President Joe Biden on Sunday appeared to confuse French President Emmanuel Macron with his late predecessor Francois Mitterrand who died in 1996.
The historical stumble came during a campaign speech in Las Vegas, where the octogenarian was recounting meeting leaders of G7 countries in 2021 in Cornwall, England. During the address to supporters, Biden mentioned speaking to the two-term (1981–95) French leader, confusing him for Macron.
”It was in the south of England. And I sat down and I said, ‘America is back,’ and Mitterrand from Germany, I mean from France, looked at me and said – said, “you know what — why — how long you back for?”
U.S. President Joe Biden visits the No. 1 Boba Tea shop in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 5, 2024. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
A portrait of François Mitterrand taken 10 November 1976 in Paris, France. He was his country’s leader from 1981 to 1995, and died in 1996 at the age of 79.(Laurent MAOUS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
”And I looked at him, and the — and the chancellor of Germany said, ‘What would you say, Mr. President, if you picked up the paper tomorrow in the London Times and the London Times said, ‘A thousand people break through the House of Commons, break down the doors, two Bobbies are killed to stop the election of a prime minister. What would you say?”
”I never thought about it from that perspective. What would we say if that happened in another democracy around the world?” he continued.
The White House later posted the remarks, which had the name Mitterrand excised and replaced with Macron.
Mitterrand, who was France’s president from 1981 to 1995, died in 1996 at the age of 79.
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The incident comes as more questions are being raised — including by Democrats — about Biden’s age and cognitive abilities as he seeks a second term in the White House.
Americans are worried too.
Most registered voters share “major” concerns about Biden’s age and health, a recent NBC News survey found.
The survey asked respondents to identify whether they have “major concerns, moderate concerns, minor concerns, or no real concerns” about a range of topics, one of them being Biden’s health and age.
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“At 80 years old, Joe Biden not having the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term,” one of the options reads, asking respondents to gauge their level of concern.
Across the board, most, 59 percent, have “major” concerns about the 80-year-old’s health and age.
Another 15 percent have moderate concerns.
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White HouseCombined, nearly three-quarters, 74 percent, are either majority or moderately concerned about those issues. Only 14 percent said they have “no real concerns,” and 12 percent said they have “minor” concerns.
Biden, who is the oldest president in U.S. history at age 81, would remain so if he claimed reelection later this year. If he returns to the White House he will be 87 by the end of his second term.
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