Biden jokingly calls New Hampshire voter 'dog-faced pony soldier,' attributes odd insult to John Wayne

(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Former Vice President Joe Biden is battling for third place in New Hampshire's primary, and at a campaign stop in Hampton on Sunday, he got a question from a young woman about why he thinks he isn't doing better in the Democratic presidential race. Biden said it was "a good question" and asked the woman if she had ever been to a caucus. When she nodded yes, he replied: "No, you haven't. You're a lying dog-faced pony soldier. You said you were, but now you gotta be honest. I'm going to be honest with you."

It was pretty clearly meant in a joking manner, and the audience laughed, but on video, "lying dog-faced pony soldier" just seems like an odd insult to throw at a prospective voter.

Biden has used the phrase before, and he says it's a John Wayne line from the 1953 movie Hondo. TMZ disagrees, suggesting maybe Biden borrowed it from the 1952 Tyrone Power film Pony Soldier. Either way, it's probably time to retire the insult, lighthearted or not.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.