President Joe Biden is in hot water after making yet another embarrassing gaffe at a campaign fundraiser on Wednesday.
During his third fundraising event of the day in New York, Biden claimed to have spoken with the late German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who passed away in 2017. This is the second time this week that Biden has mistakenly mentioned communicating with a dead person, after another gaffe where he claimed to have spoken with former French President François Mitterrand, who died in 1996. The blunder has left many questioning Biden's mental acuity and has raised concerns about his competency as President.
The fundraising event was one of three that President Biden attended that day, according to his official schedule. During his second and third events, he spoke to donors about a conversation he had with Kohl surrounding the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol, which occurred during his first Group of Seven (G7) meeting as President in June 2021. However, Kohl was not present at the G7 meeting, as he had passed away four years prior. The meeting was attended by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
This is not the first time that President Biden has made a gaffe surrounding a conversation with a deceased person. Just three days prior, during a campaign event in Las Vegas, Biden claimed to have spoken with former French President, François Mitterrand, during the same G7 meeting. Mitterrand passed away in 1996, putting Biden's timeline of events into question. These incidents have raised concerns about Biden's mental acuity and have sparked criticism from opponents and allies alike.
Another slip at Biden’s fundraisers tonight- via pool
“… at the 2nd and 3rd events today POTUS seemed to say that Helmut Kohl (who died in 2017) was there with him at his first foreign trip as President talking about Jan 6th…Angela Merkel was the German chancellor in 2021.”
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) February 8, 2024
Sunday's gaffe was not an isolated incident, as there have been other instances where President Biden has made puzzling comments about deceased individuals. During a campaign event in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in 2022, Biden claimed to have spoken with the man who "invented" insulin. However, he incorrectly attributed this invention to a man who did not patent it, saying he spoke with him personally. By the time Biden was born in 1942, all four inventors of insulin had passed away, leading many to question the veracity of his claim.
During a White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September 2022, Biden also made a similar mistake. He looked into the audience for the late Indiana Republican Rep. Jackie Walorski, who had died in a car accident a month prior, and asked if she was in attendance. This slip-up has led many to question the President's grip on reality and raises concerns about his ability to fulfill his duties.
These blunders have not gone unnoticed, and people have taken to social media to share their dismay and concern over Biden's mental state. Some critics have called for a cognitive test to be administered, while others have suggested that Biden is not fit to lead. These gaffes have also sparked discussions about the Vice President's role and whether she may have to step in as Acting President at some point during Biden's term.
These incidents also call into question the role of the media in covering the President's mistakes. Some have accused the media of covering up for Biden, citing their silence on past incidents. Many have pointed out that if these gaffes were made by a Republican President, there would be significant media coverage and criticism. This has led to criticisms of media bias and has further divided the country.
The White House has yet to comment on these incidents, but they have caused widespread concern and frustration. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, and other pressing issues, many are worried about the stability and competency of the Biden administration. These gaffes have only added fuel to the fire and have raised questions about the President's mental acuity and his ability to lead the country. As these incidents continue to unfold, all eyes will be on President Biden and the White House for any response or explanation.