Joe Biden had a few things scheduled on Wednesday in an effort to try to convince people that he was still competent. He engaged in some incoherence and delusion with AFL-CIO union officials. It went so well [not] that they tossed the media out and the feed cut out. Not an auspicious look.
Joe Biden then went on to the NATO summit that was also being held in Washington, D.C. They had obligatory photos.
He never seems to be able to enter an event without having someone having to direct him where to go. And he's the one who's supposed to be the host nation here.
Then Biden botched a quote from Harry Truman about the purpose of NATO. And what he said instead was accidentally revealing.
Here's the actual quote:
“In this pact, we hope to create a shield against aggression and the fear of aggression–a bulwark which will permit us to get on with the real business of government and society, the business of achieving a fuller and happier life for all our citizens.”
Here's what he said instead.
"We hope to create a shield against aggression, the fear of aggression, and to permit us to get on with the real business of creating government and society."
He can't even just read a quote without getting it wrong. He leaves out the part about serving the citizens, and he makes up something about how they — the officials of NATO — are supposed to be "creating government and society," something Truman certainly never said. What a Freudian slip. We are only what they tell us we are; apparently, they "create" society? They are about "creating government" — my gosh, how true is that? He's incredibly increased government.
Then, of course, there was the obligatory gibberish and brain-breaking.
When he's not sure what he's saying, he fills in with "well, anyway" or similar words.
They can try to spin it, but at this point, it's a case of diminishing returns. He can't dispel the concerns, and he just keeps adding to them.