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Jeremy Vine’s tweet in response to Joe Biden’s exit from the US presidential race has been branded as “unhinged”, “insensitive” and “incredibly odd”.
On Sunday (21 July), Biden, 81, withdrew his bid for reelection amid growing pressure and concerns surrounding his age and health. He has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the new Democratic nominee.
Vine, 59, was one of several celebrities, including Robert De Niro and Cher, to share their reactions to the news on social media.
The TV host, however, has been criticised for his since-deleted post, which said: “A bad day for Joe Biden – but this one, in 1972, must have been worse,” alongside a series of black and white photographs of Biden and his family in the Seventies.
Vine went on to detail the events of a fatal collision in which Biden’s wife Neilia, 30, and daughter Naomi, one, were killed.
“Soon after he was first elected Delaware senator in Nov ‘72, a car crash killed his wife and infant daughter and badly hurt his two young sons. He was sworn in at their bedside in hospital.”
In November 1972, Neilia and their children, Naomi, Beau, and Hunter, had been driving in the family car when it crashed with a tractor-trailer near Delaware.
Neilia and Naomi died, while Beau and Hunter were injured and taken to hospital, where Biden was later sworn into the senate.
The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant has since deleted the tweet from his profile, after many people condemned it for poor taste.
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Football commentator Jay Motty screenshotted the post, sharing it to Twitter together with the caption: “Jeremy Vine has now deleted this. I’m amazed he thought it, wrote it out, posted it and left it up for over an hour. Absolutely insane.”
Jeremy Vine has now deleted this. I’m amazed he thought it, wrote it out, posted it and left it up for over an hour. Absolutely insane. pic.twitter.com/pOBJneEF1H
— Jay Motty (@JayMotty) July 21, 2024
Another person wrote: “As he’s a senior broadcaster, I really do hope that one day he thinks about his views and doesn’t assume them to have value just because they are his.”
“I really don’t understand what possessed Jeremy Vine to tweet that. Incredibly odd behaviour,” another said.
“That’s genuinely unhinged behaviour,” another added.
The Independent has contacted a representative of Vine for comment.
After deleting the tweet, Vine later responded to remarks by Donald Trump claiming that Biden was “never” fit to be president, stating: “I thought there was usually a moment of public respect when someone ends five decades of public service – or is that old hat?”
In 1977, Biden married his second wife, Jill, with whom he shares one daughter, Ashley, 43.
Biden addressed the crash in 2015, stating: “The incredible bond I have with my children is the gift I’m not sure I would have had, had I not been through what I went through [after the fatal crash].
“But by focusing on my sons, I found my redemption.”
