Aug 22, 2011 10:40am

Biden Receives Mongolian Horse, Names It ‘Celtic’

abc aptn biden mongolia horse ll 110822 wb Biden Receives Mongolian Horse, Names It Celtic

ABC News’ Devin Dwyer (@devindwyer) reports:    Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, today where his hosts celebrated the first visit by a U.S. vice president since 1944  with performances of traditional music and dance, a Mongol-style wrestling competition and a gift: a Mongolian horse. 

“The horse is the most important animal in Mongolia,” an aide traveling with Biden told reporters. “It is the lifeblood of the country (nomadic history), so giving a horse is one of the most meaningful gifts that can be given.”

During the presentation ceremony, U.S. Ambassador Jonathan Addleton placed a blue ribbon around the horse’s neck, and Biden tied two knots in it — a symbolic display meant to signal importance.  Biden said that he named the horse “Celtic.” 

But the horse apparently did not respond in kind. 

Press pool accounts of the moment said the horse “got a bit excited” by Biden’s gesture and had to be taken away. (Aides said it would not be returning to the U.S. on Air Force 2.) 

When asked later to explain what happened, Biden said the animal “reared up” on him and concluded that it must not have liked “the Irish epitaph.”

After the ceremony, Biden posed for photos with two Mongolian camels and tried his hand at archery. He later departed for Tokyo, Japan — the last stop on his week-long swing through East Asia.  

User Comments

Biden said the animal “reared up” on him and concluded that it must not have liked “the Irish epitaph.”
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Why was Biden quoting an “Irish epitaph” to the horse?
Did the Secret Service shoot the horse?
Why did he name a Mongolian horse “Celtic?” Why not, for example, Jangus Con, in homage to John Kerry?

Posted by: Oliver Shagnasty | August 22, 2011, 11:00 am 11:00 am

I hope the taxpayer isn’t paying to ship it back to the US!

Posted by: Rick McDaniel | August 22, 2011, 11:05 am 11:05 am

Where’s the photo of the horse??

Posted by: Lydia | August 22, 2011, 11:25 am 11:25 am

Where’s the photo of the horse??
Posted by: Lydia | Aug 22, 2011 11:25:49 AM
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Tony Harnden of the London Telegraph blogs further comments of Vice-Chairman Joe at Sichuan University:
Having promised to “order my thoughts here to make this as brief as I can”, Biden went on a rambling meditation about how ”the most important thing to look to in a leader’s speech is not the elegance or the rhetorical flourish of his or her comments, but the judgment of whether or not you believe they are sincere in what they’re saying”. Which could sound to some like a veiled shot at Obama.
Next, Biden provoked laughter by imitating a stammerer and then says that it is offensive to laugh. Then he professed himself to be embarrassed that he cannot speak Chinese…
‘And so the thing that I’m most embarrassed about in my career of 38 years of having an opportunity to literally meet every major world leader in the last 38 years. I was elected as a 30…29-year-old, young man from modest means. And I’ve had that opportunity. The thing that always embarrasses me is – and in the back of my head, I’m embarrassed in front of you – I’m embarrassed I can’t speak to you in Chinese. I would – seriously – I would rather be able to honour you and show my respect for you by speaking your language, as you honour me by speaking mine.’
Biden was a senator for a staggering 36 years and it’s true that he’s hob-nobbed with many world leaders. But “literally…every world leader?”. He prefaced the claim with “opportunity to” but it’s clear that he meant that his political career has enabled him to meet “every world leader” in the past almost four decades.
Biden’s problem is not so much that he can’t speak Chinese but that he has no filter and can’t speak English without exaggerating for effect and blurting out, as he puts it himself, what’s “in the back of my head”.
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Any self-respecting horse would rear up. Maybe it ran away.

Posted by: Oliver Shagnasty | August 22, 2011, 11:51 am 11:51 am

the horse is smarter..

Posted by: rfb09 | August 22, 2011, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm

Jake, sniff around a bit. Biden is in Mongolia regarding a deal to create a nuclear waste disposal facility within the remote country. This is necessary given the situation in Japan, as well as the buildup of spent fuel and other nuclear waste building up here in the U.S.

Posted by: Steve A. | August 22, 2011, 12:37 pm 12:37 pm

I’m sure ‘ole Joe is gonna report this gift on his IRS 1040. Right?

Posted by: Chris H | August 22, 2011, 12:40 pm 12:40 pm

Time Magazine runs a photo of sheep and calls them cows. ABC runs a story on Biden’s horse and shows a photo of a camel. Looks like our federally-funded education system is doing its job.

Posted by: wantingbalance | August 22, 2011, 12:47 pm 12:47 pm

In Mongolia, the official language, and the language spoken by the vast majority of citizens (90% per Wikipedia), is Mongolian, not Chinese. What a dolt!

Posted by: Snoopy | August 22, 2011, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm

The article makes it sound like Biden was the highest ranking US to visit since 1944. If you go to their museum in Ulaanbaatar, you will see the photos of then President GW Bush’s visit in 2005.
And naming the horst, Celtic??? He should have practiced diplomacy and named him after the Mongolian’s greatest hero: Chinghis Khan.

Posted by: JBae | August 22, 2011, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm

I am so totally embarassed that our VP, Joe Gaffe, is a Roman Cathoilc and an Irishman. He should keep his mouth shut or have someone filter his remarks for stupidity.

Posted by: Gerry Fitzpatrick | August 22, 2011, 12:55 pm 12:55 pm

Slow Joe is doing what he does best schmoozing and yuk’en it up with the boys – a laugh is Joe’s silver lining though he almost always forgets to engage his brain before he speaks. Can he possibly be adopted and be made a tribal chief somewhere far away in Mongolia? He can give up Air Force Two for Celtic One.
The horse could sense a jackass when he sees one – that’s why he got upset. He almost kicked some sense into this VP boob!

Posted by: Mike_in_Kyiv | August 22, 2011, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm

….Biden is doing here what he does best…playing the fool. Sadley the real fools are those who elected him!

Posted by: Pompey | August 22, 2011, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm

Wantingbalance,I wouldn’t get too upset with the picture- the reporter is the same genius who thought that “The King’s Speech” was about George III!What is next- the story on why the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

Posted by: Nephron | August 22, 2011, 1:05 pm 1:05 pm

The horse has more sense than bin Biden. The horse objected to being “owned by” a Half-A$$.
BTW – Joe sorely needs a refresher course in English. An epitaph is NOT a name or nickname for a person or animal. An epitaph is: “1.An inscription on a gravestone in memory of the deceased.”
Biden should be a contestant on “Are You Smarter than a Kindergartener?”

Posted by: Diogenes | August 22, 2011, 1:09 pm 1:09 pm

Is Joe bragging about how much smarter he is than the horse?

Posted by: Dutra | August 22, 2011, 1:12 pm 1:12 pm

He later departed for Tokyo for a cow milking contest.

Posted by: Osama | August 22, 2011, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm

Only Joe Biteme would name a Mongolian horse Celtic.

Posted by: Darrel | August 22, 2011, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm

Don’t tell Joe, they really gave him a camel
When Joe was little all he wanted for Christmas was a turtle, so his dad put some buttons on a potato and said here joe here’s your turtle
Joe was very happy and grew up to be a democrat

Posted by: The Downgraded President on his magical misery tour | August 22, 2011, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm

Joe Biden owe me money for hoarse.
You pay now Joe!!!

Posted by: Li Chin | August 22, 2011, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm

And everyone is crying and finger pointing over Perry’s boots he received as Governor over a 10 year period. Such hypocrites!!!

Posted by: goldenwds | August 22, 2011, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm

I like how an article about Biden simply getting a horse turned into a hate fest. Come on guys, I don’t like him either but if you’re going to oppose him be it on his policy or his actual stupid comments.

Posted by: Rod Blagojevich | August 22, 2011, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm

This man – Biden – makes me embarrassed to be an American.

Posted by: Shrugged | August 22, 2011, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm

Lydia, oh Lydia, I’ve got news for you, you and the rest of us taxpayers most assuredly are paying to ship it back to America. The article merely pointed out that it won’t be riding with Slow Joe on Air Force 2. (Do these journalist hicks really think we are so stupid as to have entertained the thought that it might be put on Air Force 2??????
Don’t answer that.

Posted by: Jorge Lavanderia | August 22, 2011, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm

So where are the horse pictures?
I bet they’re funny.
Too bad he’s not a Republican, then you’d get to laugh at them.
Damn the lamestream media

Posted by: dgbee | August 22, 2011, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm

I trust the instincts of animals.

Posted by: Art Stone | August 22, 2011, 1:46 pm 1:46 pm

I thought taking gifts was against the rules. And I agree with the poster above–Celtic? Why not Attila or Conan or something like that?

Posted by: Tom | August 22, 2011, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm

I like how an article about Biden simply getting a horse turned into a hate fest. Come on guys, I don’t like him either but if you’re going to oppose him be it on his policy or his actual stupid comments.
Posted by: Rod Blagojevich
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Oh come on, Rod, we’re just horsing around with the VP. He looks great in his baseball hat, white shirt and slacks, holding on to the camel, obviously not ashamed to look like a stereotypical American tourist.
Besides, I’d already been warned that if I voted for McCain there’d be an idiot one step away from the presidency.
They were right.

Posted by: Oliver Shagnasty | August 22, 2011, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm

So, did Biden return the gesture of receiving a meaningful gift from another country by giving them an ipod? Or how about a set of DVD’s that only play on american DVD players. Wait, been there, done that…

Posted by: Frederick Douglass | August 22, 2011, 1:55 pm 1:55 pm

On second thought, maybe they should take the horse on A.F.2. Midway through the flight I’m sure it will produce something fresh that is about as good as the current policies being enacted.

Posted by: Frederick Douglass | August 22, 2011, 1:59 pm 1:59 pm

Forever to be known as Bite Me!

Posted by: Wallace | August 22, 2011, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm

I like how an article about Biden simply getting a horse turned into a hate fest.
___________________________
The Republican right creeps on here can turn the President taking his girls for ice cream into a hate fest.
They’re like a cancer.

Posted by: Jane | August 22, 2011, 2:09 pm 2:09 pm

A jack-ass would have been a more appropriate gift.

Posted by: Ben | August 22, 2011, 2:16 pm 2:16 pm

I like how an article about Biden simply getting a horse turned into a hate fest.
Agreed, and I am a Tea Party conservative.

Posted by: Angela | August 22, 2011, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm

How appropriate for a world class horse’s ass.

Posted by: Beenaroundyaknow | August 22, 2011, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm

Ben,
This is no hate fest-its a ridicule session. The regime is a joke!

Posted by: laguna | August 22, 2011, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm

I’m confused by the picture. Did they really give Joe a camel and he thought it was a horse?

Posted by: Beenaroundyaknow | August 22, 2011, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm

Will Biden pay taxes on his gift horse?

Posted by: Denbo | August 22, 2011, 2:45 pm 2:45 pm

I know our leaders must visit foreign nations and leaders to keep up dialog and help maintain peace and tranquility between each other. But “Biden” going and speaking, give me a break. Dangerous man on this speech stuff especially as a representative of the U.S. In fact, his remarks on the “1 child” deal was very inappropriate and if he did speak on that he should have condemned such stuff!
Then he had the audacity to “blackball” the Tea Party movement by slandering them as obstructionists. Yeah, trying to keep Biden and Barack from printing more funny money and spending us further into oblivion!
Well, another one down for us, I mean really “down” as being representative of the people of America!
What a crock!

Posted by: Lamar Carnes | August 22, 2011, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm

They only had to be him the head because he already had the horses Azzz part

Posted by: spawn44 | August 22, 2011, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm

Can the white house get this buffoon any further from them? What’s next…Siberia?? They hope he’ll get lost

Posted by: originaltexan | August 22, 2011, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm

That is a camel not a horse.

Posted by: Jeff | August 22, 2011, 2:51 pm 2:51 pm

Someone needs to apologize for our country allowing this goon to go out of our reach.

Posted by: Dan | August 22, 2011, 2:58 pm 2:58 pm

Geeeez…maybe the ChiComs will keep him…he has no use here in the state, and that is for sure….the scary thing, if something (god forbid) happened to Oboma…he would be your next predninit…

Posted by: boozy | August 22, 2011, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm

Barney Fife goes to China.

Posted by: Mark Adams | August 22, 2011, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm

Look like camels to me. Funny language that Mongolian, where translation for camel must be “horse”.
Which is in line with our American translation for Biden, “jackass”.

Posted by: Kelvin | August 22, 2011, 3:06 pm 3:06 pm

Just goes to show you our so called leaders does not know the difference between Camel and a Horse.
Then you wonder whats wrong with the country.

Posted by: Texnut32 | August 22, 2011, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm

A ‘Mongolian Horse’?
Where I come from, we call them camels.
I tell ya what. We’ll take that ‘Mongolian Horse’ if they agree to keep Biden.

Posted by: Ed Taylor | August 22, 2011, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm

What’s a jackass going to do with a horse?

Posted by: Bill | August 22, 2011, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm

Good for Joe. Everyone should have a horse. They teach us manners.

Posted by: Ancient Pollyanna | August 22, 2011, 3:16 pm 3:16 pm

well I’ll be a Mongolian horse’s @ss…!!!

Posted by: patriot1942 | August 22, 2011, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm

The Chinese are making a Reality Show out of Biden’s visit. It will, of course, be a comedy. The horse has more sense than the voters who elected that Buffoon.

Posted by: Bippy Bellito | August 22, 2011, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm

Good grief, who made the mistake of giving Biden a bow and arrow?
He probably shot the horse, that would explain why it is not in the photo.

Posted by: minfxbg | August 22, 2011, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm

By the look of the political videos that are being promoted, going back to former presidents (living or dear or desperately seeking anyone else) seems to be the M.O. of the moment.

Posted by: mary | August 22, 2011, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm

sorry; that was ‘living or dead’

Posted by: mary | August 22, 2011, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm

Animals can sometimes sence the presence of demons in and around people.

Posted by: fred | August 22, 2011, 4:20 pm 4:20 pm

Gee, couldn’t the Chinese please KEEP Biden. We certainly don’t want him back.

Posted by: Vince | August 22, 2011, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm

The horse was rearing up once he found Biden was a donkey…making a mule. Did anyone tell Joe where he was, not in reindeerland? When he visits Japan, he will name any animal given to him, Kim Chee, and really insult people.

Posted by: Gerry Magnuson | August 22, 2011, 4:34 pm 4:34 pm

Joe should change his name to “He Hate Me!”

Posted by: pfarm | August 22, 2011, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm

He really only needs the front half. Send him to GM for completion of assembly.

Posted by: rawheadrex | August 22, 2011, 4:42 pm 4:42 pm

Bow and scrape to your ChiCom puppet masters, Joe. Lower! Lower!!

Posted by: WilliamPenn | August 22, 2011, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm

I hope this dolt didn’t further embarrass himself by pronouncing it “Seltic.” It’s rightfully pronounced “Keltic,” despite it’s improper pronunciation by that team in Boston.

Posted by: WilliamPenn | August 22, 2011, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm

I remember when he visited the GM plant and a Hummer reared up on him too..

Posted by: Fred | August 22, 2011, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm

I thought government employees could not accept any gift worth over $5 ?

Posted by: Average Joe | August 22, 2011, 5:05 pm 5:05 pm

As a member of the Obama administration, Biden is a thug, squandering the country’s money. Why couldn’t one hate a thug? In fact, shouldn’t one? Strictly speaking, I hate the sin and love the sinner.

Posted by: Rick Azevedo | August 22, 2011, 5:05 pm 5:05 pm

Can’t stand the guy, but how awesome would it be to get a horse in Mongolia.

Posted by: SubjectoftheUSSA | August 22, 2011, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm

Going to Mongolia is a good move. They have oodles of minerals and a western-friendly leader. A good friend for us to have.

Posted by: Doug | August 22, 2011, 5:14 pm 5:14 pm

This country is in a shambles and every leader we have is on vacation.
What’s wrong with this picture?
Any chance these people will hold him for ransom?

Posted by: Lihansen | August 22, 2011, 5:19 pm 5:19 pm

He later departed for Tokyo for a cow milking contest.
Cow sucking contest.

Posted by: yarply | August 22, 2011, 5:20 pm 5:20 pm

I don’t know why people are complaining, this comment section has made my day.
Keep up the joke!

Posted by: Biden time | August 22, 2011, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm

I got excited for a moment….I thought Biden was in front of a firing squad of archers.

Posted by: Walter | August 22, 2011, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm

I’m just “Biden” my time until November 2012!
Anyone But Obama in 2012!

Posted by: Spencer B in MD | August 22, 2011, 5:25 pm 5:25 pm

I seem to recall another U.S. leader a few years ago who visited Mongolia, and who was presented with a gelding horse. This article does not mention “gelding”. I wonder if there is some kind of cultural insult involved, an “in-joke” by the Mongolians? I think in the U.S., giving someone a gelded critter would probably be considered a subtle put-down.

Posted by: FutureUser | August 22, 2011, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm

Sure hope he rides it home!

Posted by: Bill | August 22, 2011, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm

What is “idiot” in Mandarin…i bet it has been the most often used word in China for several days….

Posted by: Ben Dover | August 22, 2011, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm

Genghis Joe.

Posted by: toostupidtocare | August 22, 2011, 5:51 pm 5:51 pm

He said it was delicious.

Posted by: peterp | August 22, 2011, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm

Better check the carbon footprint on that bad boy.

Posted by: Bob Johnson | August 22, 2011, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm

Joe!
“…and the horse you rode in on!”

Posted by: Cloudrdr | August 22, 2011, 6:00 pm 6:00 pm

i wonder if it can talk like francis could? msybe it could give joe and barry some sage advice on how to fix our problems, maybe that’s what barry is waitibg for, the ass to get back to the USA…….makes sense to me

Posted by: ken | August 22, 2011, 6:05 pm 6:05 pm

maybe the horse should da mounted Joe not the other way around!! what a buffoon!!

Posted by: nutbustd | August 22, 2011, 6:15 pm 6:15 pm

Angela, there is nothing Tea Party about you.

Posted by: KansasGirl | August 22, 2011, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm

The President spontaneously dispatched Air Force One to pick-up the horse.

Posted by: Common _ Sense | August 23, 2011, 10:50 am 10:50 am

Gee Ken-how old are you? I thought Mr. Ed was too old to bring up! Besides, Obama doesn’t understand Mongolian-otherwise he never would have made that Special Olympics insult.

Posted by: Nephron | August 23, 2011, 10:59 am 10:59 am