Joe Biden Slips into Southern Accent After Declaring South Carolina Victory

Former Vice President Joe Biden slipped into using a Southern accent while addressing supporters after a resounding win in the South Carolina primary.

Biden, who on Saturday won his first nominating contest despite having run for the presidency twice before, was all smiles at his victory party. Some on social media, however, noticed that the former vice president seemed to take on a Southern accent while speaking.

“If Democrats nominate me,” the 77-year-old Biden said midway through in his regular voice, before switching into an affected southern accent, “I believe, we can beat Donald Trump.”

Forrest Biden wins South Carolina pic.twitter.com/s2PxsFeuab

— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) March 1, 2020

The bizarre moment comes after a week of pronounced Biden gaffes while campaigning throughout South Carolina. First, Biden told an uncorroborated story about having been arrested while attempting to visit Nelson Mandela in a South African prison sometime in the late-1970s. The story, which vexed both allies and critics, was quickly walked back, but not before generating headlines.

Then, the former vice president told a crowd in Charleston, South Carolina, that he was a candidate running for the United States Senate, rather than the White House.

“My name is Joe Biden. I’m a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate. Look me over, if you like what you see, help out. If not, vote for the other Biden,” the 77-year-old said.

That gaffe was followed by a promise Biden made only days later to appoint the first African-American woman to the Senate if elected in 2020. Biden made the gaffe in part of his stump speech, where he usually discusses his pledge to appoint the first black woman to the Supreme Court.