Reuters
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to members of the media as he departs for travel to Chicago from the White House in Washington, U.S. June 28, 2023. [Source: Reuters]
In a new verbal slip-up, U.S. President Joe Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “losing the war in Iraq” when he meant to say Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters briefly before departing the White House on a trip to Chicago, Biden was asked if Putin had been weakened by the brief uprising led by a Russian mercenary chief whose forces had been fighting against Ukraine.
It was the second slip-up in 24 hours. On Tuesday night, Biden corrected himself at a campaign fundraising event – referring to China when he meant India, whose prime minister, Narendra Modi, visited the White House a week ago.
The miscues are not unusual for the 80-year-old president.
Public opinion polling shows that a majority of Americans have concerns about Biden’s age. Some 73% of respondents to an April 21-24 Reuters/Ipsos poll said that they considered Biden too old to work in government. A majority – 63% – of Democrats agreed with that statement.
Biden’s doctor declared him healthy and “fit for duty” in February after a physical examination.
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