WASHINGTON: United States President Joe Biden mistakenly introduced Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as his Russian foe Vladimir Putin at a NATO summit on Thursday (Jul 11) in a blunder just hours before a press conference that could decide the fate of his re-election bid.
The 81-year-old quickly corrected himself, and Zelenskyy quipped that he was “better” than Putin, but the gaffe intensified concerns about Biden’s mental acuity after a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump two weeks ago.
“And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said as he announced a NATO-Ukraine compact at the summit in Washington.
Biden turned away from the lectern before coming back and exclaiming: “President Putin! He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy – I’m so focused on beating Putin we gotta worry about it. Anyway, Mr President.”
The error drew gasps from the room but Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s wartime leader against Russia’s 2022 invasion, laughed it off.
Fellow leaders at the summit have fielded questions about Biden and their answers have largely been supportive.
“Slips of the tongue happen, and if you keep a close enough eye on everyone, you will find enough,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after the president’s latest gaffe.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Biden had appeared “in charge”, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he “was on good form”.
But his latest verbal slip could not have come at a worse time as Biden is due later on Thursday to give what the White House has called a “big boy” press conference, his first major appearance since the debate.
The solo appearance, a rare unscripted encounter with reporters, comes amid growing calls in his Democratic Party for him to step aside.
The press conference was due to start at 6.30pm but is expected to run around an hour late.
GROWING PRESSURE
There has been a steady drumbeat of Democrats calling for Biden to abandon his 2024 candidacy.
Hollywood actor and well-connected Democratic supporter George Clooney called on Biden to exit the race, and party grandee Nancy Pelosi has stopped short of fully backing him.
Around 14 Democratic members of the House of Representatives have openly urged the man who beat Trump four years ago to drop out, along with one Democratic senator.
A poll released on Thursday showed more than half of Democrats say Biden should end his bid for a second term, and two-thirds of Americans believe he should quit the race.
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