During a press briefing on Thursday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre misidentified Vice President Joe Biden as President Barack Obama.
During the opening remarks of the briefing, Jean-Pierre made a gaffe that caused a ripple of laughter and surprise among the press.
You probably all saw an hour or so ago when President Obama made the announcement that—Oh, I’m sorry, I meant President Biden. Jean-Pierre stated while reporters screamed in shock. “Whoa! Um, yes, that actually is noteworthy information. Yeah, I see that we’re actually taking a step backwards. We must press onward.”
She continued by saying that the new World Bank president would be “President Biden’s” nominee.
This gaffe occurs as speculation about Biden’s intentions for 2024 grows. Despite the White House’s assurances that he “intends to run,” many Democrats are skeptical due to his advanced age. No announcement was made by Biden after his State of the Union address earlier this month, despite widespread anticipation.
Despite this, Obama has previously defended Biden’s mental health by criticizing his former White House physician for his criticism of Biden’s performance.
In October, Biden said that people’s concerns about his age are “totally legitimate.”
“Concern about anyone’s age, including one’s own, is a reasonable thing to have. That makes perfect sense. However, I believe that watching me in action would be the most effective method of evaluation. How much have I slowed down? Where am I — not keeping up? “according to what the president said during an MSNBC interview at the time.
On Election Day in 2024, Biden will be nearly 82 years old, making him the oldest person to ever hold the office of president.