Joe Biden confuses Emmanuel Macron with former French leader Francois Mitterrand who died in 1996

Hellfire103@lemmy.ca to Not The Onion@lemmy.world – 38 points –
Joe Biden confuses Emmanuel Macron with former French leader Francois Mitterrand who died in 1996
news.sky.com
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If this is this a gaffe, what is it when Trump strings together his incoherent, incomplete, and nonsensical ramblings?

It's really hard to say it's not a big deal when Biden does it, because when trump does it Biden gives him shit about it.

A gaffe is just slipping on words once but still knowing what you meant. If you look at Biden full quote, he made multiple mistakes and was just rambling.

They're both old and get confused which is 100% normal for their ages...

It's just illustrative of why people of that age shouldn't be in important and powerful positions in our government

Maybe people above retirement age should not be allowed to be in positions of power in general?

Seems like that could be abused. Some 80+ year olds are in much better shape than some 60+ year olds. Besides, the voters put them there, we're all to blame.

Did you have any other choices?

We are having presidential elections here in Finland right now. We had 9 candidates for the first round from 9 different political parties to choose from.

They aren't getting the votes to be viable in the general election, but there are primary candidates from both parties. I would love to see a ranked choice voting system or something that would promote a wider field.

Yeah, the US needs to get its act together and stop electing people so close to the life expectancy.

Is this because the founding fathers wore those white wigs or something? Lol

SC justices too.

Sotomeyer is a type 1 diabetic, and is literally at the life expectancy for a woman with type 1 diabetes...

People make the argument that she "has the best healthcare" but one of the most important things with that is managing stress, and she's repeatedly making public statements about how stressful it is .

She's 100% going to die in office before she resigns, she learned absolutely nothing from RBG.

We need to stop ignoring that chronological age is a real thing, and has real effects on a person's ability.

But since everyone in our top positions are so old they're personally losing their mental abilities, they'll never admit it.

And the boomers that are "next" sure as shit aren't going to make better decisions, and we can't afford to wait another 30 years for them to die off.

We need to fix shit now

Brilliant 4d chess. That's what! You just don't understand because you're too libtarded to get it.

Edit: I hate that I have to add this, but someone isn't going to get it, so here: /S

Trump talked like that since the first time he ran for president in 2000, in his case it's deliberate.

But is it really?

Trump was described by one of his college professors as the dumbest student to ever walk through that class.

His "business empire" has been a long string of outright stupid decisions. If he wasn't born rich, he'd be that one guy constantly losing his life savings on get rich quick schemes.

As it is, Trump actually lost a lot of money trying to get rich(er) quickly.


Also, saying that Trump talks like an imbecile on purpose is like saying he shits his pants on purpose.

If he could string a coherent sentence together, he would. If only to stop people from making fun of his stupidity.

Trump was described by one of his college professors as the dumbest student to ever walk through that class.

That professor seemingly still passed him, which says something about that professor's standards.

It's not deliberate. His decline just started before he ran for president.

There are videos of him giving interviews in the 90s. He was still himself, but he had no trouble keeping track of what he was talking about and getting through several sentences on a single topic. Seen side by side the difference is quite stark.

By all means, let's vote for the eloquent Trump instead. /S

At least Biden won't gaffe his way into outlawing BIPOC from existing or inspire domestic terrorism with his words.

They are both senile. But take it from someone who lived under Robert Mugabe, senile dictators seem to live frustratingly long lives - even in the face of terminal illnesses. If the choice has to be between two seniles, take the one that doesn't have dictator aspirations.

Biden is not senile. Anyone who has ever dealt with an actual senile person knows that he's a damned site far from senile. He has good mental faculties for a man his age. The issue with Biden isn't his mental fitness.

You ever looked up the term cognitive dissonance?

Trump is going to win. I don't like it, but Dems dropped a dall getting behind Biden.

Biden is 3 years older than trump. Whoever is elected will end their term as the record oldest president.

That just shows you how great our healthcare system is! /s

“Democtats” who stay home because they don’t like the candidate will be why trump wins.

That's right! You'll vote for who we tell you and you'll like it!

I thought the same thing when I was a kid. Then I learned there’s nuance to things that aren’t so black and white.

You’ll learn. Hopefully democracy will still exist for you when you do.

...what? Learn what? How the controlling two parties in US keep us arguing which one is less evil while both are blasting us in the ass?

That’s not what’s happening, but don’t let this get in the way of some good old fashioned ignorance.

If you don't vote for Biden then you ain't black!

The US president made the gaffe during a campaign speech in Las Vegas, as he recalled a meeting with G7 leaders in June 2021.

People make mistakes, especially people who have tons of responsibilities and a thousand different things going on. This is not news, this is muckraking.

He's the CURRENT president. Of a major ally.

If this was an isolated incident, sure, no big deal. This is so common it's embarrassing.

There is a running cultural gag of mothers doing this to their own children. Which is a running gag because most people with siblings have had their parents do this in real life.

I dunno man, I think my mom loves me more than biden knows sitting presidents. It might just be a common memory glitch that human brains do

Idk, I call my family by the dogs' names all the time before I get to their name.

I don't think I'm old or senile, but I guess it's possible...

sky is just more Murdoch garbage

Sky is owned by Murdoch, but the news service is actually very good. At least, it is in the UK.

Source

A senile grandpa vs a wannabe dictator. America: you’re fucked.

I'll take a competent grandpa with a lifetime of relevant experience who's slipping a bit, but has a great team supporting him and who yields consist, positive results over a Christo-fascist dictator who aims to dismantle democracy entirely.

I'd prefer a younger progressive to Biden, but youth isn't a guarantee of quality. Bobert, empty G, Gaetz, or Biden? You can throw that youth argument in the trash (Trumpster fire?)

That anyone seems to think Trump and Biden are even remotely close that you have to split hairs is laughable and shows exactly how effective and alive propaganda is.

I would too. But as you are saying it, it’s more let’s not let Trump win than I want Biden to be my president. Trump can move a lot of people, while Biden is just not Trump.

Voters need to be motivated to get Biden elected, that’s why I’m scared of what’s to come. If Trump wins, the world is going to shit.

shows exactly how effective and alive propaganda is.

yes, your comment really does. The whole point is to give you an illusion of choice, and you're lapping it up, while they keep the systems that oppress us all chugging along uninterrupted. You really showed them!

https://web.archive.org/web/20230803021951/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/08/22/american-democracy-was-never-designed-to-be-democratic

https://truthout.org/articles/fascism-is-possible-not-in-spite-of-liberal-capitalism-but-because-of-it/

https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/10/14/liberalism-and-fascism-partners-in-crime/

Trump wouldn't even know the name Francois Mitterrand. He would not even know he was president long before Macron. Or where France is.

I take the grandpa that sometimes has those name hick-ups then the grandpa with the swastika armlet.

I am not for the US so it does not apply to me… but yes I would also take Biden. He is still ok I guess. The problem is that 5 years down the pipe he’s shape will deteriorate even further.

The US has had a puppet presidency at least twice that I can remember: Woodrow Wilson after his stroke, and Reagan when he went senile in office.

sometimes has those name hick-ups

I like that you interpreted it as hick-ups, as if it were a mistake/fuck-up made by a hick, lol

As a hick, I assure you he ain't. He just acts folksy like so many other politicians.

A senile grandpa vs a senile grandpa wannabe dictator.

They are 3 years apart in age, that's nothing at that point in life.

That’s not how being senile works. There are people that are 95 years old and still sharp. I know a guy who was fucked up as hell when he was 70.

Who the fuck cares? Does anyone "like" Biden?

I care, because I want to know if my President is losing his grip on reality. To be honest, I might have gotten Macron and Mitterand confused, being that I don't know anything about either of them except that they are both French politicians. But I don't have to meet with Macron and negotiate international cooperation with a guy I confused with a long dead predecessor.

But you DONT have a choice. So why do you care? Does that have any bearing on your life, or who you'll vote for? It's clearly going to be Dementia Donnie vs. Bumbling Brandon.

I will vote for Biden regardless, but I like to know if he's fucking up, or if he's deteriorating. What if he doesn't make it to November? Is it Harris? One of the weirdos still in the primary? Can any of them beat Trump this late in the game? Should we be making plans, or hoping he stays lucid through the debates?

His handlers won't allow him to debate. I don't like Biden, but propping him up like this reeks uncomfortably of elder abuse.

I don't think he has any reason to debate anyone right now. He's the President, and the Republicans haven't even nominated anyone yet. Trump is the front-runner, but several things could prevent him from accepting the nomination.

He could be disqualified under the amendment, he could be incarcerated for one of his many crimes, he could be forced to declare bankruptcy as a result of judgements against him, or he could have a health problem that prevents him from continuing his campaign.

Biden won't win anything in a debate with Trump now, and he can lose a lot. Trump won't have any shame about levelling accusations, and could easily just make up some bullshit on the spot. Trump supporters will take it as gospel, and now Biden has to spend political and financial capital disproving some absurd allegations.

Biden is better off waiting for the actual debates, and letting Haley take the pot shots at Trump.

But you don't decide ANY of those things.

I don't decide the weather, either, but I check if it's going to rain.

Because when it rains, it affects you. Does Biden's gaffs cause you physical discomfort? Change the properties of your environment? What a stupid analogy.

If the President is losing his grip on reality, if he's unable to campaign, if we have to find a new candidate, yes it does affect me. You might not care, and that's fine. Nobody is telling you that you have to care, but the news isn't just what affects your personal sphere of influence.

YOU aren't picking shit. The Dems are not running a primary. Downvotes make me horny.

I am choosing where to invest my time and political contributions. I am choosing which candidates to support, which ones I research, which ones I talk about with friends. I acknowledge that I don't have much influence on the overall election, but I prefer to be informed of the news of the day. Unfortunately, more people take pride in their ignorance, loudly proclaiming that they don't follow politics because they can't be bothered to participate, and they don't think it will do much good anyway.

IF Biden is deteriorating, we should know what the contingency plan is. We should be talking about how to beat Trump should Biden get worse. Trump can shit into his own mouth, and his supporters will call it gourmet brunch. Biden doesn't have that luxury. Joe needs to maintain the illusion that he's in control of his faculties, and if the cracks are showing, I want to be aware of it.

It would be weird to me that you don't, but then I just assume you have an ulterior motive for trying to convince others not to care.

My guy, that's the information people use when they decide who to vote for. What exactly are you trying to make a point about? That no one should even listen to anything about politics or something?

So you're honestly undecided on Trump or Biden?

so... don't worry about it? just do what we're told, vote how we're told, shut up and don't ask questions?

you don't control anything anyway.

(sounds like fascism to me.)

Indeed, I try to not even concern myself with things I have no control over. Don't you? Do you just constantly live in a ball of depression because at any moment hundreds of children will die from preventable diseases? You consciously or unconsciously draw a line somewhere. I'm asking why anyone should care about this, at all. I've yet to see a good reason.

He's/his staff are actually doing a fairly good job. It's hard to live up to Obama, and he's not as loud as Trump. He hasn't made huge progress, but he's made some - and most of it's "boring." So yeah - I like Biden.