President Joe Biden made headlines on Tuesday with a slip of the tongue during a campaign event in Florida. While trying to criticize his Republican rival Donald Trump on the topic of abortion care and reproductive rights, Biden accidentally included himself in the criticism.
In a moment of confusion, Biden asked the crowd how many times “we” need to prove that “we” can’t be trusted, mistakenly using the word “we” instead of “he” in reference to Trump. This gaffe adds to a long list of public speaking blunders made by the 81-year-old president.
Critics, including Trump and his supporters, have used Biden’s verbal missteps to argue that he is too old and unfit to serve another term in the White House. However, Trump, who is only two years younger than Biden, has also faced criticism for his own moments of confusion and contradiction.
The campaign event in Tampa was focused on rallying women and supporters of reproductive rights just before a new six-week abortion ban was set to take effect in Florida. The ban, upheld by the state’s Supreme Court, effectively makes abortion inaccessible for many women in the state.
Biden’s campaign is counting on voters to turn out in November to protect reproductive rights and push back against the restrictions imposed by the new legislation. The president urged the crowd to show up and vote, emphasizing the importance of protecting women’s rights and sending a message to Trump and his supporters.
Overall, Biden’s slip of the tongue may have been a moment of embarrassment, but it also highlighted the high stakes of the upcoming election and the ongoing battle over reproductive rights in the United States.