President Joe Biden finally had his first post-debate shot at a real news conference on Thursday, but his performance did nothing to alleviate concerns over his degrading mental capabilities.
Biden answered questions from reporters at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington at the conclusion of a NATO summit.
When the president’s mental slips began to pile up, cameras recording the event caught the reactions of some of the most powerful players in his administration.
In particular, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin all underwent noticeable shifts during one of Biden’s most concerning moments of the night.
The incident unfolded after he was asked a simple question about the future of his re-election campaign and his vice president, Kamala Harris.
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“Mr. President, your political future has hung over the NATO summit a little bit this week,” Reuters’ Jeff Mason began.
“[Former House] Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi made a point of suggesting that your decision on whether to stay in the race was still open,” he said. “George Clooney and a handful of lawmakers have called on you to step aside. Reuters is reporting tonight that UAW leadership is concerned about your ability to win. …
“How are you incorporating these developments into your decision to stay? And separately, what concerns do you have about Vice President Harris’ ability to beat Donald Trump if she were at the top of the ticket?”
Will Biden be replaced at the top of his party’s ticket?
Despite just being given Harris’ name, Biden found himself immediately slipping.
“Look,” he said, “I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president did I think she was not qualified to be president.”
Former President Donald Trump is, of course, Biden’s Republican opponent in this fall’s election and not his chief deputy.
At least one camera pointing toward key Biden administration players caught their reaction to the concerning mistake, and the subtle but noticeable shift in their demeanors speaks volumes.
The reaction from Biden’s team when he called Kamala “Vice President Trump”
ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS 🤣😂💀 pic.twitter.com/WLSFD2vDYp
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 12, 2024
As seen in the video, Sullivan had the most immediate reaction — his eyes closed and he almost imperceptibly hung his head.
Austin, seated beside Sullivan, maintained his stoic composure for most of the video, but a quick downward break in his gaze following the presidential gaffe hinted the mistake made an impact.
Jean-Pierre, in the foreground and far left of the video, looked down and appeared to write something while Biden extolled the virtues of “Vice President Trump.”
A few others in the frame had noticeable but composed reactions to Biden’s slip.
The replacement of the president as the head of his party’s presidential ticket is openly being discussed by powerful Democrats.
Unfortunately for Biden, what happened Thursday isn’t likely to slow the defections.
