Biden's gaffe to reporters spreads confusion in the US
US President Joe Biden informs reporters at the Roosevelt Room of a major press conference in the afternoon after mistaking the event for an interview for MSNBC later in the day.
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President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with his "Investing in America Cabinet," in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Friday, May 5, 2023, in Washington (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
US President Joe Biden confused the US media and general public when he announced to reporters at exiting the Roosevelt Room, that he will be holding a "major press conference this afternoon," an event which was not previously scheduled as part of Biden's activities for the day.
"We’ve got a lot of work to do and I’m doing a major press conference this afternoon, but I love y’all but I’d like to ask you to leave so we can get down to business," the 80-year-old told reporters at the White House.
Press conferences are usually preannounced, days in advance, unless a drastic event such as a national crisis took place, which was not the case on Friday.
Biden finished his meeting with his advisors and headed out of his presidential residence to take part in Cinco de Mayo celebrations where he purchased some tacos to commemorate the occasion.
A press conference never actually took place as Biden seemed to be referring to a planned interview with MSNBC. Key features of Biden's public appearances in recent years have been interrupted thoughts and blundered statements.
Joe Biden mixed up his sister and his wife on live TV during Primary speech lol pic.twitter.com/MhYG7dk9uu
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) March 4, 2020
Is Biden fit for duty?
Biden’s age is already posing a risk for the Democratic party, which is currently the minority in the House of Representatives as Republicans have taken over.
A recent poll this month by Ipsos shows Biden’s approval ratings at merely 39% with major concern regarding his age since he would be 86 years old next year and ironically a decade higher than the average American male's life expectancy.
Biden, who does not drink alcohol and exercises five times a week, has been deemed "fit for duty" by doctors following a check-up in February and according to the White House, he is mentally sharp for the job.
His reelection announcement prompted the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev to suggest that the US military take precautionary measures to avert irreparable damage in the event the "desperate grandpa" gets re-elected.
On his Telegram channel, Medvedev wrote: "Biden has taken his decision. A desperate grandpa." He explained: "If I was in the place of the US military I would quickly produce a fake briefcase with fake nuclear codes in case he wins so as to avoid irreparable consequences."
