Biden in Oceanside: 'Go From Being a Senator to a President,' 'Tim Scott, of Florida' and 'Google It' (November 3, 2022)

Five days before the 2022 midterms, President Joe Biden rallied for Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, California. Describing his promise to help even Republican districts, he skipped a job. “But I said when I ran and I got elected President, I’d be the Senator—excuse me—the—go from being a Senator to a President for all the people,” Biden said [1].

Earlier in the same speech, he had named both of his old jobs: “I’ve been in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan over 38 times as a Senator and as a Vice President” [1].

The video above shows that moment from Biden’s Nov. 3, 2022, remarks. Quotes are from the official transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

”A Horse’s Tail for a Congressman”

The slip came as Biden mocked Republicans who voted against his infrastructure law and then showed up for its projects. He described them standing “with a shovel saying, ‘We’ve got this bridge being built here,’ they voted against it” [1].

“No, I’m serious. Not a joke. Not a joke,” Biden said. A sentence later, after the Senator slip, he added: “And so just because they got a horse’s tail for a Congressman, I’m not going to deny them the ability to get the help” [1].

”Tim Scott, of Florida”

Biden then went after the Republican Senate campaign chief. “And then you have the guy who heads up the campaign committee for—reelect Republican Senators, a guy named Tim Scott, of Florida,” he said. Then he corrected himself: “I mean, Rick Scott. Excuse me. Rick Scott” [1].

Sen. Tim Scott is a South Carolina Republican. Biden went on to attack Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., over his plan to sunset federal laws every five years. For how Scott later changed that plan, see HYGO News’ page on Biden’s Wisconsin speech.

”Bless Me, Father, for I Have Sinned”

When Biden named Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., the crowd booed, and the transcript records that Biden made the sign of the cross. “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned,” he said, to laughter [1].

”Google It”

Biden next warned about the debt limit. “They’re threatening to renege on the national debt. No, I’m not joking. That’s what they’ve said. As my youngest granddaughter would say, ‘Google it,’” he said [1].

Then he told a story from his time as vice president. “You may remember, when I was Vice President, I was asked to settle this same thing that was going on with Mitch McConnell at the time. So I spent the entire day and evening, New Year’s Eve day. We finally reached an agreement, and they backed off and didn’t do it. But guess what? The credit rating of the United States was diminished, being though we didn’t do it, because we just talked about it,” Biden said [1].

The record shows two different deals. “By mid-2011, when Democrats and Republican were at a standoff over the debt ceiling, it was again McConnell and Biden who worked out another deal,” Fox News reported [11]. That law, the Budget Control Act of 2011, was “Approved August 2, 2011” [3]. Three days later, Standard & Poor’s “cut America’s top-notch credit rating one notch to AA-plus from AAA,” Fox Business reported [5].

The New Year’s Eve deal came after the 2012 election. “Biden and McConnell reached a deal on the ‘fiscal cliff’ that increased taxes on only the highest earners,” Fox News reported [11]. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 passed the Senate on Dec. 31 and was “Approved January 2, 2013” [4].

”Bring Brittney Griner Home!”

Early in the speech, an audience member shouted, “Bring Brittney Griner home!” Biden answered: “I’m trying to bring her home.” He added: “I think Mr. Putin—well, it’s a long story” [1]. For how that ended, see HYGO News’ page on the Griner-for-Bout swap.

”Economic Growth Is Up”

Biden ran through his record. “But look, here’s the deal: Economic growth is up. Price inflation is down. Real incomes are up. Gas prices are down. We’ve got to get them down further here in California,” he said [1].

The latest government numbers told a different story. Inflation for the 12 months ending in September was “8.2 percent,” the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported [6]. “Real average hourly earnings decreased 3.0 percent, seasonally adjusted, from September 2021 to September 2022,” the BLS said [2]. Regular gas averaged $3.742 a gallon the week of Oct. 31, 2022, compared with $2.379 the week of Jan. 18, 2021, two days before Biden took office, according to the Energy Information Administration [7].

He also claimed “700,000 manufacturing jobs here in America just since I’ve been President” [1]. Two weeks earlier in Pittsburgh, he had tied the same number to the months “since” January 2022. For that speech, see HYGO News’ page on the Pittsburgh trip.

”Solar Panels on Your Home”

Biden pitched the climate law’s tax credits. “Look, it includes tax credits to help families buy energy-efficient appliances, put solar panels on your home, help you buy—help you buy electric vehicles, weatherize your home. Things that will save, the experts say, an average of $500 a year, according to experts,” he said [1].

He lost his place looking for a lawmaker in the crowd. “And this is one of the leaders right—where—where the hell is he? [ Laughter ] He was right there. Anyway,” Biden said [1].

”Chickens!”

Biden repeated a favorite story. “But six different Republican Senators who I used to serve with came to me—this is now 5 months ago almost—to tell me they agreed with me, but they’re afraid to vote with me because they knew they’d lose a primary; the Trumpies would go after them,” he said. An audience member shouted, “Chickens!” [1]

By the Numbers

38: trips to Iraq and Afghanistan Biden claimed, “over 38 times” [1].
3.0%: the drop in real average hourly earnings over the year to September 2022 [2].
$3.742: the average price of regular gas the week of Oct. 31, 2022, versus $2.379 the week of Jan. 18, 2021 [7].
3 days: the time between the 2011 debt-limit law and the S&P downgrade [3][5].
218: House seats Republicans won, enough for the majority [8].

What Happened Next

Republicans took the House. “The GOP has now won 218 seats,” Fox News reported on Nov. 16, 2022 [8].

The debt limit came back. With Republicans running the House, Biden signed the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, a debt-limit deal “Approved June 3, 2023” [9]. For the White House’s position before that deal, see HYGO News’ page on Biden’s launch day.

Another downgrade followed. On Aug. 1, 2023, Fitch downgraded the United States “to ‘AA+’ from ‘AAA,’” citing “erosion of governance” and rising deficits, Fox Business reported [10].