Deplatformed is a weekly column that looks into the nether reaches of the internet—outside the big few that everyone already covers—to tell you the political discourse online. It runs on Thursdays in the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter. If you want to get this column a day before we publish it, subscribe to web_crawlr, where you’ll get the daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.
There has been no shortage of gaffes by President Joe Biden since he took office nearly four years ago. From stumbling up the stairs of Air Force One, to aimlessly wandering off stage at events, to tripping over his own words, rarely a day goes by where Biden doesn’t do something that gets flagged by his critics.
There’s an entire cottage industry dedicated to cataloging them. The GOP’s rapid response X account, RNC Research, documents nearly all of them, and now has over a half-million followers.
But, perhaps because of Biden’s disposition, or bias on social media, the behavior never seems to cut through and permanently affix itself to the president in the way that criticism of former President Donald Trump always seemed to.
Except for one clip of Biden, which the internet loves, and which recirculates with regularity: Biden calling Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg “Secretary Booty Juice. “
In spring 2023, the nation’s airlines were beset by cancellations and delays, a spate of travel disasters that left consumers furious. In response, the White House launched a new initiative to hold airlines accountable.
Buttigieg kicked off a presser calling the rates of cancellations and delays in recent months “unacceptable,” flagging a disastrous Southwest Christmas season before introducing Biden.
“Thank you, Secretary …” Well, the internet heard BootyJuice. And the clip won’t ever go away.
Every couple of months on TikTok, the clip goes viral, and predictably people begin losing it.
Videos of the clip have racked up nearly ten million views on the site, with Trump supporters blind dueting it and breaking out in fits of laughter when they hear Biden speak. But it isn’t just on TikTok.
Head to any pro-Trump platform on any given week and you’ll see the clip being reshared to shock and delight.
The moniker has stuck for Buttigieg as well. While never a darling of conservatives, he’s faced especially strong ire over a series of transportation disasters—like the East Palestine train derailment—which have happened under his watch.
He’s gotten called it while people have criticized him for the Baltimore bridge collapse.
“Tugs on the ship would have prevented this. Guess who funds the Tugs? Secretary Pete Bootyjuice. The DOT cut the tug budget 40%. The Tugs would have been able to slow / even stop the ship.”
As well as news of a recent barge collision in Ohio.
“Isn’t it odd that under biden and pete bootyjuice we have destruction of rail roads, airlines, bridges and dams ? COINCIDENCE ? Looks like ignorance and incompetent planned bureaucracy,” said one.
And over a series of close calls between airlines which went viral this past year.
“AGAIN?! WHAT THE HELL IS BOOTYJUICE DOING?!”
Others have turned it into a “Beetlejuice” type shibboleth.
“Bootyjuice, bootyjuice, bootyjuice!”
Will repeating it summon the Transportation Secretary to your side? Well, the next time an airline bumps you without a warning, give it a try.
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.
The post Deplatformed: Biden’s Buttigieg gaffe won’t die appeared first on The Daily Dot.
WATCH VIDEO
DOWNLOAD VIDEO
