old news that the media ignored during the 2008 campaign
Yes indeed. This is a deep cut from the '08 race that - unfortunately - went largely unnoticed (Unlike the infamous "macaca" comment from a few years earlier made by Republican, George Allen)
I used this as an example to explain to an Indian, former co-worker of mine (still a friend to this day), how the media selectively covers comments made politicians and the "news" in general.
At first; he didn't believe me, so I told him to google: 'Joe Biden Indian accent' and he was stunned. It was a real "red pill" moment for him. I also told him to google: 'Hillary Clinton Gandhi gas station' for yet another insensitive comment/joke that he never heard about because it was uttered by a democrat. He knew full well if that same 'joke' had been made by a Republican; it would have been covered 24-7 by cable news.
It's amazing how many people still think that media has no agenda and just calls "balls & strikes". If the talking heads on TV don't mention it; then it wasn't important.