Adding to a growing list of verbal slip-ups, President Biden made the astounding claim that Putin was “losing the war in Iraq.” [Source]
During an exchange with reporters outside the White House, Biden responded to a question about the current hostilities in Ukraine. When asked if the conflict had weakened Putin, Biden responded, “It’s hard to tell, but he’s clearly losing the war in Iraq.”
There’s just one problem with that statement: Putin isn’t fighting a war in Iraq.
Biden seems to be on a roll with his public gaffes lately. In a separate instance, just 24 hours prior, he fumbled over his words at a campaign fundraising event, referring to India as China in the presence of India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. [Source]
“You probably saw my new best friend – the Prime Minister of a little country that’s now the largest in the world, China – I mean, excuse me, India.”
The President also stirred confusion when he mixed up British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s job title, addressing him as Mr. President. [Source]
Is it surprising that an 80-year-old President is making these missteps?
Biden’s mental fitness has been questioned since the 2020 election. This issue is more evident now than ever. His age and diminishing sharpness are the biggest obstacles to his reelection. [Source]
A poll by NBC revealed that 68% of voters are concerned about Biden’s health. [Source]
In an April 21-24 Reuters/Ipsos poll, 73% of respondents said they consider Biden to be too old to work in government. 63% of Democrats expressed the same sentiment. [Source]
In February, Biden was declared “fit for duty” by doctors. “The president remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations,” said White House physician Kevin O’Connor. [Source]
Are these gaffes a sign that Biden is not “fit for duty”?
Let’s be frank, it’s not about ageism but about the ability of our leader to be consistently accurate and sharp. With the issues and crises that come with the office, there is little room for such errors, which can confuse allies and provide ammunition to adversaries.
For now, we can only hope for fewer such gaffes and a more focused, less error-prone President.