Saturday, July 19, 2025

The ‘Goodest’ Debate: Biden’s Word Choice Sparks Controversy

Yonhap News

U.S. President Joe Biden has recently found himself in a controversy over his cognitive abilities due to his advanced age. Now, he’s under scrutiny for his ambiguous use of a certain word.

The New York Times (NYT) reported on July 6 that the White House had to go through damage control due to a word Biden used in a recent interview with ABC.

The word in question is “goodest,” which Biden seemed to use to mean “the best” while responding that he had achieved the best results.

The word is grammatically incorrect. It appears that Biden used the word as the superlative form of “good,” but the correct superlative form of “good” is “best.”

Critics say the term “goodest” sounds awkward, even considering that such grammatical rules are often not strictly adhered to in everyday life.

The online edition of the Collins Dictionary describes “goodest” as being used to mean “not the best, but okay,” rather than “the best.”

Even if the people allow for Biden’s use of a grammatically incorrect word, the argument is that he couldn’t properly convey his intended meaning with that word.

While this could be overlooked as a minor mistake in a normal situation, given the ongoing debate over Biden’s cognitive abilities, it may stir up another controversy.

The White House has also taken follow-up measures.

When ABC released the interview transcript, the White House claimed that Biden did not use the word “goodest” and raised the issue with the broadcasting station.

Subsequently, the word in the transcript was changed from “goodest” to “good as.”

Along with this, Biden’s election campaign requested NYT journalists who mentioned the word “goodest” in their articles to revise them.

Hot this week

U.S. Hits Chinese Graphite With 93% Tariff—Your Next EV Just Got Pricier

The U.S. imposes a 93.5% tariff on Chinese graphite, risking a $1,000 increase in EV prices as tax credits end and production costs rise.

Crypto Boom: XRP Soars After Congress Passes Stablecoin Bill

The Stablecoin Act has passed Congress, boosting crypto markets, with XRP hitting a new all-time high and regulatory clarity for stablecoins.

Market Panic? Rich Investors Saw a Bargain, Morgan Stanley Says

Morgan Stanley's profits surged as wealthy clients bought stocks during a market downturn, driven by Trump's tariff announcement.

Oil Prices Keep Dropping as Trade Fears Grow

Oil prices fell for the third consecutive day due to rising U.S. gasoline inventories and trade tensions impacting global demand.

Tesla and BYD Battle for Japan’s Electric Car Crown: Who Will Win?

Tesla and BYD aggressively expand in Japan's EV market, aiming to challenge local automakers amidst low EV adoption rates.

Topics

U.S. Hits Chinese Graphite With 93% Tariff—Your Next EV Just Got Pricier

The U.S. imposes a 93.5% tariff on Chinese graphite, risking a $1,000 increase in EV prices as tax credits end and production costs rise.

Crypto Boom: XRP Soars After Congress Passes Stablecoin Bill

The Stablecoin Act has passed Congress, boosting crypto markets, with XRP hitting a new all-time high and regulatory clarity for stablecoins.

Market Panic? Rich Investors Saw a Bargain, Morgan Stanley Says

Morgan Stanley's profits surged as wealthy clients bought stocks during a market downturn, driven by Trump's tariff announcement.

Oil Prices Keep Dropping as Trade Fears Grow

Oil prices fell for the third consecutive day due to rising U.S. gasoline inventories and trade tensions impacting global demand.

Tesla and BYD Battle for Japan’s Electric Car Crown: Who Will Win?

Tesla and BYD aggressively expand in Japan's EV market, aiming to challenge local automakers amidst low EV adoption rates.

Nvidia Stock Surges Past $170 After U.S. Clears China Chip Exports

Nvidia's stock surged over 4% after the Trump administration lifted export restrictions on H20 semiconductors to China.

Army’s New Shaving Rule Could Push Out Thousands of Black Soldiers

The U.S. Army's new shaving policy may disproportionately impact Black soldiers with shaving difficulties, raising concerns over its fairness.

Trump Slams Fed Chair Again, Demands Rates Below 1%

Trump criticizes Fed Chair Powell, insists interest rates should drop below 1%, claiming the economy is strong and inflation is nonexistent.

Related Articles