US election campaign - Putin? Zelenskyy? Biden stirs again
Joe Biden is the worst liar. This is the last major program point for the US President with his foreign counterparts at the NATO Summit in Washington: a joint appearance with them and the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. With the help of a teleprompter, Biden has just delivered a successful speech over the podium and is only about to hand it over to Zelensky, when the 81-year-old says this sentence: "Now I yield the floor to the President of Ukraine, who possesses as much courage and determination as I do. Ladies and Gentlemen: President Putin." Surprisingly.
Right behind Biden, the leaders of other NATO countries are lined up. Chancellor Olaf Scholz looks perplexed, EU Council President Charles Michel gazes incredulously to the side. Others clap awkwardly. While Biden is turning away from the speaker podium, he notices the mistake, corrects himself, and tries to joke about it, saying he's just so focused on defeating Putin. To this, Zelensky responds graciously and in reference to Putin: "I am better." The embarrassing mistake is just the beginning of a press conference by Biden that follows and could echo.
Nervous cabinet members in the audience
It's the first solo press conference for the most powerful man in the world in a long time. And the Democrat, who has been desperately trying to save his presidency since his disastrous TV debate against Donald Trump, is supposed to prove himself here. In the front row sit next to each other Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Biden's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan. The tension is palpable.
Biden's opening statement reads like most of his speeches, from teleprompters, left and right, relatively accident-free. He clears his throat a lot - that's nothing new for him - and stutters occasionally over a few letters. But even at the first question, Biden makes a slip-up, which ranks him right behind Zelensky-Putin in terms of speakers: He confuses the name of his deputy Kamala Harris with that of his Republican challenger and arch-rival Donald Trump. Surprisingly.
A journalist asks Biden what he thinks about Harris' chances of beating Trump in the presidential election if he himself were to drop out and she ran as the Democratic candidate. Biden answers: "You know, I didn't choose Vice President Trump as my vice president if I didn't think she was qualified for the job of President."
In the front row, Blinken almost imperceptibly collapses at this moment and lowers his gaze a few millimeters. After following his boss's controversial statement at a press conference a few months ago with a pained face and spasmodic movements, the chief diplomat is particularly anxious in this moment. Two places to the left of him, Sullivan raises a hand to his face and rubs his chin. Austin remains expressionless between them.
Biden's slip-up reminds us of a gaffe the President made a few days ago in a radio interview when he said: "I'm proud to be the first vice president to be the first black woman to work with a black president." This left many speechless.
"The best qualified person for the job"
The following questions at Biden's press appearance are similar in brutal fashion: A journalist wants to know from Biden if his consistent gaffes, even on the world stage like at the NATO summit, aren't gradually damaging the reputation of the United States. Several government leaders were asked about the condition of their US counterpart on camera and had to jump to his defense (Scholz: "Promises pass").
Another reporter asks the US President if he isn't afraid for his political legacy, continuing to push back on the debate about his mental fitness. But Biden remains defiant. It's not about his legacy. "I want to complete the work I've started," he says. And: "I believe I'm the most qualified person for the job."
Biden lists political achievements of his tenure and brushes them aside, there's still so much to do. "I have to finish this job, because there's so much at stake." He warns against Trump and makes it clear that he has no intention of stepping down. Only if he slows down and can't get his work done, then that would be a sign that he should step down, he argues. "But there's no such sign - none."
Whispered and Fist
Multiple times, Biden leans forward over the podium and whispers sentences into the microphone - probably to make them more effective. In between, Biden clenches his fist multiple times to demonstrate strength - as he often did in the past few days at the NATO summit, when he was repeatedly asked about the withdrawal demands of his party colleagues and responded with a fist.
But every now and then, Biden stumbles at the press conference, gets stuck, doesn't finish sentences, confuses numbers or countries (North Korea and South Korea). And every time he doesn't know what to say, he says "whatever". This brief press conference was filled with such moments.
This performance did not convince many internal critics of Biden. Immediately after the appearance, another Democrat from Congress called on the President to withdraw from the campaign. Nearly two dozen have already come forward publicly. And more Democrats have openly expressed serious concerns about their frontrunner: They will come, they will be louder - and they will be more impatient.
- At the NATO Summit, the US President Joe Biden intended to hand over the podium to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but mistakenly referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin instead.
- Eurozone President Charles Michel and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were among those present and appeared surprised by the error.
- Kamala Harris, the US Vice President, is mentioned as a potential candidate in the 2024 US Election, with one journalist asking Biden about her chances against Donald Trump.
- Jake Sullivan, Lloyd Austin, and Tony Blinken were seated in the front row during Biden's press conference, showing visible tension.
- During his speech, Biden mistakenly referred to Harris as "Vice President Trump," causing another awkward moment.
- Biden's gaffes have been a frequent occurrence, with his comment about being the first black woman to work with a black president also causing controversy.
- Biden defended his ability to complete the work he's started and reiterated his belief in being the most qualified person for the job.
- Inside the party, there are growing concerns about Biden's performance and mental fitness, with several Democrats openly criticizing him.
- US officials have consistently defended Biden against questions about his performance, with Scholz stating that "promises pass."
- The NATO Summit and Biden's press conference highlighted the complexities and challenges facing the United States of America on the global stage.
- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for unity and cooperation among the alliance members, emphasizing the importance of addressing common challenges together.
