- By Mayukh Debnath
- Mon, 15 Jul 2024 11:31 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Trump Assassination Bid: In yet another gaffe by US President Joe Biden, the octogenarian Democrat on Sunday ended up calling a "battle box" the right avenue for the resolution of differences when he actually wanted to emphasise the importance of the 'ballot box' in an electoral democracy. Ironically enough, this came as the 81-year-old leader condemned the apparent assassination attempt on the life of his predecessor and the presumptive Republican nominee for the upcoming US presidential election, Donald Trump.
"We debate and disagree, we compare and contrast the character of the candidates, the records, the issues, the agenda, the vision for America. But in America, we resolve our differences at the battle box, that's how we do it, at the battle box, not with bullets," Biden said during an Oval Office address from the White House. "The power to change America should always rest in the hands of the people, not in the hands of a would-be assassin," he added.
Last week, Biden had asserted that his health was in good shape, saying that he would take another neurological exam to ascertain his mental agility if his doctors recommended the same. The assertion from Biden about his mental fitness came during a press conference, at the outset of which he mixed up the names of his vice president, Kamala Harris, and Trump.
"Look, I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if she was not qualified to be president. So start there," Biden, who has frequently mangled names and misspoken throughout his political career, said as he responded to a question about his confidence in Harris.
Since his poor performance against Trump in a presidential debate on June 28, Biden has faced growing doubts from donors, supporters and fellow Democrats about his ability to win the November 5 election and keep up with the demands of the job. His bid for reelection has been on the ropes for two weeks, since the public debate.
(With inputs from agencies)
