At a rally throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris, President Biden made quips that could be seen as quite controversial. One particular ‘joke’ he shared was about a forefather of his, who he once believed had been implicated in a violent mob movement. This story, though meant to serve as a lighter note, appeared uncomfortably out of place in the political context.
Edward Francis Blewitt was the ancestor of Biden who came under discussion. Biden probed a touchy side of history, one of an era filled with severe social tensions and violent outbursts against unfair systems. His jovial tone regarding these crimes committed under duress against oppressors was seen by some as a disconcerting look into his values.
He brought light to his great-grandfather’s history as the second Catholic to ever be elected to the statewide senate in Pennsylvania. The interesting piece comes from a political attack against Blewitt in 1906, falsely accusing him of being a part of ‘the Molly Maguires’, a suppressed group known for their violent responses to catholic oppression.
The ownership of the coal mines majorly lay in the hands of the English, who Biden blithely noted were responsible for severe atrocities against the largely Catholic labour force. This detail was served with the little disclaimer, ‘Not a joke,’ which is quite ironic considering the grave seriousness of the issue.
The ‘Molly Maguires’, as history would have us believe, were rather unsavory figures for the establishment. They were said to mete out vigilante justice to foremen who were found guilty of exploiting their workers. Their modus operandi, as Biden recounted, included murdering the offender and leaving their body on the family’s doorstep. This was a grim tale to be served up as anecdotal humor at a political rally.
Harris, keeping with the theatrical spirit of the rally, played along and nodded in agreement or perhaps surprise, as Biden navigated through this macabre piece of history. This was not entirely unexpected, although not the kind of behavior one expects at a platform meant for discussions about the future of the nation.
This story was not a maiden voyage for Biden, as he had used it previously while on campaign tours with the former President Barack Obama. The casual usage of such violent tales, hearkening back to a time of strife and duress, seemed to be an odd choice of campaign tactic.
President Biden, perhaps feeling the weight of the story he just narrated, quickly assured the audience that it was supposed to be a joke. Well, a joke it may have been, but it leaves one to wonder, what kind of humor finds its root in the violent history of workers’ struggle?
‘We were damn disappointed’, Biden said referring to the fact that his ancestor was not indeed involved with the infamous group. One cannot help but question if the knowledge of such violent tendencies, if true, would have really been a cause for disappointment or rather a stain on the family history.
He reassured the audience again, ‘That was a joke. That was a joke.’ One can only infer this quick restatement as an attempt to control any damage his prior statement could have caused, or maybe it was a pure reminder to the audience that this was acceptable political humor.
According to records from the Pennsylvania Senate library, it has been confirmed that Edward Francis Blewitt was the second Catholic elected member of the state assembly. This occurred in 1907, following the tenure of William McSherry who had served earlier from 1813 to 1817.
It feels bizarre, to say the least, for Biden to have made such casual referencing to a violent part of the history and to joke about the possibility of his ancestor being part of it. This highlights a lack of seriousness and sober judgement, which raises concerns about the kind of leadership being offered.
The choice of narrative Biden used in his support for Harris also raises eyebrows. It reveals more about Biden and his jokes that swings between dubious humor and controversial history, than it does support the Vice President’s credibility.
The repeated assurance of ‘that was a joke’, points towards a disconnect between the severity of the content being joked about, and the levity with which it is treated on this political stage. It reveals an unsettling discomposure that Biden and Harris appear to display in handling delicate subject matters.
Overall, the rally which was supposed to solidify support for Vice President Kamala Harris, ended up serving to paint a bitter picture of President Biden’s peculiar sense of humor and his apparent lax view on historical events of significant gravity. This presentation leaves much to be desired in the way of tasteful discourse and effective leadership.