Biden Stumbles Through Speech At Black-Tie Affair In Chicago
Former President Joe Biden seemed disoriented and spoke with slurred words during his appearance at a lawyers’ gala in Chicago on Thursday evening, just months after the 82-year-old publicly revealed his struggle with aggressive prostate cancer.
Biden received a standing ovation as he gradually made his way onto the stage at the 100th annual awards gala of the National Bar Association, which is the oldest and largest network of predominantly black lawyers and judges in the nation.
Accompanied by two of his granddaughters, Biden carefully walked across the stage, shook hands with the emcee, and then appeared briefly confused as he turned to find his seat, as shown in video footage.
“Biden was guided back to his position by others on the dais and slowly sank into his chair before smiling and playfully pointing finger guns at the audience,” reported the New York Post.
Later in the evening, Biden faltered in his speech several times throughout the 20-minute address, during which he accused the Trump administration of waging an “existential” struggle against minority communities and emphasized his own achievements in civil rights, as reported by The Post.
“These are challenging times, but you are all gathered here for the same reason I chose to leave that esteemed law firm to join the defender’s office many years ago,” he stated. “It is because our future is truly at stake, and we must be unreserved in our commitment to advocate for that future.”
At one point in his speech, Biden also made a lighthearted remark regarding his age.
“Upon my election in 1972, I had the questionable honor of being the youngest senator in the history of the United States and the oldest president ever. Turning 40 twice is quite a challenge,” he joked, eliciting laughter.
Since departing from the White House in January, Biden has largely refrained from making public appearances, having chosen not to pursue a second term due to increasing worries regarding his cognitive and physical well-being.
His former vice president, Kamala Harris, subsequently faced a significant defeat against President Trump in a landslide election.