Republicans were quick to criticize President Joe Biden after footage of him appearing to freeze during a White House Juneteenth event circulated. The criticism included renewed claims that, at 81 years old, the president is too old for a second term in office. However, the White House fired back in response to these attacks.
According to a statement from Andrew Bates, the White House’s senior deputy press secretary, Republicans are making false claims about a person in a video who appears to have stopped moving. Bates explained that the person in question never actually froze because they were simply not dancing at that moment, and there were others in the video who were also not dancing.
During a gospel performance by Kirk Franklin on Monday night, a footage captured President Biden standing still while those around him, including Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, first gentleman Doug Emhoff, danced and clapped along to the music.
Philonise Floyd, the brother of the late George Floyd, put his arm around President Biden’s shoulder, prompting a smile and a fist bump from the president. Biden paused for approximately 30 seconds, during which he interacted with Floyd.
The Donald Trump campaign responded to Republican criticisms via social media by saying, “Lights are on but no one’s home.”
In an attempt to make a statement about immigration policy, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) recently shared a post on social media. His post read, “Just an average day in Joe Biden’s life. While America was being invaded, he did… whatever he’s doing in this video. It’s like Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burned.” Despite the gravity of the situation, Lee implied that Biden was not taking any action.
During his speech, Biden stumbled over a few words, which is not uncommon for the President who has a well-known stutter that has been widely discussed.
Despite the circumstances, the Republican National Committee released a video claiming that it depicted Biden “shuffling off into the night” after what they deemed a “highly embarrassing display of cognitive deficiency.”
According to Bates, the RNC has been extensively fact-checked and proven to be one of the most scrutinized groups in politics. He expressed his hope that they receive the necessary support to continue their work.
Joe Biden made history by becoming the oldest person ever inaugurated as President of the United States. If he is re-elected in the upcoming November elections, he will be 82 years old when he begins his second term next year.
A controversial report was published by The Wall Street Journal last week regarding Biden’s age and fitness for office.
The Daily Beast reported that Michael LaRosa, a former aide to first lady Jill Biden, criticized the White House and Biden campaign’s handling of the issue, which has sparked anger from Democrats and Biden allies.
LaRosa expressed doubts about the effectiveness of constantly complaining, whining, and attacking the legacy media or the media in general. He questioned whether this approach can lead to success at this point.
The majority of the respondents in the poll expressed their opinion that Biden is too old to serve another term.
Donald Trump, who will be turning 78 this year, shares similar age-related concerns with his opponent in the upcoming rematch election. While Joe Biden attended the White House Juneteenth concert on Monday, Trump was engaged in a meeting with his probation officer in New York, following his conviction on 34 felony counts.
During his campaign, Trump’s speeches were often meandering and confusing, leading to concerns about his fitness for office. In a recent rally in Las Vegas, he went on a nonsensical rant about electrocution and sharks, further fueling these concerns.
As Biden attended the Juneteenth event on Monday, many were reminded of similar instances in which Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the U.S. Senate, was seen appearing frozen in front of reporters. The footage of Biden brought to mind the recent moments when McConnell seemed to have been caught off guard.
At 82 years old, the Kentucky senator has brushed off any worries about his ability to serve in office. However, he has recently announced his plans to step down as leader at the close of the year.
During a recent event, Biden expressed his support for McConnell, despite the fact that they had been rivals for more than 20 years during their time in the Senate. The president’s remarks were a testament to his ability to put aside personal differences and work towards a common goal.
On Tuesday, there was no immediate response from McConnell’s representatives when asked for a comment.