President Joe Biden, 81, accidentally invited Americans to fly with him to ‘ Moscow ‘ in a State of the Union blunder as he tried to brush off concerns about his advanced age. In what was one of the more noticeable flubs of the night, Biden name-dropped the Russian capital. He likely inserted it for another city’s name as he read his hour and seven-minute address from a teleprompter.
‘Folks I’m going to get in trouble for saying it, but anyone who would get in Air Force One and fly with me to Toronto, Berlin, Moscow, excuse me, well even Moscow probably,’ he said, garnering laughs. ‘And bring your prescription with you and I promise you, I’ll get it for you 40 percent of the cost you’re paying now. Same company, same drug, same place,’ the 81-year-old commander-in-chief added. While Biden’s speech contained a couple of moments of mumbling the president tackled the age issue head on.
He got those in the chamber laughing when he said, ‘I know I may not look like it, but I’ve been around awhile.’ Biden then struck a more serious tone about the differences between him and 77-year-old former President Donald Trump as leaders. ‘My fellow Americans, the issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are, it’s how old are our ideas,’ the president said. ‘Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are the oldest of ideas, but you can’t lead America with ancient ideas and only take us back.’
He told the crowd that ‘when you get to be my age, certain things become clearer than ever.’ ‘I know the American story,’ the 81-year-old said. ‘Again and again, I’ve seen the contest between competing forces in the battle for the soul of our nation.’ ‘Between those who want to pull America back to the past and those that want to move America to the future,’ Biden continued. ‘My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy, a future based on core values that have defined America – honesty, decency, dignity, equality. To respect everyone. To give everyone a fair shot. To give hate no safe harbor,’ the president added.
He then alluded to his rival, Trump, as the general election kicked off this week in earnest, with Trump’s final challenger, Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, bowing out. ‘Other people my age see it differently,’ Biden said. ‘The American story of resentment, revenge and retribution.’ ‘That’s not me,’ he said. At least year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump told the crowd: ‘I am your retribution.’ Biden then reminded voters of his folksy biography. ‘I was born amid World War Two, when America stood for the freedom of the world. I grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Claymont, Delaware among working class people who built this country,’ he said.
‘I watched in horror as two of my heroes – as many of you did – Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated and their legacy inspired me – a career in service,’ Biden continued. Kennedy’s son, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is running against Biden in the general election as an independent. ‘I left a law firm and became a public defender because my city of Wilmington was the only city in America occupied by the National Guard after Dr. King was assassinated, because of the riots,’ he noted. ‘I became a county councilman almost by accident. I got elected to the United States Senate when I had no intention of running at age 29.’
He then boasted about how he served alongside historic firsts noting he was ‘the vice president to our first black president, now president to the first women vice president.’ ‘In my career, I’ve been told I was too young,’ he said. ‘By the way, they wouldn’t let me on the Senate elevators for votes sometimes. Not a joke.’ ‘Now I’ve been told I’m too old,’ he said. ‘Whether young or old I’ve always known – I’ve always known what endures,’ the president said. He spoke of the vision of every American being equal, something ‘we’ve never fully lived up to’ but something never to be walked away from either. ‘And I won’t walk away from it now,’ Biden pledged.
Biden said a future under his leadership would include defending democracy, restoring the ‘right to choose’ and ensuring the wealthy would pay their fair share of taxes. ‘I see a future where we save the planet from the climate crisis and our country from gun violence,’ he said, mentioning two important issues for younger voters. ‘Above all, I see a future for all Americans. I see a country for all Americans. And I will always be president for all Americans. Because I believe in America. I believe in you the American people,’ he said. ‘You’re the reason we’ve never been more optimistic about our future than I am now. So let’s build a future together.’
Trump has said he doesn’t even want Haley’s former supporters to be a part of his MAGA movement. Biden brought up what is viewed as his biggest political liability as he wrapped up the speech. ‘Let me close with this,’ the president said. When audience members cheered, Biden joined them saying, ‘Yayyy!’ ‘I know you don’t want to hear anymore Lindsey, but I’ve gotta say a few more things,’ he said, giving a poke to his former friend turned MAGA Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham.
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