Staff Reports
President Joe Biden’s latest “brain malfunction” has provided conservatives with some comic relief as they continue to question his fitness for office. At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit, Biden struggled with his teleprompter, hesitating for over ten seconds before giving up on attempting to pronounce a word written by his speechwriters. The audience chuckled as Biden muttered, “I’m not gonna even try,” showcasing his ongoing struggles with public speaking.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) Research wasted no time sharing a 22-second clip of Biden’s “valiant effort,” adding a caption that mocked his apparent cognitive slip-up. On the other hand, NBC’s Scott Budman seemingly treated Biden with deference, attributing his stumble to a humorous mispronunciation of the word “Anthropic” and emphasizing Biden’s discussion of artificial intelligence growth.
Biden's brain malfunctions in real time: "I'm gonna mispronounce. I'm not gonna even try." pic.twitter.com/CdqQRvarP9
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 16, 2023
Conservatives are seizing this opportunity to highlight Biden’s declining poll numbers and cognitive decline, openly questioning his fitness for office. Some may feel a twinge of guilt about poking fun at an elderly man grappling with cognitive decline, but such feelings quickly dissipate when considering Biden’s political actions and statements. For those on the right, Biden is more than just a bumbling septuagenarian; he represents all that is wrong with the current administration.
Indeed, despite some guilt over mocking Biden, conservative commentators feel robbed of a truly hilarious moment. Imagine the fresh memes and potential Trump campaign commercials if Biden had attempted to pronounce the troublesome word on the teleprompter. No doubt, it would have been comedy gold for Republican supporters and a public relations nightmare for the Biden administration.
As conservatives continue to scrutinize Biden’s performance, they are not only interested in gaffes for the sake of amusement, but also in how those slip-ups reflect on his ability to lead the nation. In the eyes of Republican critics, Biden’s gaffes and blunders serve as a glaring reminder of the leadership they believe is lacking in the White House. For them, each misstep is further evidence that the current administration is unfit to govern.
While liberals and the mainstream media may downplay Biden’s stumbles, conservatives are quick to seize upon any moment that reinforces their skepticism about his leadership. For those on the right, Biden’s mishaps are not just comedy fodder, but indicators of the larger problems they believe plague his presidency. In their eyes, every stumble is a validation of their concerns and a rallying cry for the next election.
