In the process of delivering the rather socialistic message that wealthy people didn’t need a tax break, Diamond Joe Biden—former Vice President, cuddly uncle, loyal ally of banks and corporations, and a man who would not like you to know that he tried to use his son’s death for political gain—managed to take a sideways jab at Bernie Sanders. Per WaPo’s Dave Weigel:

Biden: “The wealthy are as patriotic as the poor. I know Bernie doesn’t like me saying that.” But says they don’t need a tax cut. — Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) October 3, 2017

You might remember that Biden was a big fan of complimenting Bernie Sanders during the 2016 primary, usually at the expense of Hillary Clinton. That was before he decided not to run, so it was probably less about his admiration for Sanders, or his scorn for Clinton, than about weakening his strongest opponent before he jumped into the race.

In other words, the last time he mentioned Sanders, it was for political gain. This time is likely no different. Here’s the full context for the quote, which came during a speech in Alabama, per The Hill:

Stumping for Democratic Senate nominee Doug Jones, Biden said the former U.S. attorney grasps “fairness” when it comes to the issue of taxes.

“Doug understands about tax fairness,” Biden told the crowd. “Guys, the wealthy are as patriotic as the poor. I know Bernie doesn’t like me saying that, but they are.”

Now, you might be asking yourself a pertinent question: What the hell does that even mean? And you’d be justified in your bafflement, because patriotism is a nebulous hobgoblin so over-used by politicians that it’s become virtually meaningless. Yet the real point here isn’t about how patriotism changes as we navigate economic classes in America, but that Biden is gearing up to run for president, and is already targeting the man who could be his chief opponent. Get ready for more red-hot centrist vs. progressive action for the next three years!