic slur, Vice President Joe Biden deployed another term Wednesday that some might consider ethnically offensive.

Speaking at a campaign finance reform rally in Iowa, Biden recalled a meeting he had with Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore. Biden described Yew as “the wisest man in the Orient.”

The terms “orient” and “oriental” are considered widely outdated and offensive to Asians.

Earlier in the day, Biden apologized for having recently described opportunistic bankers as “Shylocks,” a reference to a greedy Jewish money loaner in an Shakespearean play.

Watch:

[Photo via YouTube/screen grab]

— —
>> Follow Eddie Scarry (@eScarry) on Twitter

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!