President Joe Biden has been caught up in a controversy over his use of the phrase “lying dog-faced pony soldier,” which he attributed to John Wayne. However, it turns out that no actor, including Wayne, has ever uttered these words. A closer look at Biden’s memories and recollections reveals that the phrase is a composite of scenes from two John Wayne movies, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and The Quiet Man. The former movie provides the word “pony” from the character Chief Pony That Walks, played by Chief John Big Tree, while the latter provides the word “lie” from a scene between Wayne and Victor McLaglen. The phrase “dog-faced” seems to be a Biden addition, which is still unexplained. Nonetheless, this explanation is the best one can get from Biden’s spliced movie memory.
The Controversy Over Joe Biden’s Use of “Lying Dog-Faced Pony Soldier”
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