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‘Who’s Next?’
Let’s all hope that America can get through the next four months.
by James Freeman, Sept. 23, 2024
U.S. media giants have largely decided to ignore the unwillingness of Vice President Kamala Harris to confront the issue of President Joe Biden’s cognitive health. But many members of the foreign press have decided to report what they see. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s weekend visit to Delaware along with the leaders of Australia and Japan will probably not go down as one of the shining moments of American foreign policy.
The Times of India reports:
US President Joe Biden, during Saturday’s Quad summit that he hosted at his hometown in Delaware, went blank immediately after his speech as he couldn’t remember who to call next for the address.
“So I want to thank you all for being here. And now, who am I introducing next?” Biden asked after completing his speech.
After a brief and awkward pause, Biden asked again, “Who’s next?” – – clearly snapping at one of the staff.
India Today has more:
During the recent Quad Summit held in Wilmington, President Joe Biden delivered yet another unforgettable moment, adding to his collection of gaffes.
In a moment of confusion, Biden fumbled PM Narendra Modi’s introduction, the moderators came to his rescue and announced PM Modi’s name as he came forward for his address. In an attempt to cover his mistake, Biden made an awkward joke about India being a “small country with a very small population.” While intended to foster camaraderie, this comment raised eyebrows and overshadowed the moment.
Biden’s blunders didn’t stop there. Caught on a hot mic, he expressed concerns about China’s aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, a remark that undermined the summit’s carefully crafted declaration that avoided directly mentioning Beijing. This slip revealed the ongoing tensions in the region and brought unwanted attention to the complexities of international diplomacy.
Despite these missteps, it’s important to remember that even at the highest levels of politics, everyone has their moments. However, for Biden, these gaffes seem to occur with surprising frequency, adding to his reputation as a leader prone to slips of the tongue.
Why event organizers wanted to avoid calling out the aggression of the brutal Chinese dictatorship is a good question. But if Mr. Biden wasn’t in agreement with whoever drafted the declaration it also raises again the question of who’s running our government.
As for Mr. Biden’s confusion about his honored guests, India’s Times Now notes that the Biden bewilderment about the “next” speaker occurred “even though Modi was seated right behind him and the venue was adorned with Indian flags.” Is this the appropriate way to respectfully host a visiting leader who represents 1.4 billion people?
If there’s a silver lining here it’s that Mr. Biden’s cognitive challenges are obvious enough that his treatment of Mr. Modi is not as offensive as it would be under normal circumstances with a healthy president. Manas Joshi reports for India’s Free Press Journal that Mr. Biden’s “forgetfulness and his advanced age have been a cause of concern in recent years. His long list of gaffes has got another entry added to it.” Having thus added helpful context, Mr. Joshi describes the weekend scene in Delaware after the confused Mr. Biden demanded to know who was next:
The silence continues for few more moments as those in audience and everyone else appear unsure and shocked as to what will happen now. One can only imagine the chaos reigning in the minds of Biden’s aides and US government officials organising the event as they probably went through protocol in their heads trying to figure out what to do in a matter of just a few moments.
The moderator of the programme, quickly takes the mic and announces PM Modi’s name, seemingly addressing the audience so as to not imply that the US president needed help and that it was just a routine announcement. PM Modi then gets up from his chair on the stage and greets Biden at the podium.
It seems that just about everyone in the Indian press corps now understands the U.S. president’s limitations, even if most U.S. reporters have decided to stop covering the issue while the vice president seeks a promotion. “Awkward: Biden fumbles again while introducing PM Modi at Quad event,” says the Press Trust of India in reporting “yet another gaffe” from the U.S. president.
It’s nice that good-natured reporters at Indian media outlets are willing to write off such embarrassments to the limited faculties of our president. But this is not how we want America’s commander-in-chief to be viewed in a dangerous world. It’s past time for Vice President Harris to do her duty to ensure that the United States has a president who is fit to serve.
A lot can happen in four months.
