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Presidential gaffes impact Biden’s standing on world stage


“Imagine had the tobacco industry been immune to prostitutes being sued. Come on.” 

That is a direct quote from President Joe Biden, who made the slip during a speech on so-called “ghost guns.” Biden once called himself a “gaffe machine” and there are many examples of that throughout his presidency. His varying verbal missteps have drawn a range of responses, from laughter to mistakes big enough that the White House needs to officially correct the record. 

“But all kidding aside of course, President Harris,” President Biden said during a commencement address.  

“If your home is powered by safer, cheaper, cleaner electricity like solar or heat pumps, you can save about $500 a month on average,” the president proclaimed while promoting his green energy initiatives to voters. The White House clarified that he meant to say $500 over the course of a year. 

The White House usually corrects those mistakes in the official transcript, but they have become the butt of jokes around the world. 

In a recent “SNL”-style skit in Saudi Arabia, characters playing President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris came out on stage to make a speech about the war in Ukraine.

The character playing President Biden walked up to the podium and said, “Putin listen to me. I have very important message for you. The message is…”

He then fell asleep snoring. 

Other Biden gaffes have posed serious international challenges.

“For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,” President Biden said of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a speech in Poland

Biden delivered those remarks after a NATO meeting intended to rally support for Ukraine. The Putin comment overshadowed everything else, and the White House immediately walked it back and said the president “was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change.”

In another instance, the president’s impromptu comments rallied support around him. During a speech in Iowa, the president went off-script when he said Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine. Instead of walking it back, he stood firm and told the press, “Yes, I called it genocide.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted, “True words of a true leader @POTUS. Calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil.”

“What Putin has done in Ukraine, which you know, doesn’t look far short of genocide to me,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said after his trip to Ukraine. 

Genocide has an official definition, and making that determination requires a thorough investigation. Elected officials and government agencies have been careful with their descriptions of alleged war crimes. When Biden accused Putin of genocide, he explained it was his personal view, not a legal determination. 

President Biden’s gaffes have been well known since he was a Senator. As he moves into the midterm election cycle and likely increases his public appearances, the press and comedy writers will be waiting to see what the admittedly gaffe-prone president says next.

Tags:

Presidential gaffes happen. 

President Biden says: “But all kidding aside of course, President Harris.”

President Biden says: “Imagine had the tobacco industry been immune to prostitutes being sued. Come on” 

Most of the time – small mistakes can be corrected in transcripts.  But others can impact the president’s reputation on the world stage. As seen in this SNL style skit in Saudi Arabia.  “(snoring) and the president of China, oh we didn’t finish Russia? Thank you to correct me first lady.” 

These slips can have consequences in foreign policy. The President made this comment about Vladimir Putin during a speech in Poland to rally support for Ukraine. 

President Biden says: “For God sake, this man cannot remain in power.” 

The White House immediately tried to walk it back. An Administration official said the President: “was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change.”

While some of the President’s unexpected comments require mending, the President calling Russia’s murder of innocent civilians in Ukraine a genocide rallied other world leaders around him. 

President Biden says: “Yes I called it Genocide”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted: True words of a true leader @POTUS. Calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says: “What Putin has done in Urkaine which you know, doesn’t look far short of genocide to me.” 

So what do you think? Do gaffes impact the president’s reputation with voters? Let us know in the comments below.