This will do nothing to dispel the impression that President Joe Biden fiddles while the world burns.
Speculation mounted Tuesday afternoon when Biden failed to appear on time to deliver a speech on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The president who took 13 days to visit wildfire-ravaged Maui kept people guessing as to his whereabouts for nearly 90 minutes. His speech, scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EST, did not begin until 2:24 p.m. EST.
In the meantime, journalists and others had a bit of fun at Biden’s expense on X, formerly Twitter.
Simon Ateba, Chief White House Correspondent at Today News Africa Washington, posted a photo of the president with his eyes closed, wearing a mask and appearing to nap.
“President Biden scheduled a press event on Israel at 1 p.m. EST. He’s now 40 minutes late. I wonder what’s going on,” Ateba posted.
President Biden scheduled a press event on Israel at 1 p.m. EST. He’s now 40 minutes late. I wonder what’s going on. Please kindly join the space from my previous post. pic.twitter.com/kkk95q9M7x
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) October 10, 2023
Ian Jaeger, a bodybuilder and conservative with more than 100k followers, shared the same photo moments later.
Is it disrespectful for Biden to be so late?
Yes: 100% (4 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
“BREAKING: President Biden scheduled a press event on Israel at 1 p.m. EST. He’s now 47 minutes late. I wonder what’s going on?” Jaeger stated.
🚨BREAKING: President Biden scheduled a press event on Israel at 1 p.m. EST. He’s now 47 minutes late.
I wonder what’s going on? pic.twitter.com/7iaY4gbpvC
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) October 10, 2023
Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich wondered if the president needed to recharge.
“We have been waiting 54 minutes for President Biden’s speech. Is he taking a nap?” Gingrich noted.
We have been waiting 54 minutes for President Biden’s speech. Is he taking a nap?
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) October 10, 2023
Predictably, national security reporter Alex Ward of liberal Politico ran cover for the president.
Ward shared a post from Biden’s official POTUS account on X that featured a photo of the president and members of his “teams” receiving a “situation update” during a video conference call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Maybe this is why Biden is so late to his address on Hamas’ attack on Israel,” Ward wrote.
Maybe this is why Biden is so late to his address on Hamas’ attack on Israel https://t.co/afVE0PnpLD
— Alex Ward (@alexbward) October 10, 2023
Still, some social media users remained cynical.
“Biden is late giving his speech as he is coming up with reasons to blame Trump for the Israel situation,” one X user said.
Biden is late giving his speech as he is coming up with reasons to blame Trump for the Israel situation.
— MilbyDrysdale (@DrysdaleMilburn) October 10, 2023
“Biden is over an hour late for his address to the nation. Fitting for this amateur hour presidency. His handlers are busy reading X and trying to understand the room. They can’t figure it out, so we wait,” another X user wrote.
Biden is over an hour late for his address to the nation. Fitting for this amateur hour presidency. His handlers are busy reading X and trying to understand the room.
They can’t figure it out, so we wait. 😉
— The Fall Of Rome (@LaCadutaDiRoma) October 10, 2023
For the record, Biden’s habit of tardiness has inspired a social media account with a modest following.
“18 minutes,” the X account “How Late Was Biden?” posted on Saturday.
18 minutes.
— How Late Was Biden? (@HowLateWasBiden) October 7, 2023
“How Late Was Biden?” has not yet updated us on the president’s 84-minute delay this afternoon.
Tardiness alone, of course, does not necessarily doom the speaker in an audience’s eyes.
After all, former President Donald Trump often shows up late for rallies. His supporters do not seem to mind.
On Nov. 19, 1863, Governor Edward Everett of Massachusetts spoke for more than two hours before the event’s most important speaker, President Abraham Lincoln, addressed the audience. Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” made it worth the wait, at least from posterity’s viewpoint.
Biden, of course, never says anything worth hearing. In fact, many of his public utterances strike the listener as indecipherable.
Still, with the world collapsing into chaos, one would think that the president might at least attempt to reflect — if not to clearly communicate — the seriousness of the moment.
Instead, he spent Sunday afternoon and evening hosting a White House barbecue. Then, he spent most of the day Monday out of public view altogether.
Why should we expect him to take a scheduled speech seriously?
