All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[SquirrelMan]

I've been to Fort Myers and Naples, FL and there are a LOT of retirement communities there. I cannot begin to imagine what being evacuated is like for people with dementia, or the people who love them.

[shooshoomanjoe]

"Jackie, are you here? Where's Jackie? I don't think – she was going to be here"

Either Biden is losing his mind or is being a jackass. There needs to be an age cap to be the president.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

"Jackie, are you here? Where's Jackie? I don't think – she was going to be here"

Either Biden is losing his mind or is being a jackass. There needs to be an age cap to be the president.

What the hell are you talking about?

[shooshoomanjoe]

What the hell are you talking about?

President Biden asks if congresswoman who died in crash last month is at White House conference

[CSTowle]

People on this board don't like acknowledgement of Biden's mental decline, it's seen as Republican propaganda meant to smear a guy who apparently is as sharp as he was 30 years ago. I'm sure if this board were around in Reagan's final years his Republican backers would have a similar outlook. Personally I think denying basic reality just because it's inconvenient should be left to Trump supporters, but again that's just my opinion. I'd vote for an empty cardboard box with a Democratic team behind it over a Trump or Desantis without hesitation.

[WAKANDA FOREVER!]

Hopefully, his pre-prez pcp had him on dat Aricept and Namenda (among others) to slow down the decline.

[The Cool Thatguy]

As much **** as he's got on his plate, I think he's allowed to forget a few things.

I do think there should be a cap, mind, but forgetting one thing after all the things going on, is almost to be expected.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I wasn’t aware of that story about Biden, and yeah, it’s NOT a good look.

[Tami]

I wasn’t aware of that story about Biden, and yeah, it’s NOT a good look.

I suspect it was taken out of context.

[Tendrin]

I suspect it was taken out of context.

The context is that he was at a place he was expecting to see her and she wasn't there because she's dead. Biden's office sent out condolences as it usually does when that happened.

I don't think anyone here has any illusions as to Biden not being as sharp as the guy he was twenty years ago, but a lot of us refuse to entertain the maximally bad faith posturing of all the people who told us totally for sure this time you guys that Biden had dementia and would get totally trounced by Candidate Of Choice/Bernie/Trump in a debate this time for real you guys.

[numberthirty]

I suspect it was taken out of context.

From the article...

When asked by reporters about the comment later on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden was, in fact, referencing Walorski, CNN reported.

"The President was naming the congressional champions on this issue and was acknowledging her incredible work. He had already planned to welcome the congresswoman's family to the White House on Friday. There will be a bill signing in her honor this coming Friday, so, of course, she was on his mind," Jean-Pierre said. "She was top of mind for the President. He very much looks forward to discussing her remarkable legacy of public service with them when he sees her family this coming Friday."

[numberthirty]

Again, from that article. If he was taken out of context? His administration did not make that accusation when asked about this particular part of that appearance.

Jean-Pierre bristled at reporters on Wednesday when they repeatedly inquired about Biden's comments at the conference. Despite multiple questions about the matter during the White House press briefing, Jean-Pierre declined to acknowledge whether Biden had made a mistake. Instead, she insisted that the late congresswoman was at the top of the President's mind when he made the comment and at one point called a reporter "rude" for pressing the issue.

When Jean-Pierre was read the President's remarks about Walorski, she responded, "I totally understand. I just explained -- she was top of mind. You know, what we were able to witness today and what the President was able to lift up at this conference, at this event was how her focus on wanting to deal with, combat food insecurity in America. And it's something he was lifting up and honoring."

When CNN's Phil Mattingly pressed Jean-Pierre about why the President was looking for the deceased congresswoman at the conference, the press secretary said, "I don't think it's all that unusual to have someone top of mind, especially as there's a big event."

She denied that the President was confused or that there was something mistakenly on the teleprompter.

Jean-Pierre said the reporter inquiring about whether there was some sort of mistake was "jumping to a lot of conclusions," adding, "If that had been the case, I would have stated that." She would not commit to releasing the President's prepared remarks from the conference, saying she wouldn't understand why that would be necessary.

On most occasions, the White House typically sends out a transcript the President's delivered remarks, which can differ from what's loaded onto a teleprompter ahead of a speech.

Another reporter asked, "The confusing part is -- why, if she and the family (are) top of mind, does the President think that she is living and in the room?"

"I don't find that confusing," Jean-Pierre responded. "I think many people can speak to, sometimes, when you have someone top of mind -- exactly that."

"I have John Lennon top of mind every day but I'm not looking around for him," another reporter said.

Jeanne Pierre dug in, restating that the congresswoman was "top of mind" a total of 10 times.

[Kirby101]

This event meant nine million more children would be eligible for school meals.
I'll grant that he forgot she died, but he also did something very,very good for hungry children.

[Adam Allen]

Unless he has or is becoming so far detached from reality that he can't listen to the experts around him, I'm personally not real worried about it. The degree to which the machine drives itself unless the guy in the seat fucks it up was kind of made clear, with the last guy.

Not saying a president doesn't benefit from being smart, but the office will have literally every possible resource available in the world to draw from, if need be. Biden doesn't need to be a military, political, economic or any other kind of genius. He just has to have sense enough to listen to the sharpest minds in those arenas.

[Mister Mets]

Unless he has or is becoming so far detached from reality that he can't listen to the experts around him, I'm personally not real worried about it. The degree to which the machine drives itself unless the guy in the seat fucks it up was kind of made clear, with the last guy.

Not saying a president doesn't benefit from being smart, but the office will have literally every possible resource available in the world to draw from, if need be. Biden doesn't need to be a military, political, economic or any other kind of genius. He just has to have sense enough to listen to the sharpest minds in those arenas.

How can he be relied on to know who the sharpest minds are if he's not sure a congresswoman died.