Biden retells yet another story completely differently than in the past, this time about becoming a Green Bay Packers fan
Joe Biden changed the details of yet another story during a speech in Wisconsin about becoming a Green Bay Packers fan while in high school.
The president was at Gateway Technical College's iMet Center on May 8, 2024, in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, speaking about Microsoft's plan to invest over $3 billion to build an artificial intelligence data center in the state.
During his comments, Biden recalled a story about how his Catholic high school influenced him to become a fan of NFL team the Green Bay Packers.
"I went to a Catholic high school in Delaware taught by the Norbertines priests from St. Norbert College ... little town, little team called Green Bay," Biden said, which incited some cheers.
"Now, here's the deal," Biden continued. "We were the only high school in Delaware who overwhelmingly rooted for Green Bay."
The crowd laughed, but Biden pressed on.
"Not a joke, I'll tell you why. Every single Sunday. Not only did they have great teams at the time, still do, but not only that, my theology professor at the Catholic school I went to was a guy named Riley. Last name. And he had been drafted by the Green Bay Packers."
"He decided to become a priest before that, so he didn't go, but every single solitary Monday that Green Bay won, we got the last period of the day off."
While it was unclear if Biden was stating that Riley was the last name or he was reading "last name" off the teleprompter, the president seemingly forgot that he has told this story previously but with several of the details being completely different.
Biden starts rambling about a "theology professor" at his Catholic high school who (allegedly) "had been drafted by the Green Bay Packers" but "decided to become a priest"— (@)
According to Wisconsin radio station 620 WTMJ, Biden told this same story in 2011 to host John Mercure.
"He realized he was talking to a journalist in Wisconsin and started telling this elaborate story about why he roots for the Packers," Mercure recalled.
"Let me tell you something, I was taught, I went to a Catholic boys school in Claymont, Delaware, taught by an order of priests called the Norbertines," Biden said at the time. "The Norbertines had their Abbey house in DePere."
Biden then listed off some of the Packers' players of his youth before continuing.
"Every Sunday the Packers won, the headmaster Father Justin E. Diny would get on the PA system, literally, and say, 'Gentlemen no last period today.'"
"He made everyone of us Packers fans. I have a sentimental place," he continued. "Besides I'm fearful I'll go to hell if I don't root for the Packers. Father Diny may come back. I can't go against Father Diny. He'll come out of his grave if he knew I was rooting for anybody else."
There was no mention in the story of a theology professor named Riley, or anyone being drafted to the NFL but choosing the priesthood; rather, it was the headmaster who allegedly gave the students the time off.
Forgetting which authority gave the free time to the students would be easily mistakable, but the president specifically stated it was a professor who was drafted into the NFL.
The internet then went to work.
America's new President @JoeBiden is rooting for the @packers this Sunday and all Sundays.— (@)
"According to the All Time Green Bay Packers Draft pick list there is no record of a 'Riley' or 'Reilly' that fits his story," one reader wrote on X.
Another user pointed out that there was actually a man named Maurice "Tex" Reilly drafted by the Packers in 1947.
"1947 Draft — Maurice ‘Tex’ Reilly — no record of him after that ..."
According to the All Time Green Bay Packers Draft pick list there is no record of a "Riley" or "Reilly" that fits his story.
I think maybe his draft record was eaten by cannibalshttps://t.co/EsLiD9Lh6D
Green Bay Packers Draft picks
Seasons: 104 (1921 to 2024)
— Charles R. Smith🔹 (@softwarnet) May 8, 2024
However, that Maurice Reilly actually became a Major General in the Air Force, not in the priesthood.
@PaulBranch1234 @RNCResearch also ... he was from Colorado not the Wisconsin College Biden cited— (@)
This is just one of many of the president's peculiar tales. From the legend of a street tough named Corn Pop to claims he went to Delaware State University, the president seems to forget key details of his stories.
Not to be forgotten, Biden has also changed his story about having an "epiphany" about accepting gay marriage at least four times over the course of nearly 50 years.
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