Well, this is awkward. Once again, the White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, has made headlines for all the wrong reasons. You’d think that after almost two years on the job, she’d be able to avoid such embarrassing gaffes. But nope, this time, she accidentally called Joe Biden the “former president” while fumbling through a question about his intense conversation with Barack Obama at Ethel Kennedy’s funeral.
🗿Joe Biden shared a pew with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at Ethel Kennedy’s memorial service – and cast a blank stare when the woman who helped push him to end his campaign delivered a eulogy.
Biden was joined by two of his predecessors as he walked toward his seat for… pic.twitter.com/i3KPYXhyOb
— Melissa Hallman (@dotconnectinga) October 16, 2024
Let’s set the stage here: At the funeral of the Kennedy matriarch, Biden and Obama were caught having what looked like a serious, perhaps even heated, discussion. Lip reader Jeremy Freeman jumped into the fray, claiming that Biden said something along the lines of “she’s not as strong as me,” which many speculate was in reference to Vice President Kamala Harris and her possible chances in the 2024 presidential race. Obama, with his characteristic calm, reportedly replied, “I know… that’s true… we have time.”
🔥HOLY SHIT🔥
NY Post are reporting that their professional lip reader deciphered much of Obama and Biden’s conversation at Ethel Kennedy’s funeral.
They claim Biden said that Kamala was “not as strong as me”.
Obama replied, “I know… that’s true. We have time”.
PANIC IN DC! pic.twitter.com/JpwyFVNE8G
— Clandestine (@WarClandestine) October 17, 2024
Now, fast-forward to Jean-Pierre’s press briefing on Air Force One. Reporters asked about this now-viral exchange, clearly expecting some clarification. Instead, they got a response so off-course it felt like watching a slow-motion train wreck. Jean-Pierre tried to deflect, as usual, and instead of shedding light on the Biden-Obama conversation, she made matters worse by mistakenly calling Biden the “former president.”
Oops. It’s almost as if her slip of the tongue gave away more than intended. Or maybe it’s just another sign of how disorganized and overwhelmed this administration is. Either way, it certainly didn’t instill confidence in the communication department.
Karine Jean-Pierre Refers To Biden As ‘Former President.’
[Developing] pic.twitter.com/CF2S8VQ3ZY
— iSource News (@isource_news) October 18, 2024
And sure, it was an obvious mistake—she meant former President Obama, not Biden. But the fact that she couldn’t recover smoothly and then went on to ramble about Biden appreciating Ethel Kennedy, while ignoring the actual question, just highlights how out of her depth she sometimes seems. Jean-Pierre even repeated herself several times, reminding everyone how “busy” the last few hours had been. As if that somehow excuses her not being able to answer basic questions.
Meanwhile, Obama is airing his own frustrations publicly. Just last week in Pittsburgh, he voiced concern about the lack of enthusiasm for Kamala Harris among the Black community—specifically Black men. Obama himself acknowledged that while he received strong support during his campaigns, Harris isn’t getting the same level of energy or turnout. This has sparked even more speculation that Obama and Biden might not be fully confident in Harris’s ability to win in 2024, especially if Biden doesn’t run.
What’s clear is this administration continues to trip over itself—whether it’s bungling basic press briefings, mismanaging crises, or showing signs of internal doubt about the future of the Democratic ticket. If Jean-Pierre’s slip was any indication, even the people in Biden’s own camp might be wondering whether the current president is ready to pass the torch… or if anyone else is ready to take it.
