President Joe Biden mistakenly referred to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) as “Jennifer” on Wednesday, likely referring to former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D).
“Thank you Jennifer for what you’ve done, and continue to do,” Biden said after Whitmer finished speaking.
Granholm, who was governor of Michigan from 2003 to 2011 is now Biden’s secretary of energy.
The president made his mistake during a video conference call with governors and local leaders to talk about the bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed the Senate on Tuesday.
Biden repeatedly referred to Whitmer, praising her campaign slogan of “fix the damn roads” which helped her win her campaign for governor.
“We’re going to do more than that,” Biden said, promoting the bill’s funding for replacing lead pipes, creating an electric car charging network, plus climate change and green energy projects.
Whitmer noted wryly that she was aware of Democrats using a version of her campaign slogan.
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed that so many other governors like cabinet secretaries have been stealing that tagline,” she said on the call.
Whitmer also flattered Biden, subtly reminding him of his “big fu**ing deal” hot-mic moment after Democrats passed Obamacare.
“This infrastructure and jobs act is huge. It’s a ‘big… deal’ as you would say,” Whitmer says, prompting Biden to chuckle.
Whitmer has previously expressed dismay when a president forgot her name.
In March 2020, Whitmer reacted after then-President Donald Trump referred to her as “the young, a woman governor … from Michigan.”
“Hi, my name is Gretchen Whitmer, and that governor is me,” she shot back on social media.
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