President Joe Biden faced renewed claims of mental health decline as he allegedly repeated a story during a campaign reception in New York. While discussing his motivations for a second White House run, he recounted a story related to the 2017 Charlottesville Riots, reportedly repeating it moments later.
Biden Begins His Speech: “We Rallied the World.”
Biden commenced his speech by addressing job creation and mobilizing global support against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “We’re in a situation where we — we rallied the world, and it took a little rallying at the time to take on Russia’s invasion of an innocent country that has caused and made him [Putin], literally, designated as a war criminal across the world,” said President Biden.
Why He Ran for Presidency
The President then clarified that after concluding his role as Vice President, he had no plans to run for office again. “First of all, I — when I left the vice presidency at the end of the Obama-Biden administration, I had no intention of running for office again. But then along came, in August of 2017, Charlottesville, Virginia…” Biden continued.
The Story of the Charlottesville Riots
Biden proceeded to share his account of the Charlottesville riots, telling his story for the first time. “You remember those folks walking out of the fields literally carrying torches…” “…holding them forward, singing the same vicious, anti-Semitic bile — the same exact bile — bile that was sung in — in Germany in the early ‘30s. And a young woman was killed. A young woman was killed,” recounted Biden.
“Fine People on Both Sides”
“And the former guy [Trump] was asked, ‘What do you think would happen?’ He was the sitting President. And he said, ‘I thought there were some very fine people on both sides.’” Biden recounted Trump’s response to the 2017 riots.
Biden’s Reason for Running for President
“And I mean this sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, that’s when I decided I — I was going to run [for office] again,” said Biden
Last Campaign Was Meaner Than Anticipated
Biden explained to his audience how ugly the Presidential campaigns can get. “But in the process of that, one of the things that happened was the — we — “we found ourselves in a circumstance where it got to be kind of as mean as I — as I had anticipated but even a little worse.”
Biden Repeats Charlottesville Story
Shortly thereafter, while discussing the toll a campaign takes on his family, Biden reiterated his account of the Charlottesville events. “You know, you may remember that, you know, those folks from Charlottesville, as they came out of the fields…” Biden concluded his Charlottesville story again, “Anyway, they were making the big case about how terrible this was. And a young woman was killed in the process.”
“ as I Said,”
“And my predecessor [Trump], as I said,…” Biden continued. “was asked what he thought. He said,’ There are some very fine people on both sides.’ Well, that kept ringing in my head,” said Biden for a second time. During his second retelling of the Charlottesville riots story, Biden included the phrase “…as I said,” indicating his intention to repeat the narrative.
Was Repeating the Story Just a Political Tactic?
Biden’s retelling of the Charlottesville white supremacist rally in 2017 wasn’t a sign of mental decline but a political strategy. It seems Biden used the story to emphasize the importance of unity and to condemn racism and hate groups.
Emphasizing Trump’s Response to the Charlottesville Riots
Biden repeated his story as a way to criticize then-President Donald Trump’s reaction to the event and to contrast his own vision for the country.
Accusations Over Mental Health Are Common in Campaigns
Allegations regarding a candidate’s mental health or cognitive state are frequently seen in political campaigns. These claims usually have political motivations and can serve as tactics to discredit opponents or influence public perception.
“Word for Word”
A correspondent posted about Biden’s speech on X (Twitter): “From last night’s WH pool report at a fundraiser: Biden “reflected on his decision to seek the presidency. He told the story about the events of Charlottesville in 2017 as the reason for his campaign. A few minutes later, he told the story again, nearly word for word.”
Biden’s Health and Age Have Frequently Caused Concern
In June of this year, President Biden had a fall on stage at the U.S. Air Force Academy. “He’s fine. There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands,” Ben LaBolt, the President’s communications director, posted on X (Twitter).
Biden’s Fall Was Widely Shared Across Social Media
People once again took to social media to view their concerns over Biden’s fitness to run for a second term.
“Hate Just Hides Under Rocks”
During the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner this month, Biden once more referenced his Charlottesville story to address the issue of hate. “And it’s yet another reminder that hate never goes away. It only hides. It hides under the rocks.” “But guess what happened? Hate just hides under the rocks until there’s a little oxygen blown under, like happened — what happened in Charlottesville. Just a little bit. And then it comes roaring out again,” illustrated Biden.
Hate Towards One Opens the Door for More
“Folks, we have to reject hate in every form. Because history has taught us again and again antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia — they’re all connected.” “Hate toward one group, left unanswered, opens the door for more hate toward more groups, more often, readily,” continued Biden.
Not All Are Convinced Biden Is Fit for Office
The repeated concerns over Biden’s age and health have been a frequent topic for online discussion. One user wrote in response to Biden supposedly repeating his story, “But we aren’t supposed to care about his age and mental state. Okey dokey.” Another user wrote: “Not about his age. It is about his mental state.”
The Choice Between Biden or a “Traitor?”
Many posted online in support of the President. A user posted in response to Biden’s repetitive storytelling, “I don’t get how this is supposed to change my mind in a climate where the choice is Biden or a traitor. Say whatever you want about Biden but at least he’s not a threat to democracy like Republicans are,” So, will the stories over Biden’s mental health really sway the vote in the Republican’s favor?
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