On Thursday, President Joe Biden welcomed former President Bill Clinton back to the White House, which he erroneously referred to as the “Congress.”
Biden, who is now 80 years old and the oldest-serving president in U.S. history, said, “I’m so happy to be able to welcome my president back to the United States Congress — back to the United States Capitol, and he’s promised me that I’ll be able to sit at my desk tomorrow.”
After the gaff of Biden welcoming Clinton to the wrong place, referring to him as “my president” even though he isn’t currently serving as the president of the United States, and indicating that he needs Clinton’s permission to use his own desk, Biden’s former White House Chief of Staff, Ron Klain, hinted at a potential presidential run in 2024, saying, “I look forward to being on your side when you run for president in 2024.”
Klain went on to describe Biden as a “wise, passionate, determined, and fearless president” who has the “determination to save our democracy and the soul of this nation.”
This characterization appears somewhat skewed given that the president has difficulty articulating a single clear and concise statement.
All of this went down during the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act in the White House East Room.
As the oldest president in American history, this is, unfortunately, not the first time that Biden has blurted out something nonsensical during one of his speeches.
On multiple occasions, he has referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as the “president” while referring to himself as a “senator” or “vice president” based on his previous positions.
The president’s mental sharpness has been a topic of controversy, particularly after he inquired about the late Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) in September, despite publicly expressing his condolences and even calling her family a month before.
Some have also noted his tendency to share false or exaggerated personal stories.
However, his supporters claim that he is simply prone to making verbal missteps – though these instances of misspeaking may be influenced by the fact that he’s a senior citizen.
