The president had a chance to show his ‘big boy’ credentials. But he just made America look like an international joke Tony Diver, US Editor 12 July 2024 • 12:41am
If Joe Biden wanted to design a pair of gaffes to cause his presidency as much damage as possible, it would be hard to do better than his performance on Thursday night.
This NATO summit in Washington has already been overshadowed by questions about the US president’s age and mental capacity, and every world leader has been asked about it in interviews here.
Two miles away, on Capitol Hill, Democrats have been locked in conclave all week to discuss what to do about Mr Biden and his health.
All eyes were on this evening, to see if he could bring this summit to a close without a hitch. He could not.
There was a gasp in the media centre, where hundreds of journalists were gathered to watch that press conference.
On screens around the room, Mr Biden turned to his left and prepared to give way to Mr Zelensky.
“And now I want to hand it over to the President of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination,” he said.
Pausing for effect, he concluded: “Ladies and gentlemen – President Putin.”
Immediately, the atmosphere among the assembled hacks turned from one of interest, to one of horror.
The feeling in the room was exactly the same as at the presidential debate on June 27, when Mr Biden froze on stage. People looked at each other as if to say: “Can this really be happening?”
Sir Keir Starmer, Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron were all asked about it in their own press conferences minutes later, and all dismissed Mr Biden’s mistake as a harmless slip of the tongue.
But the truth is that the timing of this incident could not have been more unfortunate.
But an hour and a half later, he did it again. In his own press conference, Mr Biden was asked about Kamala Harris’s suitability to be president, in an obvious nod to the idea of her replacing him on the Democratic ticket.
“I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, if she’s not qualified to be president,” he said. More gasps, as the penny dropped that he had mistaken his closest ally for his greatest foe.