President Joe Biden made his gaffe by twice mistaking Ukraine for Iraq in 24 hours, despite having a cheat sheet when addressing the Wagner uprising against Vladimir Putin.
Biden was asked on the South Lawn on Wednesday how much Putin had been harmed by the Russian mercenary group’s uprising, which ended this weekend.
The president said Putin had been “absolutely” weakened, but added: “It’s hard to say how much” when asked.
“He’s clearly losing the war in Iraq.” “He’s losing the war at home and has become something of a pariah around the world,” Biden said, clearly referring to Ukraine.
However, the night before, the president was speaking at a fundraiser in Chevy Chase, Maryland, when he made the same mistake, according to White House transcripts.
This is just the latest in a string of blunders for the 80-year-old president as more voters worry about his ability to govern, especially with the 2024 presidential election looming.
President Joe Biden answered questions on the South Lawn Wednesday before his trip to Chicago. During the question-and-answer session, he referred to the Ukraine conflict as the “war in Iraq.”
President Joe Biden went to Marine One carrying a cheat sheet with talking points about the “Vagner-Russia” conflict
Official White House transcripts from the President’s question-and-answer session with reporters Wednesday morning show him describing the Ukraine conflict as a “war in Iraq.”
The night before, the president was speaking at a fundraiser in Chevy Chase, Maryland, when, according to White House logs, he made the same mistake
“Think about it: If someone told you – and my staff weren’t so sure either – that we would be able to unite all of Europe to attack Iraq and fully unite NATO, they would in my opinion do I told you it’s unlikely. “The only thing Putin hoped for was a split in NATO.”
The copy of the White House comments had Iraq crossed out and “Ukraine” in parentheses to correct Biden.
Biden wasn’t the only one to make a faux pas regarding the situation, however, as Fox News host Jesse Watters made a similar mistake on Wednesday’s “The Five” when criticizing Biden’s mistake.
Watters – who was named Fox’s successor to Tucker Carlson starting next month – sought to transition from criticism of Biden’s economic agenda to his foreign policy faux pas.
“And then he comes out and confuses Iraq with Afghanistan,” Watters said uncorrected, confusing Afghanistan with Ukraine.
Biden wasn’t the only one to make a faux pas regarding the situation, however, as Fox News host Jesse Watters made a similar mistake on Wednesday’s “The Five” when criticizing Biden’s mistake
The 80-year-old president made his remarks Wednesday as he traveled to Chicago to deliver a speech on what his White House is calling “bidenomics” when he made a faux pas.
Photographers on the South Lawn captured a note card the President used to leave the house.
The card said “Daily News Summary” with the date.
It started with “Vagner-Russia” with the topics of conversation below.
“It was an internal Russian matter,” the talking points said. “Too soon to know.”
During a Tuesday night fundraiser in Chevy Chase, Maryland, a Tony DC suburb, Biden also said “Iraq” when discussing the war in Ukraine.
“Think about it: If someone told you – and my staff weren’t so sure either – that we would be able to unite all of Europe in attacking Iraq and fully unite NATO, they would “I told you it’s unlikely,” Biden said Tuesday night. “The only thing Putin was counting on was the division of NATO.”
During Biden’s fundraising efforts, some reporters are allowed into the room, but cameras — both video and still — are blocked, so there’s a lot of record of this blunder.
The official White House transcript of one of Biden’s fundraisers Tuesday night in Chevy Chase, Maryland, shows that he also said “Iraq” and not “Ukraine” at the time
Reaching out to Marine One on Wednesday, the president also lashed out when asked about the branding efforts surrounding “bidenomics.”
Biden claimed it was the media – notably the Wall Street Journal – that dubbed his economic agenda “Bidenomics.”
However, the White House has been using the term in recent days — just as Democrats colloquially use “Obamacare” to refer to the Affordable Care Act.
“Well, look, you branded it. I did not do it. “I never called it ‘bidenomics,’ so I was asked a question,” the president said.
A reporter pointed out that the White House economics team had been using the term for the past few days.
“Now wait, let’s get this straight. It was first used in the Wall Street Journal. OK? And I don’t talk around and smack my chest with ‘bidenomics,’ so the press started calling it ‘bidenomics,'” he said.
Despite his tone when answering the questions, Biden said he liked the term.
“No, I like it, it’s fine,” he said, noting that it referred to “my policies.”