President Biden raised more questions this week about his cognitive abilities after a series of jarring public appearances in which he twice claimed to have had recent conversations with long-dead world leaders.
He also forgot the name of Hamas and announced he was having a press conference that never materialized.
These were the latest in a long string of mental missteps by Mr. Biden, who at 81 is the oldest commander-in-chief in U.S. history.
His frequent mental miscues also sparked widespread voter concern as he seeks a second term in the White House. If Mr. Biden is reelected, he will be 86 at the end of his second term.
Former President Donald Trump, the prohibitive favorite for the Republican presidential nomination, also has had some recent flubs while campaigning. Mr. Trump, 77, repeatedly mixed up Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, suggesting Ms. Haley was responsible for security during the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot.
Last month, Mr. Trump struggled to explain his view that drug dealers should get the death penalty. He mispronounced “smallest” and then added, “We are an institute in a powerful death penalty. We will put this on.”
An NBC News poll released this week revealed that voters are more concerned with Mr. Biden‘s age than Mr. Trump’s age.
The survey found that 76% of voters, including 54% of Democrats, had major or moderate concerns about Mr. Biden‘s “mental and physical health.” Only 48% of voters said the same about Mr. Trump and 35% said they had no concerns about the ex-president’s fitness.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has refused to answer questions about Mr. Biden‘s mental health. She said this week she wouldn’t “go down that rabbit hole.”
But on Thursday after Mr. Biden again claimed he spoke to another deceased world leader, Ms. Jean-Pierre sought to defend the octogenarian president.
She pointed to recent gaffes made by herself and some politicians, including Sen. Rick Scott, Florida Republican, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican.
“This happens. It happens to all of us and it is common, but I do want to make sure we don’t forget what the overall arching theme was [Mr. Biden] was saying about our leadership on the world stage,” she said.
Still, this week has been brutal for Mr. Biden as he further fueled voter concerns about his mental capabilities.
Speaking at a campaign event on Sunday in Las Vegas, Mr. Biden talked about a conversation he claimed to have had in 2021 with former French President Francois Mitterrand, who died in 1996. He had confused Mitterand for French President Emmanuel Macron while retelling an encounter with the French leader during his first year in office.
It was not the only time this week that Mr. Biden recalled recently speaking with a European leader who died years ago.
At two separate fundraisers Wednesday in New York, Mr. Biden said he discussed the 2021 Capitol riot with former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who died in 2017.
Mr. Biden said Mr. Kohl asked him how he’d respond if he read about people storming the British Parliament in the same manner pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. He said the conversation took place at the Group of Seven meeting in the U.K. in 2021, which Germany’s then-Chancellor Angela Merkel attended.
In between those two gaffes, Mr. Biden forgot the name of Hamas while answering a question about ongoing hostage negotiations with the terrorist group.
“There is some movement, and I don’t want to, I don’t want to,” Mr. Biden said, pausing to stare blankly.
“Let me choose my words — there’s some movement, there’s been … a response from the, uh …” he said again while pausing and again looking lost.
“There’s been a response … from … the opposition, but, um,” Mr. Biden looked up, appearing to struggle to remember Hamas.
A reporter provided much-needed help by whispering, “Hamas?”
“Yes, I’m sorry, from Hamas,” he said.
Rep. Dean Phillips, Minnesota Democrat, who is challenging Mr. Biden for the Democratic nomination, said it’s clear the president is not up to the job.
“Shame on all of you pretending everything is OK,” he wrote on X. “You are leading us — and him — into a disaster and you damn well know it.”
During the same interaction with reporters, Mr. Biden also appeared to announce that he would hold a press conference.
“I’ll be back Thursday to stand here with you and answer all the questions you want about the issue,” Mr. Biden said.
The comments drew widespread speculation that he would hold his first solo press conference in more than a year. But there was no formal announcement from the White House.
Ms. Jean-Pierre was baffled when asked about it at the daily White House press briefing, cryptically responding, “Stay tuned.”
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.