US President Joe Biden walks to the White House in Washington to deliver a speech after the US Supreme Court ruled on former US President Donald Trump’s request for immunity. (Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz)
US President Joe Biden further risked his political life after accidentally introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as his rival, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during the NATO summit on Thursday.
“Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said at the NATO summit in Washington, introducing the Ukrainian leader.
Hours later, during a press conference, he referred to his predecessor Donald Trump as the “vice president,” confusing him with his deputy, Kamala Harris.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 11, 2024
Biden names Donald Trump vice president
“Look, I wouldn’t have chosen Vice President Trump as vice president if she wasn’t qualified…,” he said.
Joe Biden says
“I wouldn’t have chosen Vice President Trump as vice president if I didn’t think she was qualified.”
We are so done????????????????photo.twitter.com/u6ZoGfn63L
—FearedBuck (@FearedBuck) July 11, 2024
Before he could extinguish the flames of recent gaffes, the 81-year-old Biden, who was already struggling to convince the world that his re-election campaign would not be a disaster because of his age, was now inflamed again by his recent statements.
Democrats urge Biden to withdraw from race
Experts and leaders from his own Democratic Party have suggested that Biden may not be the right person to hold the office due to his declining cognitive abilities, after his disastrous June 27 debate with Trump became the subject of global ridicule.
As many as 13 of the 213 Democrats in the House of Representatives have publicly called on the president to withdraw from the election race, which ends on November 5.
Biden called herself a black woman
The mounting criticism of Biden comes as these aren’t just gaffes he’s remembered for. A week ago, the US leader made a bizarre verbal slip, calling himself a “black woman” during an interview with a private television channel.
This happened after he confused himself with Harris when recalling his own stint as vice president under Barack Obama.
The oldest sitting American president in history
These incidents have only heightened concerns among critics who have long argued that Biden is unfit for office. If re-elected to a second term, he would become the oldest sitting president in U.S. history.
Trump aims for comeback as Biden struggles
Meanwhile, Trump is trying to capitalize on this opportunity to make a political comeback, after his humiliating loss in the 2020 election. The 77-year-old former president has come under fire for his age, as some of his gaffes have also come into the spotlight. Nevertheless, he has an edge over Biden, as voters remain skeptical about the Democratic leader’s age, whom they see as a “burden.”
Biden’s medical report calls him ‘fit’
Biden has consistently defended his health, insisting he is in “good shape.” In February, his annual health report showed he was in “good” health.
According to the report, the US president underwent a root canal last year and is being treated for sleep apnea, but is ‘fit for duty’. His allergies and spinal arthritis are being treated with medication.
First print: Jul 12, 2024 | 10:24 AM IST