Former Vice President Joe Biden stepped in it again over the weekend when he falsely claimed that a plant located in Pennsylvania is thinking about shutting down. It’s the latest in a long line of gaffes from the Democratic presidential candidate, but will still be downplayed by the corporate media. 

During a campaign stop in Pennsylvania, Biden participated in an interview with a local channel to discuss high-speed rail among other topics. He mentioned his longstanding support for high-speed rail lines and the “tens of thousands of good-paying jobs” that could be created by focusing on this industry. 

But the candidate caused fear among workers at a local employer. “I heard today there’s a locomotive plant thinking of shutting down here,” he said to Erie News Now’s host Ethan Kibbe. “I’m going to invest literally in high-speed rail. I have a record on that.” 

The plant to which Biden was referring is a locomotive manufacturer in Erie, PA called Wabtec. The leadership of the company responded in an email to its employees to “set the record straight and let you know this statement is untrue. This site and plant are an integral part of the business and our community.” 

The news station did say that the former vice president corrected himself on his comments, stating that he intended to discuss potential layoffs at the company. But the damage was done and he caused a number of workers to fear for the safety of their jobs until the company reassured them that it wasn’t closing its doors. 

Earlier in the year, Wabtec laid off about 300 workers at the Erie facility, reducing its workforce to about 1,200 employees. 

Biden has made numerous gaffes like this during media appearances over the course of the campaign. His apparent inability to make coherent statements has caused many to question his cognitive abilities. But so far, they have not damaged his campaign as the corporate press has accommodated his weakness and downplayed his unforced errors. 

Currently, Biden is maintaining an eight-point lead over Trump in the state according to recent polls. In 2016, Trump carried the state by only one point. 

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