The White House is once again facing embarrassment after President Joe Biden’s latest public gaffe, this time regarding the situation in Venezuela. During a rare joint appearance with Vice President Kamala Harris in Maryland, Biden was asked if he agreed with the socialist governments of Colombia and Brazil that Nicolas Maduro’s regime should hold another election. His simple “I do” response sparked a flurry of activity as the administration scrambled to clarify his statement.
The US had previously not taken a stance on the issue, but Biden’s comment seemed to suggest a shift in policy. However, less than an hour later, the White House released a statement walking back the president’s words. According to a National Security Council spokesperson, Biden was actually highlighting the absurdity of Maduro’s government not acknowledging the true results of the July 28 election, which many believe was won by opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.
This is not the first time the White House has had to clean up after one of Biden’s unscripted comments. In the past, he has made headlines with remarks about military intervention in Taiwan and Vladimir Putin’s future in Russia, only to have the administration later clarify that he misspoke.
While some may have previously attributed these slip-ups to a deliberate strategy of ambiguity, it has become increasingly clear that Biden’s mental capacity is a concern. His inability to keep track of his administration’s policies and his tendency to make up new ones on the fly have raised questions about his fitness for office.
As a result, Biden’s handlers have largely kept him out of the public eye, but this approach is not sustainable in the long term. America’s adversaries are aware of the president’s limitations, and in the event of a national security emergency, the country needs a leader who can communicate effectively and make informed decisions. Unfortunately, Biden is no longer able to fulfill this role, even during his most alert periods.
The public deserves a functioning presidency, but it is unclear who is really making the daily decisions on national security. The role of the Harris campaign in shaping the Biden administration’s policies is also a mystery, and it is time for the vice president to address these concerns. Harris must explain why she has not spoken out about Biden’s declining mental state and what her own role is in the decision-making process.
