President Joe Biden made his gaffe twice in the space of 24 hours confusing Ukraine for Iraq, despite having a cheat sheet when he addressed the Wagner Rebellion against Vladimir Putin.
Biden was asked on the South Lawn on Wednesday how damaged Putin was in the aftermath of this weekend’s aborted uprising by the Russian group of mercenaries.
The president said Putin was “definitely” weakened, but added “it’s hard to say” when asked to what extent.
“He is clearly losing the war in Iraq. He is losing the war at home and has become a bit of a pariah around the world,” Biden said, clearly referring to Ukraine.
The night before, however, the president was speaking at a fundraiser in Chevy Chase, Maryland, when he made the same mistake, according to White House transcripts.
This is just the latest in a string of blunders for the octogenarian president as more and more voters become concerned about his ability to govern, especially as the 2024 presidential election looms.
President Joe Biden answered questions on the South Lawn ahead of his trip to Chicago on Wednesday. During the Q&A, he referred to the conflict in Ukraine as the “Iraq War”
President Joe Biden walked to Marine One with a cheat sheet that included talking points about the ‘Vagner-Russia’ conflict
The official White House transcript of the president’s Q&A with reporters on Wednesday morning shows him calling the conflict in Ukraine the “Iraq War”
The night before, the president was speaking at a fundraiser in Chevy Chase, Maryland, when he made the same mistake, according to White House transcripts.
“Think about this: if someone told you – and my staff wasn’t so sure either – that we could bring all of Europe together in the attack on Iraq and get NATO fully united, I think they would would do. told you it’s not likely. All Putin counted on was that he could split NATO.’
In the copy of the White House remarks, Iraq was crossed out and “Ukraine” was bracketed to correct Biden.
Biden wasn’t alone in making a gaffe regarding the situation, however, as Fox News host Jesse Watters made a similar mistake by criticizing Biden’s mistake on “The Five” on Wednesday.
Watters — who was named as Fox’s replacement for Tucker Carlson starting next month — sought to switch from slamming Biden’s economic agenda to his foreign policy gaffe.
“And then he comes out and confuses Iraq with Afghanistan,” Watters said uncorrected, confusing Afghanistan with Ukraine.
Biden wasn’t alone in making a gaffe regarding the situation, however, as Fox News host Jesse Watters made a similar mistake by criticizing Biden’s mistake on “The Five” on Wednesday.
The 80-year-old president was making his remarks Wednesday while on his way to Chicago to give a speech on what his White House calls “Bidenomics” when he made the blunder.
Photographers on the South Lawn captured a note card with the president walking out.
The card read “Daily News Summary” with the date.
It started with ‘Vagner-Russia’ with the topics of conversation below.
“This was an internal Russian affair,” the topics of conversation read. “Too early to know.”
At a fundraiser Tuesday night in the tony DC suburb of Chevy Chase, Maryland, Biden also said “Iraq” when speaking about the war in Ukraine.
‘Think about this: if someone had told you – and my staff wasn’t so sure either – that we could bring all of Europe together in the attack on Iraq and get NATO fully united, I think they would have done. did you say it’s not likely,” Biden said Tuesday night. “The only thing Putin counted on was the possibility of splitting NATO.”
Some reporters are allowed into the room during Biden’s fundraising efforts, but cameras — both video and photos — are blocked, so there’s a recording of that blunder.
The official White House transcript of one of Biden’s fundraisers Tuesday night in Chevy Chase, Maryland, shows he also said Iraq at the time, rather than Ukraine
Walking into Marine One on Wednesday, the president was also shocked when asked about the branding efforts surrounding “Bidenomics.”
Biden claimed it was the media – specifically The Wall Street Journal – that dubbed his economic agenda “Bidenomics.”
However, the White House has been using the term in recent days — just as Democrats colloquially use “Obamacare” to refer to the health bill of the Affordable Care Act.
“Well, look, you’ve branded it. Not me. I never called it ‘Bidenomics’ and that’s why I was asked a question,” the president said.
A reporter pointed out that the White House economics team had used the term in recent days.
“Wait a minute, let’s straighten it out. The first time it was used was in the Wall Street Journal. OK? And I don’t beat my chest ‘Bidenomics,’ so the press started calling it Bidenomics,” he said.
Despite his tone in answering the questions, Biden said he liked the term.
“No, I like it, it’s fine,” he said, pointing out that it referred to “my policies.”