Jeremy Vine Deletes ‘Unhinged’ Tweet on Joe Biden’s Family Car Crash

Jeremy Vine’s tweet responding to Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the US presidential race has sparked controversy, with many describing it as “unhinged,” “insensitive,” and “incredibly odd.”

On Sunday, July 21, Biden, 81, officially exited his bid for reelection, citing growing concerns over his age and health. He has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the new Democratic nominee.

Vine, a 59-year-old TV host, was one of several celebrities, including Robert De Niro and Cher, who took to social media to share their reactions. However, Vine faced backlash for a post that many found distasteful. The now-deleted tweet read: “A bad day for Joe Biden – but this one, in 1972, must have been worse,” and was accompanied by black-and-white photographs of Biden and his family from the Seventies.

Vine detailed the tragic events of a fatal accident in which Biden’s first wife, Nelia, and their 1-year-old daughter Naomi were killed. “Soon after he was first elected Delaware senator in Nov ’72, a car crash killed his wife and infant daughter and badly hurt his two young sons. He was sworn in at their bedside in hospital,” Vine wrote.

In November 1972, Neilia was driving with their children, Naomi, Beau, and Hunter, when their car collided with a tractor-trailer near Delaware. The accident claimed the lives of Neilia and Naomi, while Beau and Hunter were hospitalized with injuries. Biden was later sworn into the Senate at their bedside.

The post quickly drew condemnation, leading Vine to remove it from his profile. Football commentator Jay Motty captured a screenshot of the tweet and shared it with the caption: “Jeremy Vine has now deleted this. I’m amazed he thought it, wrote it out, posted it and left it up for over an hour. Absolutely insane.”

Many others on social media echoed the sentiment. One user commented, “As he’s a senior broadcaster, I really do hope that one day he thinks about his views and doesn’t assume them to have value just because they are his.” Another remarked, “I really don’t understand what possessed Jeremy Vine to tweet that. Incredibly odd behaviour.”

Another commenter labeled Vine’s actions as “genuinely unhinged behaviour.”

The Independent has reached out to Vine’s representative for a comment on the situation.

In a subsequent response to remarks from Donald Trump, who claimed Biden was “never” fit to be president, Vine tweeted: “I thought there was usually a moment of public respect when someone ends five decades of public service – or is that old hat?”

Vine’s controversial tweet has shifted the spotlight back to Biden’s personal tragedies. In 1977, Biden married his second wife, Jill, with whom he shares a daughter, Ashley, now 43 years old. Reflecting on the 1972 crash, Biden stated in 2015: “The incredible bond I have with my children is the gift I’m not sure I would have had, had I not been through what I went through [after the fatal crash].” He added, “But by focusing on my sons, I found my redemption.”