Former US President Joe Biden has committed another awkward verbal stumble, this time struggling to fully pronounce the name of the country he once led. The 83-year-old made the slip while delivering a speech at the International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in Washington DC on Friday.
The 'Amerigotit' Moment and Speech Context
Biden was using his platform at the conference to criticise what he termed 'the many crises caused by this administration,' referring to the Trump presidency. During his remarks, he asserted that America was one of the few nations that emerges from crises stronger. His closing point, however, was marred when he forcefully declared, 'We're the United States of Amerigotit.'
He immediately attempted to recover, stating, 'That's who we are. We're the US,' omitting the problematic word. Biden was at the event to receive the Chris Abele Impact Award for advancing LGBTQ+ rights during his time in office. He accused the previous administration of using gay and lesbian rights as a 'wedge to further divide the country' and urged Americans to 'work together' and 'win it together. Now.'
A Long History of Cringeworthy Verbal Blunders
This incident is far from an isolated one in Biden's lengthy political career. His history of public speaking mishaps includes several high-profile moments that have drawn significant attention and criticism.
One of the most severe occurred at a NATO summit, where he introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as 'President Putin,' prompting gasps from the audience. He later blamed the error on being 'so focused' on defeating the Russian leader. In a separate instance, while praising Vice President Kamala Harris, he erroneously called her 'Vice President Trump.'
Other notable gaffes from his tenure include:
- Confusing the 'Congressional Hispanic Caucus' with the 'Congressional Black Caucus' during a speech honouring a Hispanic community leader.
- Referring to Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III as 'that black man.'
- Repeating the same anecdote twice within minutes at a private New York fundraiser in September 2023.
Culmination in Debate Disaster and Campaign Exit
This pattern of verbal stumbles reached a critical point during the first presidential debate against Donald Trump in June 2024. Biden delivered a faltering performance where he struggled to articulate his points and complete sentences coherently, intensifying existing concerns about his age and fitness for office.
Despite weeks of effort by his allies to assuage these worries, the fallout proved insurmountable. America's oldest-ever president ultimately announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election the following month, marking a dramatic end to his bid for a second term. The 'Amerigotit' moment serves as a fresh reminder of the verbal challenges that came to define the latter stage of his public life.
