A coloring book that describes Joe Biden as “America’s Sexiest Moderate” is being marketed to children.
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This Joe Biden coloring book isn’t marketing the former vice president as a sex symbol to children
If Your Time is short
- This Joe Biden coloring book is for adults, not children.
Coloring books are historically for kids but this one isn’t: "Hot Cup Of Joe: A Piping-Hot Coloring Book with America’s Sexiest Moderate, Joe Biden."
Still, some people on social media are worried about it.
"This is a real book at Walmart," reads one post that shows what appear to be pages from the coloring book — Biden stepping out of the shower and the former vice president shirtless on a bear skin rug. "Trying to market Joe Biden as a sex symbol to kids? Why a coloring book?"
This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
According to the Macmillan Publishers website, Hot Cup of Joe, which went on sale in June, is a "satirical coloring book for adults."
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"Grab your colored pens and pencils and lose yourself in Hot Cup of Joe, an illustrated coloring fantasy featuring Joe Biden at his real and imagined best," the book description says. "Whether he’s waving at you from his beloved Amtrak train, sailing his boat in a patriotic speedo, or wrestling a bear, he’s always the working-class hero you know and love."
Walmart did not immediately respond to our questions about the Facebook post but the coloring book is listed on the store’s website under "Funny Books/Politics" — not the children’s section.
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A spokesperson for Walmart told Reuters that the coloring book is for adults and that "the proper placement in a store is in the adult, not the children’s area."
This isn’t the first time we’ve fact-checked a claim confused over the audience for a political book. In October, we debunked a claim that Barnes & Noble and Target were selling a parody book featuring a caricature illustration of President Donald Trump called "If You Give A Pig the White House" in their children’s sections.
This claim is also False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, July 30, 2020
Macmillan Publishers, Hot Cup of Joe, June 16, 2020
Walmart, Hot Cup of Joe, visited Aug. 18, 2020
Reuters, Fact check: Walmart did not market "Hot Cup of Joe: A Piping Hot Coloring Book with America’s Sexiest Moderate, Joe Biden," as a children’s book, Aug. 17, 2020
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This Joe Biden coloring book isn’t marketing the former vice president as a sex symbol to children
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