After a major Hollywood fundraiser Saturday night, His Fraudulency Joe Biden appeared to freeze up in one of those increasingly frequent “senior moments” of his. But then something truly bizarre happened: former President Barry Obama made the moment worse—much, much worse.
Update: The Associated Press has issued a “fact check” noting that some members of Biden’s team and an anonymous source in attendance denied that Biden froze up on stage. You can read their take here. Original story continues below.
Watch the video. Watch how Obama handles the moment and ask yourself if there was any way, other than dialing 9-1-1, that Obama could have brought more attention to Biden’s obvious mental decline.
Within a few seconds, it sure looks as though Biden goes from soaking up the audience’s applause to freezing and blanking out. Jimmy Kimmel and Obama are ready to exit the stage, but Biden just stands there with that waxy look and his mouth hanging half open.
Okay, we’ve seen that before, but then…
Obama awkwardly reaches in and practically takes Biden by the hand. Sure, Obama grabbed the old man’s wrist, but the optics are exactly the same and utterly damning. Then, without a word, Obama puts his arm on Joe’s back and leads him off the stage.
Why would Obama handle this moment in such a patronizing and damaging way?
Obama has plenty of negative attributes, but he’s not stupid and he certainly understands stagecraft.
If that were me, I’d like to think I would have had the presence of mind to do the following…
Step up to Biden on the right, and then, while smiling and clapping, say something to snap Old Joe out of it. Then you laugh, as though Biden just said something chummy and witty. Then you walk off together.
I would do that to protect the dignity of a stranger, much more the leader of the free world.
Instead, and in front of the whole world, Obama treated the sitting president like a nursing home patient. There’s just no question, Obama embarrassed and demeaned Biden in the worst way.
I am not one of those who believes there’s some plan afoot to force Biden out in August. Biden is the president. He wants to run for a second term. Nothing can be done about that, not even by a Barack Obama. So why…?
You’ll never make me believe Obama got flustered and lost his head.
But maybe Obama’s ego and self-regard are so toxic, that he enjoyed removing Biden’s dignity, enjoyed embarrassing him and showing the world that Biden is but a shell of a man and Obama is the true president enjoying his third term in office.
As much as I despise Joe Biden, I was embarrassed for him—not for freezing up, but watching him get publicly humiliated by a supposed friend in such a cruel and thoughtless way.
John Nolte’s first and last novel, Borrowed Time, is winning five-star raves from everyday readers. You can read an excerpt here and an in-depth review here. Also available in hardcover and on Kindle and Audiobook.
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