While speaking to the National Governors Association on Friday at the White House, President Joe Biden made a point of attempting to get an Abraham Lincoln quotation exactly correct. Again giving critics of his advanced age ammunition, the 81-year-old Democrat fumbled his allusion to the GOP president’s first inaugural address, even though he had the notes at his fingertips and tried his hardest.
At the NGA Winter Meeting on Friday, governors from more than 40 states and territories joined Vice President Kamala Harris, Vice President Biden, and other cabinet members. According to the NGA, individuals in attendance talked about potential bipartisan solutions to some of the many problems that the American people are now facing, such as disaster response, housing affordability, and AI concerns.
“I may be the first Irishman you ever met that’s never taken a drink,” Biden joked in his opening remarks, a little too sardonically, before pointing out the large painting of President Abraham Lincoln behind him.
“You know, I want to make sure I get the quote precisely right, standing here in front of this painting of the man behind me here,” added Biden. “‘The better angel,'” he declared. “We need to alter the better angels of our nature and confront the counsel,” he stated.
Biden went on, “And we should remember what else he said.” “We’re friends, not adversaries,” he declared. The Civil War is presently in its middle stages. “We’re not adversaries, we’re buddies,” he declared. We can’t have enemies.”
Lincoln said, “We are not adversaries, but friends,” in his first inauguration speech before the Civil War on March 4, 1861, against Biden’s advice. We can’t have enemies. Despite the strain that passion may have caused, our affectionate relationships must not be broken. The choir of the Union will continue to soar when they are once more moved, as they undoubtedly will be, by the better angels of our nature. These ethereal chords of recollection span the entire vast expanse of this country, from every battlefield and patriot cemetery to every living heart and hearthstone.”
“People, I’ve been around, I know I don’t look like it, I’ve been around a long while,” joked Biden when he struggled with the quote.
Biden continued lamenting the vitriol in politics, saying that it “has become too personally [sic].”
Only a few days ago, the Democratic president made it clear that, in his opinion, current House Republicans are worse than “genuine racists” and that he favors his mentors from the segregationist era.
Being unable to go back in time, Biden and his team have frequently turned to comedy to allay worries about his senior age. But those worries haven’t disappeared.
Biden completely malfunctions as he tries — and fails miserably — to read a quote from "the man behind me here" pic.twitter.com/anLx6NEAPx
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 25, 2024
In a recent Quinnipiac University survey, 67% of potential voters expressed the opinion that Biden is too elderly to lead the country effectively for another term. In contrast, 57% of voters said that former President Donald Trump, who is only four years younger than Joe Biden, is still capable of holding the office of president.
If re-elected, Biden will serve a second term that would begin at age 82 and end at age 86, which is almost twelve years longer than the average life expectancy for an American male.
