Joe Biden Mistakes Idaho for Iowa in Visit to Boise Fundraiser

How a private fundraiser meant to consolidate Idaho's Democratic Party ended in attendees demanding a refund.

Joe Biden holding a potato

March 9, 2020 - Boise, Idaho

Presidential candidates often come to Idaho for a quick and easy trip, the opposite could be said of Joe Biden's recent stop. Speaking for a total of only 4 minutes, the former Vice President was seen being lead away from the mic by campaign staffers.

From the overdone potato tropes to the old-timey references, Biden appeared to have difficulty keeping it together.

"I've been a big fan of potatoes all my life," Biden began. "I love potatoes. The mashed ones, when they get stuck in your teeth. You can fry those bad boys, put them in a blender, I don’t know."

The private donor-only dinner was held at the Eagle River Golf Resort in Eagle, Idaho on Sunday. At $2,700 per plate, the event was off-limits to most Idahoans.

"Given Joe's tight schedule, we could only accommodate a very select few," Taylor Montgomery, the Idaho Democratic Party chair said. "The price point helps us provide access to those most serious about this president [sic] race."

Despite the short speech, Biden appeared to linger on the state's most famous export.

"I remember the first time I ate an Iowa potato. I was at my mee-maws house, that’s what you used to call your grandmother back then. We had Buster Keaton on the tube, the record player was going," Biden said. "Mee-maw came back from the kitchen and said, ‘Uncle Mike brought these golden potatoes straight from Iowa.’

Several attendees witnessed the former VP's wife shouting from her seat at Biden, in what appeared to be an attempt to correct his comments.

"What's that you say?" Biden was heard saying at his wife, "Oh, golly, I meant Ohio."

The crowd responded with laughter, unsure whether the double gaffe was meant in humor.

"It’s easy to forget where you are when you travel as much as I do."

The former Vice President has had a recent bout of flubs and misspoken words on the campaign trail. His speeches have been increasingly cut short by his staffers, and in some cases, they have canceled events altogether.