The Real Joe Biden vs. The Onion's Joe Biden: A Quiz

Reuters
Dino Grandoni 4,219 Views May 2, 2012

Quick: Who's wackier, Vice President Joe Biden or The Onion's depiction of Vice President Joe Biden? As regular readers of "America's Finest News Source" know, Biden has long been a figure of fun, but lately, in real life, Biden has started to resemble his Onion alter-ego. In terms of awkward appearances, bad jokes, and cringe-worthy moments, the real Joe Biden has become positively Onion-esque.

Below, in random order, are five lines from pieces published by The Onion and five other lines of copy from actual news stories about the vice president . As one Onion editor told The New York Times last year, "We have a backlog of Biden jokes." Biden, it seems, has a backlog of his own. Can you guess which are real and which are fake?

1. "US officials have revealed that Osama bin Laden's diaries contain the rather startling conclusion that he didn't think Vice President Joe Biden was worth bumping off."

2. "Biden, who purchased the white Pontiac in 1983, has made an annual tradition of taking time off each spring to wash and tune-up his vehicle."

3. "Joe Biden got the Cinco de Mayo celebration started a few days early with a small 'Dos de Mayo' gathering at the vice president's residence in D.C."

4. "Though Biden's problems with the Dave & Buster's company appear to be unique among those who have held his office, he is not the first vice president to run afoul of a business."

5. "Biden, who said his initial plans are to just kick back for a few weeks and 'catch some rays,' claimed he was looking forward to taking in some of the local Mexican culture."

6. "Though the vice president's bodyguard roster is currently full, Biden said he is always on the lookout for new talent."

7. "'I promise you, the president has a big stick. I promise you.'"

8. "Evoking the law that assures citizens access to government records, Vice President Joe Biden made a Freedom of Information Act request Friday, calling for the immediate release of documents disclosing when Jennifer Britmore gets off work."

9. "'Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be Vice President of the United States of America. Let's get that straight.'"

10. "At an event today in Rochester, New Hampshire, Vice President Joe Biden used an Indian accent to imitate call service employees."

Answers: 1 [The Telegraph], 2 [The Onion], 3 [Daily Beast], 4 [The Onion], 5 [The Onion], 6 [The Onion], 7 [Fox Nation], 8 [The Onion], 9 [MSNBC], 10 [The Weekly Standard].

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