If you didn't want to mess with President Joe Biden before, you definitely don't want to mess with him now - after he was caught on a hot mic in an R-rated exchange with a Florida mayor this week.
The 46th US president was visiting Fort Myers, Florida, with the state's Governor, Ron DeSantis, to survey the severe damage left by Hurricane Ian - which has, so far, been responsible for the deaths of over 100 people, REUTERS has estimated.
Biden then held a joint press conference with DeSantis, before meeting with Fort Myers Beach Mayor, Ray Murphy. At this moment, the two were caught having a rather explicit exchange.
According to the audio from the hot mic, Biden appeared to tell the Mayor: "No one f***s with a Biden," before Murphy replied: "Yeah, you're goddamn right."
Much of the rest of the conversation was inaudible, with Biden either adding: "You can't argue with reporters outside the house," or: "You can't argue with your brother outside the house." The latter comment could have been Biden referring to himself and DeSantis, who have seemed to reach an apparent truce despite their opposing political views.
Earlier this year, Biden had called DeSantis "un-American" and "reckless" after the Governor had transported 48 Venezuelan asylum seekers from Texas to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts on private planes, after committing to spending $12 million to transport unauthorized migrants out of Florida, per The New York Times.
Biden is no stranger to hot mics - in January, he called reporter Peter Doocy: "A stupid son of a b***h," and in 2010 was heard telling then-POTUS Barack Obama that his Affordable Care Act was: "A big f***ing deal," CNBC detailed.
Then, mere weeks ago, the 79-year-old had made a major blunder during the White House's first food insecurity conference since 1969.
As previously reported, the POTUS decided to take a moment to thank bipartisan elected officials who had helped organize the highly-anticipated event. However, Biden appeared to thank and search for a member of Congress who had died the month before.
"I want to thank all of you here for including bipartisan elected officials like Rep. (Jim) McGovern, Sen. (Mike) Braun, Sen. (Cory) Booker, Representative – Jackie, are you here? Where's Jackie? I think she wasn't going to be here - to help make this a reality," Biden stated.
After the awkward incident, the White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, attempted to ameliorate the situation, stating: "The president was naming the congressional champions on this issue and was acknowledging her incredible work. He had already planned to welcome the congresswoman's family to the White House on Friday. There will be a bill signing in her honor this coming Friday, so, of course, she was on his mind."
