If you are a deeply unpopular incumbent president facing a stern uphill challenge in a bid for re-election (not unlike President Joe Biden) you would like to hit a couple public relations home runs en route to the general election.
In lieu of home runs, which can certainly be tough to come by in this hyper-partisan political climate, the next best thing actually isn’t hitting singles or doubles — it’s just avoiding glaring errors.
Thanks to a viral Memorial Day clip, the already-beleaguered Joe Biden now finds himself trying to stave off such an error.
As CNN noted, Biden spoke Monday at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, as most presidents are wont to do on Memorial Day.
And believe it or not, there was little issue with what Biden actually said during his speech.
“Freedom has never been guaranteed — every generation has to earn it, fight for it, defend it in battle between autocracy and democracy, between the greed of a few and the rights of many,” Biden told those in attendance. “It matters. Our democracy is more than just a system of government. It’s the very soul of America.”
Cool.
Anyways, the real issue for Biden came up when a viral clip began circulating that showed the president … less than energized.
Is Biden sleeping at the Memorial Day Address?? pic.twitter.com/VBGMbeF3Lt
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) May 27, 2024
Will Biden’s age and ability be a critical factor in the coming election?
“Is Biden sleeping at the Memorial Day Address?” The Post Millennial asked while sharing a clip of “Sleepy Joe.”
To answer that outlet’s question: No, it doesn’t appear like Biden was asleep at the wheel (well, no more than usual) during this Memorial Day service.
It really does look like Biden was closing his eyes in “prayer,” or at least solemn remembrance, for the men and women who’ve given their lives in service to this great country.
But the issue isn’t so much the truth of the matter (it’s impossible to tell if he was actually dozing off or not, given Biden appears to generally move at a sloth-like pace), so much as it’s the optics of the matter.
It’s believable that Joe Biden was falling asleep during this moment of remembrance because that’s what 81-year-old men do after anything remotely physically or mentally taxing. They nap.
And that’s a generally big problem for Biden. The man could fix the economy and cure cancer tonight, but the fact won’t change that there will always be people dubious of the man’s ability to perform due to the biological realities of aging.
And yes, Biden’s chief political rival, former President Donald Trump, isn’t exactly a spring chicken either, but you can’t deny the sheer difference in energy between the two men.
Because of those biological realities, Biden has to outperform expectations to overcome questions about his age. He’s obviously not accomplishing that, if early polling in swing states is to be believed.
And that’s the real problem with the viral clip of Biden “napping.” Perception shapes reality, and the perception of Biden being a doddering, sleepy old fool very much feels like reality.
The president would do well to avoid these types of snafus — even innocent ones like this — if he wants any shot of a second term.
(Hah.)
