In a recent speech in Las Vegas, President Joe Biden mistakenly claimed he had an encounter with François Mitterrand, the late French President who passed away in 1996.
According to Fox News, this slip occurred as Biden was addressing the risks associated with a potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency, during a rally to bolster support before the Democratic primary in Nevada.
The gaffe unfolded as Biden was recounting a previous meeting with the current French President, Emmanuel Macron, at a G7 summit in England, which took place months after Biden assumed office. In his attempt to convey the message "America’s back," Biden inadvertently replaced Macron with Mitterrand, incorrectly stating the latter was present and engaged him in conversation.
During his speech, Biden also shared a hypothetical scenario posed by the "Chancellor of Germany," questioning how the U.S. would react to a violent storming of Britain's House of Commons.
François Mitterrand led France from 1981 to 1995, leaving a significant legacy until his death in 1996. Biden's mix-up added an unexpected twist to his efforts to rally Democratic voters in Nevada, where he faces minimal competition in the upcoming primary against author Marianne Williamson and other lesser-known candidates.
Nevada, a state critical for its closely contested political landscape, is gearing up for the fall campaign. It boasts a diverse electorate and a pronounced rural-urban divide, making the political battle especially challenging. Biden's visit aimed to energize voters in a state where he narrowly secured victory in the 2020 election, underscoring the importance of Nevada in the broader electoral context.
