In a light-hearted exchange with NBC’s Seth Meyers, President Joe Biden addressed jokes about his age, which Meyers humorously referred to as classified information. Biden, playing along, responded with a quip, “Who the hell told you that? That’s classified!” This banter came after Meyers teased Biden about his age, 81, highlighting the ongoing campaign tactic of contrasting Biden with former President Donald Trump, 77, particularly focusing on Trump’s recent gaffe where he appeared to refer to his wife, Melania Trump, as “Mercedes” during a speech.
The Biden campaign has been actively using social media to highlight Trump’s verbal missteps, including a recent video clip where Trump made a convoluted statement about waterfalls, faucets, and washing machines. The campaign accused Trump of being “confused” and pointed out instances where he seemed to “slur and stumble” over his words.
Trump, on the other hand, has defended many of his verbal gaffes, claiming they were either sarcastic or misinterpreted. He has consistently emphasized his cognitive abilities, often citing “exceptional” results from cognitive exams and releasing medical reports to demonstrate his fitness for office.
Despite ongoing concerns about his age, Biden has staunchly defended himself, equating his age with experience. He has pushed back against suggestions of cognitive decline, asserting, “I know what the hell I am doing.”
In contrast to Trump’s approach, which has largely avoided direct attacks on Biden’s age, Biden has occasionally used his age as a punchline. During a recent speech, he humorously remarked, “I know I don’t look like it, but I’ve been around a while.” At his 81st birthday celebration, he jokingly commented, “it’s difficult turning 60.”
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