Americans are increasingly concerned about President Joe Biden’s mental state, and for good reason. It’s not just some mean right-wing trope. Biden routinely forgets the names of world leaders as well as officials in his own cabinet. He can just about get through a speech with a teleprompter, but anything off script leads to trouble.
This is embarrassing enough to watch when Biden is addressing domestic issues. When his fatuity plays out on the world stage, as it did on Tuesday, it can be downright horrifying.
The most powerful man in the world isn’t all there. Biden’s first address to the United Nations General Assembly suggested that he lives in an alternate reality.
He claimed to have restored relations with America’s allies just a few days after France recalled its US ambassador over a dispute about a submarine contract with Australia. He later rather undermined the rapport built up with Australian prime minister Scott Morrison by forgetting his name and calling him ‘that fellow down under’.
Can you imagine the international incident that would have erupted if British officials refused to let the US President speak freely to the press while abroad?
Biden’s usual pattern is that he can only handle one major public appearance each day before he needs to recover.
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