They struck a nerve.
President Joe Biden vehemently refuted allegations of memory loss during a White House address on Thursday evening in response to special counsel Robert Hur’s report on his handling of classified information.
Hur’s report, which scrutinized the president’s mental acuity, stated that Biden’s memory was “significantly limited” during interviews conducted in 2017 with a ghostwriter and during an interview with Hur’s office in 2023. The report also highlighted Biden’s failure to recall the timing of his son Beau’s passing, who died from brain cancer in 2015.
Reacting to these claims, Biden expressed indignation, stating, “How in the hell dare he raise that?” He reiterated his profound connection to his late son, often commemorating him in speeches and wearing his rosary beads. Additionally, Biden dismissed suggestions of memory impairment, asserting, “My memory’s fine.”
However, during his remarks, Biden committed a verbal gaffe, mistakenly referring to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi as the president of Mexico. This misstep marked the third instance in the week where Biden confused heads of state.
Following the release of Hur’s report, White House officials advised Biden to directly confront the most damning allegations and express his frustration with the findings. They believed it was necessary for Biden to address what they perceived as politically motivated criticism from Hur, particularly as the special counsel opted not to pursue charges against the president.
During his address, Biden underscored the distinctions between his handling of classified information and that of former President Donald Trump, as outlined in the report. He also addressed concerns regarding the transfer of materials, acknowledging that oversight lapses had occurred.
Pushing back against assertions in the report that he “willfully retained” classified documents, Biden denied any wrongdoing, including sharing classified information with his ghostwriter. He refuted claims that a jury would convict him, emphasizing his perceived sympathetic portrayal as an elderly man with a poor memory.
In sum, Biden vehemently denied allegations of memory loss and wrongdoing outlined in Hur’s report, while also addressing concerns regarding his handling of classified information.
