“I wouldn’t have chosen Vice President Trump if I thought she wasn’t qualified,” says octogenarian
President Joe Biden has made a second name mistake in as many hours, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump” shortly after introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin.”
“I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump as vice president if I thought she wasn’t qualified to be president, so let’s start there,” Biden said during a news conference Thursday night after a reporter asked if Harris could win in November if she became the nominee.
Biden didn’t realize his mistake.
About two hours before the gaffe, Biden had mistakenly referred to Zelensky as “President Putin” during a NATO event promoting the Ukraine Pact. He corrected his mistake at the time.
“Ukraine will prevail in this war, and we will be with them every step of the way,” Biden said. “And now I want to turn the floor over to the president of Ukraine, who has both courage and determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.”
“President Putin?” Biden continued. “We’re going to defeat President Putin! President Zelensky. I’m so focused on defeating Putin that we have to worry about that. Anyway.”
“I’m better,” Zelensky joked. “You’re much better,” Biden replied.
Biden has stumbled throughout the press conference, which is seen as crucial to his dangerous presidential campaign. At one point, Biden referred to “Russia’s motherland.”
