Joe Biden’s gaffes dig deeper hole for panicked Democrats

Democrat refers to ‘vice-president Trump’ and calls Zelensky ‘Putin’ at NATO press conference.

Joe Biden corrects himself after accidentally introducing Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky as Russia's Vladimir Putin. Picture: AFP

President Joe Biden’s attempt to reset his rapidly deteriorating re-election campaign stumbled as he mixed up world leaders and described his own deputy as “vice-president Trump”.

In what was billed as the most important press conference of his 52-year career in American national politics, the President, 81, spoke lucidly at times, stressing “I’ve got to finish this job”.

But the hour-long session with journalists to mark the end of a NATO conference is likely to be remembered instead for the moments he confused his Republican opponent with Kamala Harris and introduced President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine as “President Putin”.

Mr Biden has been fighting for his political survival since his disastrous presidential debate with Donald Trump on June 27. The first questioner on Thursday night asked him about ebbing support among many of his fellow Democrats and trade unions, and whether Ms Harris had enough experience for the White House.

Mr Biden stressed that the “UAW endorsed me, but go ahead”, meaning the United Auto Workers. He then mixed up Ms Harris and Mr Trump, saying: “I wouldn’t have picked vice-president Trump to be vice-president if she wasn’t qualified.”

The mix-up came shortly after Mr Biden had described Mr Zelensky as President Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader who ordered the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. “Now I want to hand it over to the President of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” he said, before quickly correcting himself, saying: “I’m so focused on beating President Putin, we’ve got to worry about it.”

Mr Biden’s press conference performance, in which he took 11 media questions, was considered an improvement on the debate and an ABC News interview aired a week ago. He has been adamant he will not stand aside for Ms Harris, 59, or any other younger Democrat, even though a growing number of officials and elected members in his party have publicly called on him to go.

He praised Ms Harris as a capable leader, saying she had been ready to serve as president “since day one”, but added that the US still needed someone of his experience at the helm. “I’m not in this for my legacy,” he said. “I’m in this to complete the job I started.”

Reminded that in 2020 he had described himself as a bridge between his generation of Democrats and the likes of Ms Harris, he was asked what had changed and why he could not hand over now.

“What changed was the gravity of the situation I inherited,” he said. “In terms of the economy, our foreign policy, our domestic division, and I think most presidential historians give me credit for having accomplished more than almost any president since (Lyndon) Johnson and maybe before that.”

Whether it will be enough to win over the doubters remains to be seen. As well as the Trump and Zelensky gaffes, he at one point confused Europe and Asia, and drew attention to his age by noting the first Israeli prime minister he had known was Golda Meir. She resigned from office in 1974, and died in 1978. Asked how he would deal with Putin, or China’s President Xi Jinping, his answer stretched out over 10 minutes. He again refused to take fresh neurological tests, insisting he was tested every day in the course of his work and that examinations taken during his annual medical check-up had declared him fit for office.

“I’ve taken three significant and intense neurological exams by a neurologist,” Mr Biden said, the most recent in February. “And they say I’m in good shape.”

He outlined what a second Biden term would look like, and grew animated as he spoke about gun violence in America. During a long answer about whether he would remain in the presidential race, Mr Biden said the Democrats “can’t afford to lose”.

The Times