Joe Biden called Asia 'The Orient' | The Week

Joe Biden called Asia &quot;The Orient&#039; — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday traveled to Iowa, where he referred to Asia as the "Orient."

The term is widely considered derogatory; Orientalism refers to a demeaning interpretation — an othering — of the East by those in the West.

Biden came under fire earlier in the day for using the term "shylock," a derogatory term for Jews.

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Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.