LISTEN HERE:
During a banquet held at Dublin Castle on Thursday, President Joe Biden received a standing ovation due to his declaration of wanting to ‘lick the world’ with Irish leaders. Demonstrating his genuine belief in the power of cooperation, Biden addressed the gathered crowd at dinner, stating that there is absolutely nothing the United States and Ireland can’t accomplish if they work side-by-side.
Expressing his gratitude and blessing to all those in attendance, Biden continued, saying, ‘Let’s go – let’s go la- – lick the world. Let’s get it done.’ The attendees at the dinner applauded his speech and provided him with a standing ovation.
https://twitter.com/Emme0703/status/1646794760341028864?s=20
Though the Cambridge online dictionary provides an alternate definition of ‘licking’ as ‘to defeat easily in a competition, fight, etc.’, those who were not present at the event found Biden’s comments perplexing. Social media users stumbled upon videos of the speech and reacted with confusion, using words like ‘huh’ and ‘what’ to describe their bewilderment.
As several users on Twitter commented that Biden’s remark was ‘the gift that just keeps giving,’ others questioned the reality of the situation with comments like ‘How is this real?’.
This instance was not the only unusual moment that evening, as hours earlier, a video of President Biden being barked at by Misneach, the Irish president’s dog, had circulated on social media platforms.
“Let’s go lick the world.”
-Joe Biden
— ALX ?? (@alx) April 14, 2023
Oddly enough, President Biden’s gaffe occurred only days after he had mistakenly confused the All Blacks, a popular soccer team from New Zealand, with the Black and Tans – a British police force known for their brutal occupation in Ireland during the 1920s.
While it’s essential for leaders to encourage unity and cooperation between different nations, it is crucial for the President of the United States to maintain a level of professionalism and clear communication so as not to cause confusion and be misconstrued.
Those who value leadership and clear representation on the global stage must ensure the highest standard is held for the office and those who are in it, lest we have our sovereign nation being ‘licked’ right alongside others.
NOW – Biden: "Let's go lick the world. Let's get it done." pic.twitter.com/lmTfx2Ohpv
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) April 13, 2023
