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I guess we can put that up there with McCain wanting to serve dehydrated babies hot water right? Oh wait, that’s the top of your ticket and biden is the vp……..

Opps, looks like you’ve got yourself a winner chump.

Some information to consider: The stock market crash of 1929 is the 4th biggest in history. Two more crashes occurred in the 1930′s that are considered worse. FDR was president during the crash occurring between March of 1937 and March of 1938. The was the second worse crash. TV was around at this time. The Great Depression lasted from 1929 to 1939. Both Hoover and Roosevelt were presidents during this time. All political sides had a part in it.

What is historical fact is that 1) FDR was the first president to appear on television; 2) FDR was not president during the worst stock market crash in US history, but was for the 2nd worst in history (1937) and the 8th worst in history (1939).

I am curious as to why everyone assumes Biden was talking about the 1929 crash when that is never mentioned by Biden – he just says “when the stock market crashed”. Maybe Flap has some video the rest of us have not seen where Biden says “when the stock market crashed in 1929″.

Even if he was mixing up his history this seems on par with McCain’s historical screw-up regarding Eisenhower’s “resignation” letter. The interesting thing about McCain’s historical misunderstanding is that the true story actually undermines the point he was trying to make (McCain was trying to say govt. officials like SEC chairmans should resign when they mess up just like Eisenhower was willing to do – problem is Eisenhower was not going to resign).

@Flap: Maybe he is a moron and maybe not. The question is why make the assumption that he was referring to the 1929 crash. If I said “president Clinton addressed the nation to explain the stock market crash” with a little research you could easily determine that I was referring to the 82 percent drop in the Nasdaq that occurred in 2000. The statement itself provides the evidence that can be used to identify the historical event. By cross referencing Clinton’s presidential term with Nasdaq crashes you can determine I would be referring to the one in 2000.

Biden references a stock market crash and FDR. Therefore there is evidence within his own statement is that he was referring to either the crash in 1937 or the one in 1939.

So, if you make the assumption that he was referring to the 1929 crash what evidence within what he said leads you to that assumption? Don’t avoid the question – I have pointed to evidence that he was referring to either the 1937 or the 1939 crashes – what evidence do you have that he was referring to the 1929 crash? Your assumptions are not evidence.

@Flap: I get the “phony analogies” statement but don’t agree. But for the “strawman arguments” statement I think you need to look that up.

You are the one making the assumption that Biden was referring to the 1929 stock market crash that led to the Great Depression, even though the 1937 crash that led to the Recession was worse (at least in terms of the percentage drop and quickness of the drop). You have refused, now twice, to state a rational basis for that assumption.

There was a major stock crash during FDR’s presidency which he did address in fireside chats on the radio, he called a special session of congress, and gave speeches about what should be done. He did use television to address the American public – just go to Amazon.com and you can buy hours of newsreel, now on DVD, of FDR speaking from the 1930s to the 1940s (I can’t say that FDR spoke about the Recession on any of that newsreel because I don’t own it, but considering the seriousness of the 1937 Recession I am pretty confident that he did).

Again, what is the rational basis for your assumption that Biden was referring to the 1929 crash when Hoover was president? Hmmmm . . .. is it based on the fact that you didn’t realize there was a stock market crash in 1937, during FDR’s presidency, that resulted in a major Recession, and you are therefore projecting YOUR lack of knowledge of 1937 onto Biden? If you have some other explanation for your assumption please provide it.

@12 Maybe the fourth time will be the charm since you avoid answering questions better than a presidential candidate — What is the rational basis for your assumption that he was referencing the 1929 crash?

Attacking me (“covering Biden’s ass”) and making conclusory statements (“everyone except for you comprehend”) does not answer the question.

My basis for assuming he was referencing the 1937 crash is that: 1) the ’37 crash is consistent with Biden’s reference to FDR; 2) FDR did make numerous television addresses from the 1930s to 1940s (as well as radio addresses); 3) the 1937 crash/Recession has much more in common with the current economic situation than does the 1929 crash/Depression; 4) Biden said nothing to contradict the conclusion that he was referring to the 1937 Recession since he didn’t specify a date.

Come to think about it I watched FDR give his “fireside chat” on TV and I’ll bet you did too. I know you have the picture in you mind of FDR giving that talk. How did you watch it? At the movies? Nope – TV.

@18: Since you asked me a question I guess it is ok for me to respond.

You could assume he was referencing the 1937 crash because FDR was president at that time and Biden specifically mentioned FDR. Biden did not mention the Great Depression – that is an assumption you have read into his words based on your preconceived notions of what “stock market crash” must mean in all circumstances.

“Stock market crash” does not equal 1929 nor does it equal Great Depression. Those are your assumptions not Biden’s words.

It appears you assume he is talking about 1929 because you think he is such a moron that he couldn’t possibly know there were stock market crashes other than the one most commonly known which is the 1929 crash that was arguably the precursor, or arguably a symptom, of the Great Depression. You are putting words in his mouth (“1929″ and “Great Depression”) based on your assumptions not based on what he actually said. You could be right since that particular comment by Biden is not the poster child for clarity. But you act like your conclusion is the ONLY possible one and that just isn’t accurate.

Biden is speaking freely to illustrate his point which focusing on this gaffe ignores. In his mind, he has the mental image of Franklin addressing the nation and he referenced this to prove his point. Undoubtedly, he got the medium mixed up, but I’m betting that this image in his mind (which is at most basic level is true) is of Franklin addressing the nation after a late thirties crash. The medium through which FDR addressed the nation is irrelevant to his point–he did address the nation and talk about a way forward, and that is what Biden is getting at, no?

Maybe little gaffes like this are the danger of speaking off-the-cuff instead of reciting prepared lines like the other VP candidate, but I’ll take logical, wise reasoning with irrelevant factual errors to mindless drivel any day…

First of all he doesn’t say PRESIDENT Roosevelt and doesn’t say “In 1929 Roosevelt” so stop taping the two together. Second, Roosevelt may have addressed on the radio instead of television when he DID explain what happened with the great depression, but television WAS around in 1929, making one of its first media appearances in 1928, although admittedly not a mainstream type of media until th 40s (in which I believe Roosevelt WAS still president and the effects of the depression WERE still being felt). I read somewhere else that the issue here is just that Biden has a wealth of knowledge that may have gotten a word (that word being “television”) spit out incorrectly. Palin’s mistakes are just from idiocy.

Should anyone somehow return to this thread, a few comments.

Stunned at the level people will go to avoid the obvious in front of their eyes. But with over a year of perspective, it should be pretty obvious. Furthermore, no one asked the apologists why Biden would reference either post 1929 crash (with TV, no less) without specifically mentioning it, to an audience of American people, about 1/2% of which might remember the other crashes. (The answer is completely obvious: he wouldn’t, and wasn’t referring to anything but the 1929 crash, one of the safest assumptions anyone has ever made, since President Theodore F. Taft assumed the Chinese wouldn’t launch nuclear missiles at us in 1872 during the Cuban Missile Crisis – can I run for Vice President now).

Even better, how do the apologists explain Biden, during the debate where he was supposed to embarrass Palin, completely botching, with great arrogance and condescension, both the role of the VP and the contents of the U.S. Constitution (and he’s the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee) or claiming that he had discussed some policy with his constituents in a cafe that had not existed as such in years.

In support of their previously held opinions, people will go at great lengths to support those opinions against all evidence. (Cognitive Dissonance Avoidance, I suppose.)