US President Joe Biden, 80, has again fumbled while delivering a public speech, this time mixing up the dates of his inauguration, the G7 summit and NATO 2021.
During a speech in Arizona celebrating the construction of a library in honor of his friend and fierce Trump critic, the late Republican Senator John McCain, Biden began warning about the future of democracy.
As he did so, he began by applauding his ascension to the helm, claiming that “America is back” after being elected in November 2020, but a looming threat was approaching.
Delivering his most direct condemnation of Donald Trump in many months, Biden sought the context of conversations with world leaders, giving opponents fodder for criticism.
‘The first meeting I attended of the G7, the seven richest countries in the world, in Europe, the NATO meeting, I sat down, it was in February, February, January, after I was elected, so the end of January, no uh , in early February, and it was in England,” he said, trying to create context.
“And I sat down and said, ‘America is back.’ And Macron looked at me and said, ‘Mr. President, for how long, for how long?’
US President Joe Biden, 80, has again fumbled while delivering a public speech, this time mixing up the dates of his inauguration, the G7 summit and NATO 2021
Biden was elected on November 3, 2020, was inaugurated on January 20, 2021, and received a call from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on January 26, 2021.
That year, Biden flew to the G7 summit in Brussels on June 13, 2021, and later attended the NATO summit in Cornwall, England, on June 14, 2021.
Despite his attempts to deliver a rousing speech, Republicans were quick to pick up on the latest blunder quickly cut out and distribute on the Internet.
However, apparently unperturbed The confusion pushed Biden to target and portray his leading Republican challenger as a man driven by hatred and a desire for retribution with no allegiance to the principles of American democracy as the nation knows it.
“And then the Chancellor of Germany said, ‘Mr. Mr. President, what would you think if tomorrow, tomorrow, you picked up the London Times newspaper and it said that a thousand people broke down the doors of Parliament, marched and murdered two bobbies to overturn the election of the new Prime Minister? to throw? ? What would you think then? What would America think?’ he continued.
“What would we think, as the leading nation in the world, if we’ve been through what we’ve been through?”
“And many of you travel internationally. Many of you know people from all over the world. I’d be surprised if you heard anything other than the concern of, are we okay? Will democracy last?’
Despite his attempts to deliver a rousing speech, Republicans were quick to edit out the latest gaffe and spread it on the internet.
But seemingly unperturbed by the confusion, Biden continued to target his leading Republican challenger, portraying him as a man driven by hatred and a desire for retribution, without any allegiance to the principles of American democracy as the nation knows it.
Biden then attributed the January 6 storming of the Capitol to “institutional damage” and broader “distrust and division” among Americans.
“I’m here to tell you: We lose these institutions of our government at our peril. And I have always been clear: democracy is not a partisan issue. It’s an American issue,” he said.
“Something dangerous is happening in America right now. There is an extremist movement that does not share the fundamental beliefs of our democracy: the MAGA movement.”
To avoid any appearance of judicial interference, Biden has refrained from commenting on the multiple criminal charges against Trump — two of which include the former president’s involvement in efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.
But Biden did not hold back in the speech in which he claimed the country would risk its democracy if Trump gets a second term.
It comes as Biden silenced a climate change protester during his remarks in Arizona on Thursday by promising to meet with him afterwards if he would just “shut his mouth.”
The president was talking about protecting democracy during remarks at the Tempe Center for the Arts when the heckler stood up.
“Why haven’t you declared a climate emergency yet?” the protester shouted, interrupting the president’s remarks. “Hundreds of Arizonans have died.”
The lone protester pressured Biden to declare a national emergency to unlock sweeping new federal regulations and funds to combat the climate emergency.
His bickering had nothing to do with remarks honoring McCain and calling for the preservation of American democracy.
Biden also tried to suppress a climate change protester during his pro-democracy remarks in Arizona on Thursday, telling the man to ‘shut up’
In response to the heckler, Biden said, “Wait a minute. I’ll be happy to meet you after I talk, okay? I’ll tell you what – if you keep your mouth shut, I’ll see you next… Democracy is never easy – as we’ve just shown.”
‘We are all being asked now: what are we going to do to preserve our democracy? Will we, as John wrote, never give up? Shall we not hide from history, but make history? Will we put aside partisanship and put country first? I say we must, and we will. We’ll. But it’s not easy, it’s not easy,” Biden said.
During the pause in his remarks, the man stood up and demanded a national emergency on the climate crisis, prompting crowds to boo.
‘Wait a minute, wait a minute. I’ll be happy to meet you after I speak, okay?
‘ the president implored the protester from the podium.
When he persisted, Biden intervened and said, “I’ll tell you what – if you shut up, I’ll see you after this. OK?’
“Democracy is never easy – as we have just shown,” he continued as the protester was pulled away by security. ‘The cause is worth giving everything for democracy. To make everything possible.’
Arizona is a battleground that is crucial to winning the presidential election.
Biden was also close friends with Republican Senator McCain. They served together in the Senate for decades.