5 BIG times President Joe Biden embarrassed himself in 2021
President Joe Biden has not had an easy year. Ever since being inaugurated in January, he's been subjected to vicious trolling, personal attacks, and political instability. He's struggled to pass most of his agenda and is reportedly also having major differences with Vice President Kamala Harris Amidst all this, he's made things harder for himself with his own gaffes.
Often dubbed the "gaffe machine" by the internet, the President has left himself, and the White House red-faced on far too many occasions this year. As we reported back in February, the biggest challenge the White House would face was keeping the administration gaffe-free, but they've clearly failed. In fact, things have gotten so bad, in mid-November the White House canceled a planned press conference with the leaders of Canada and Mexico.
RELATED ARTICLES
Joe Biden's royal gaffe: Prez breaks protocol before meeting a 'beaming' Queen
We've tracked many of Biden's gaffes in 2020, and as we end 2021, we thought it was apt to do so this year as well. After all, back in 2020, he was only candidate and President-elect, not the President. Now as the leader of the free world, Biden's gaffes could have far greater consequences.
#`1: His Ron Burgundy moment
At the top of our list, is the time the President pulled an anchorman. On November 23, the President addressed America's rising gas prices and inflation woes, with a speech befitting the office of the Presidency. His calm, cool, and collected manner left many positive, but all that was quickly thrown away when he got carried away by reading off the teleprompter. In true Ron Burgundy style, the President said, "End of quote," sparking a massive meme-fest. Needless to say, it also worried many that he wasn't up to the task of being President.
#2: When he forgot the Defense Secretary's name
It's one thing to forget the name of another nation's PM, but when you forget the guy you chose for the job, it really doesn't look good. On March 8, the President forget Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's name, instead referring to him as "the guy who runs that outfit over there." The gaffe was made worse by the fact Biden said, "I want to thank the Sec... the former general. I keep calling him general," just before he dubbed Austin "the guy". Critics also picked up on the fact Biden forgot the name of the Pentagon.
#3: When he made Kamala President
On March 19, Biden made a speech to announce the US would hit its 100m vaccine doses mark after he took a tour of an Arizona vaccination center. He then told Americans, "President Harris and I took a virtual tour," delighting fans of the Vice President for a brief moment. It was the second time Biden anointed the VP as POTUS, after earlier calling her 'President-elect' in December 2020. Unlike his predecessor, it seems Biden has no qualms about handing over power to his VP.
#4: The time he 'was in trouble' for losing his mask
One of Biden's more light-hearted gaffes occurred during an April 29 speech in Duluth, Georgia. Fresh from with win of Senators John Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, Biden turned the celebratory moment into a bit of meme history, when he spent a few seconds looking for his mask. "I'm looking for my mask. I am in trouble, he joked, before eventually finding it in his pocket. Two years into the pandemic, we've all been there, but it was still pretty funny when it happened to the President.
#5: When he called ScoMo 'the fella down under'
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison isn't particularly well-liked, so when Biden offered a new nickname for him, the internet leaped at the opportunity. On September 16, Biden was speaking after the historic AUKUS partnership was announced, when he turned to Morrison (on a TV) and said, "And I want to thank that fella down under. Thank you very much, pal." American users may have seized the moment to slam Biden's "cognitive decline", but Aussies were thrilled that someone else found Morrison equally forgettable.