Unchained melody…

What was Joe Biden really saying about Romney? (AP)

What was Joe Biden really saying about Mitt Romney?

“He’s going to let the big banks once again write their own rules, unchain Wall Street.”

That’s what Biden said in Danville, Virginia, quoting a Romney Op-ed in USA Today. Or trying to quote him.

Because what Romney actually said was that he would remove the “shackles” of government to free up the economy.

But Biden misquoted him and said “chains”, leading to his now-famous ad lib.

“They’re going to put you all back in chains,” said Biden.

Being that the speech was in Danville, last capital of the confederacy, and included hundreds of black voters, Romney apparently considered that to be a slavery reference.

“The comments yesterday by the vice president I think just diminished the White House that much more,” said Romney.

But it turns out Biden corrected himself a few hours later in a speech in Wytheville, Virginia, quoting the correct word “unshackled.”

“The last time these guys unshackled the economy, to use their term, they put the middle class in shackles,” said Biden.

By the way, Wytheville is named for George Wythe, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and an opponent of slavery.

So whatever he said in Danville, it’s clear from what he said in Wytheville, that he is not accusing Republicans of wanting to put black people in chains. Instead he’s accusing Republicans of wanting to put middle class people of all races in shackles.

“$16 trillion in wealth you all lost. You’re the ones who got nailed,” said Biden.

Wait a second. Did he say nailed? Is that a crucifixion reference? Here we go again!