Staff Reports
President Biden’s speaking gaffes are again making news, and this time it’s his staff’s corrections that are drawing attention. During a campaign speech in Detroit, the official transcript was updated no less than nine times to fix the President’s errors. Some of these corrections have become mini-news stories in their own right, garnering attention in real time.
One of the notable corrections was when Biden referred to being vice president during the pandemic and mentioned former President Barack Obama directing him to go to Detroit. However, the error was swiftly corrected as Biden was not vice president during the pandemic, and Obama had been out of office for three years. Another instance saw Biden mistakenly referring to the individuals who stormed Capitol Hill on January 6 as “erectionists,” a glaring misstep that was altered to “insurrectionists” in the transcript.
9 corrections in just one speech, reports our Haisten Willis
White House works to correct Biden’s remarks at ‘ridiculous’ rate https://t.co/Y2jSCQ5CWU via @dcexaminer
— Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) May 27, 2024
Critics view the pattern of correcting the President’s remarks as a sign of his unsuitability for the office. This latest incident adds to a growing list, with data from April revealing that the Biden team had made over 148 corrections to his statements since the start of the year. Comparatively, former President Donald Trump’s team made fewer such alterations. The heightened scrutiny on Biden’s words is attributed to modern technology and media practices, which leave little room for ambiguity or deniability.
In addition to these public speaking errors, Biden has also given out incorrect data and numbers, which have been subsequently corrected. This pattern of gaffes and their subsequent corrections is expected to continue as Biden completes his first term and potentially seeks re-election.
The frequency of transcripts being altered to rectify the President’s remarks indicates a concerning trend, leading to questions about Biden’s fitness for the highest office. The widespread attention these instances receive highlights the need for accuracy and clarity in the President’s public statements.
