09 February 2024 , 11:38
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US President Joe Biden has fueled speculation about his fitness for office with a series of blunders and gaffes that occurred to him just this past week.
It comes as the President was the target of a Justice Department report filled with unflattering characterisations of his memory, sparking fresh questions about his competency and age that cut at voters’ most deep-seated concerns about his candidacy for re-election.
The report described the 81-year-old Democrat's memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor" and having “significant limitations.” It noted that Biden could not recall defining milestones in his own life such as when his son Beau died or when he served as vice president.
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The 81-year-old US President was criticised for his memory issues (Getty Images)
The report also claimed documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan and other sensitive national security matters were kept next to a dog box in his garage.
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The report reads: "We also expect many jurors to be struck by the place where the Afghanistan documents were ultimately found in Mr. Biden's Delaware home: in a badly damaged box in the garage, near a collapsed dog crate, a dog bed, a Zappos box, an empty bucket, a broken lamp wrapped with duct tape, potting soil, and synthetic firewood."
Memory issues highlighted in damning report
The Justice Department report that came to light yesterday found retained highly classified materials, including documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan as a private citizen, though no criminal charges are recommended.
The report, authored by special counsel Robert Hur, highlighted Biden's memory issues, including forgetting key events like his vice presidency and his son's death. Despite this, the report suggests Biden's memory could be used as a defence in court, portraying him as an elderly man with memory limitations.
In remarks at the White House Thursday evening, Biden denied that he improperly shared classified information and angrily lashed out at Hur for questioning his mental acuity, particularly his recollection of the timing of his late son Beau’s death from cancer.
And in response to Hur’s portrayal of him, Biden insisted to reporters that “My memory is fine,” and said he believes he remains the most qualified person to serve as president. “How in the hell dare he raise that?” Biden asked, about Hur's comments regarding his son's death, saying he didn’t believe it was any of Hur’s business.
Francois Mitterrand and his wife Danielle Mitterrand in 1992 (Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)Confused French leader Macron with Francois Mitterrand
At the start of the week, Biden told a crowd that he met with Francois Mitterrand, the French president who died nearly 30 years ago, in a slip of the tongue in a speech on Sunday. Biden was speaking to a gathering in Las Vegas on Sunday ahead of Nevada’s Democratic presidential primary today (Tuesday) when he mis-named the French president in a story he was telling.
The tale, which Biden has shared many times during his stint in office, concerns a meeting he had with French President Emmanuel Macron, not Mitterrand, during a G7 meeting in England a few months after Biden became president.
"I sat down and I said, ‘America’s back,’" Biden recalled. "And Mitterrand from Germany – I mean from France – looked at me and said…" Biden paused momentarily during his speech, before concluding, "Well, how long are you back for?" François Mitterrand was France's president between 1981 and 1995. He died in 1996.
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Confused German leader Angela Merkel with Helmut Kohl
Biden then claimed to have been addressed by German Chancellor Helmut Kohl following the January 6 Capitol Hill riots. Biden claimed: "Helmut Kohl of Germany looked at me and said, 'What would you say Mr. President if you picked up the London Times tomorrow morning and learned there's 1,000 broken down the doors of the British parliament, killed some [inaudible] on the way in to deny the next prime minister to take office. And you think, what would we think?"
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Helmut Kohl died in 2017 and was not at the G7 2021 summit. Biden met the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, at the G7 summit but Kohl, who passed away on June 16, 2017, had not been chancellor since 1998.
Joe Biden did a series of gaffes and blunders this week raising concerns (AFP via Getty Images)Forgot the name of Hamas in bumbling speech
In another blunder this week, the president appeared to forget the name of the Palestinian group Hamas, during a press conference. Biden was speaking to the press updating reporters on negotiations between Hamas and Israel to free hostages.
He said: "There is some movement, and I don't wanna, I don't wanna, let me be choose my words - there's some movement. There's been a response from the, uh, there's been a response from the opposition, but um…."
There was a pause during which a reporter can be heard clarifying "Hamas?" from off camera, in reference to Biden’s use of the word "opposition." "Yes, I'm sorry. From Hamas," the president responded before carrying on with the press conference.
He had been making the speech to promote the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act. The bill is focused on increasing security at the southern border, which is currently in a state of chaos. Donald Trump, the Republican nominee and frontrunner has told GOP senators to reject the bill.
Confused Mexico with Egypt in Gaza war update
In a surprise press conference held at short notice last night, apparently in response to the report, Biden appeared to confuse Mexico with Egypt. The president, amidst discussing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, made a reference to Mexico instead of Egypt. He said: "The president of Mexico did not want to open up the gate to allow humanitarian material to get in. I talked to him. I convinced to open the gate."
President Biden continued, mentioning his efforts in the Middle East, saying, "I talked to Bibi [Benjamin Netanyahu] to open the gate on the Israeli side. I’ve been pushing really hard, really hard to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza."
Expressing concern for the plight of innocent civilians affected by the conflict, Biden emphasised the urgency of providing humanitarian aid, stating, "There are a lot of innocent people who are starving, innocent people or in trouble and die, and it’s got to stop, number one."
He also highlighted his role in advocating for increased aid, including fuel and other essential items, adding, "Number two... I’m the guy that made the case that we have to do much more to increase the amount ofme material going in, including fuel, including other items. I’ve been on the phone with Qataris. I’ve been on the phone with the Egyptians."