Joe Biden called Kamala Harris “Vice President Trump” and introduced Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” on a night of horrific blunders as he fought for his political life.
The 81-year-old president insisted he didn’t need a cognitive test because he was in “good shape” during a news conference where he staggered, mumbled and coughed through statements as calls poured in for him to step aside.
He denied reports that he needs more sleep, blamed his staff for his disastrous performance in the debate and said his wife Jill gave him “absolute hell” during the hour-long press conference on NATO, which failed to assuage concerns from Democrats who want him off the list.
The ailing Biden insisted he will remain in the race, denied claims he is unfit for office and said there are no polls suggesting he would lose to Trump in November’s general election.
He predicted he would not be sidelined as a candidate, but in a surprise statement he opened the door to a replacement by saying that delegates at the Democratic National Convention could vote for whomever they wanted.
Biden began the tightly orchestrated event with a pre-written commentary on NATO, grabbed a sheet of paper with a list of reporters to answer questions and launched into a terse response.
“Look, I wouldn’t have chosen Vice President Trump as vice president if I didn’t think she was qualified to be president,” Biden said an hour after he embarrassingly blundered into referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin.”
President Joe Biden said he ‘picked Vice President Trump,’ then twisted his answer about Vice President Kamala Harris during a press conference where Democrats were judging him on his ability as a candidate
Biden mistakenly said ‘Vice President Trump’ when defending Harris’ governance abilities as his party debates whether to dump him. She would be a leading candidate to run in his place
He made another mistake when he said he was following the advice of his commander in chief — a title he bears — when he talked about limiting the use of American weapons in Ukraine.
The gaffes may have been par for the course for Biden, but they came at a time when Democrats in Congress were keeping a close eye on him. Another lawmaker, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, called on Biden to step back from the campaign trail just minutes after the news conference ended.
Trump ridiculed Harris’ mistake with a sarcastic message, writing, “Good job, Joe!”
Biden’s X account tried to make the best of it, to write in response: ‘By the way: Yes, I know the difference. One is a prosecutor, and the other is a criminal.
Biden signaled confidence in his ability to win, but also indicated he would be willing to undergo a neurological exam under certain circumstances. A majority of Democrats urged him to step back, according to a new Washington Post/ABC poll.
Biden and the White House have repeatedly rejected the request for an exam, with Biden himself stating that “no matter what I do, no one is going to be satisfied.”
Still, he said he had undergone “three significant and intensive neurological exams by a neurosurgeon — a neurologist” as part of his annual physical. “And they say I’m in good shape,” Biden said.
The mistake about Harris came shortly after Biden wrongly referred to Volodymyr Zelensky — the leader waging war against his country — as “Putin.”
He said he would be re-examined “if the neurologist says he thinks I need to be re-examined.”
“If they think there’s a problem, I promise you … I will do it,” Biden said. “Nobody is suggesting that to me now.”
After his disastrous performance at the debate, some experts, including Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a prominent CNN commentator, have urged Biden to take a cognitive test.
Biden reflected on the benefits of age, while dismissing concerns about his stiff gait, which has fueled internet speculation that symptoms are related to Parkinson’s disease.
“I do have a little bit of an issue with my left foot, because I broke my foot and didn’t wear the boot,” Biden said, referring to the fracture he suffered in 2020.
“The only thing age does is create a little bit of wisdom, if you just pay attention,” Biden said.
Biden has expressed confidence in Harris and in the advice of medical experts, but some of his Democratic colleagues want to know whether he will heed bad polls. Asked whether he would give in if advisers told him Harris would do better against Trump than he did, Biden said: No. Unless they came back and said there’s no way you can win — me. Nobody says that. No poll says that,” he said, lowering his voice to his trademark whisper.
