Dim the lights and grab some popcorn because the Comedy Central show starring Joe Biden held its latest episode at the 115th NAACP conference in Las Vegas. Unlike your favorite sitcom, though, this one was less intentional humor and more unintentional folly.
As Biden took the stage parallel to the Republican National Convention, he seemed eager to rally minority voters. But if his goal was to inspire confidence, he must’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere because his shaky speech was more like a verbal slapstick routine than a rallying cry.
Maybe the pièce de résistance of this verbal comedy came when Biden tried to unveil a policy proposal about capping rent hikes. He bumbled and fumbled, squinting and pausing, before announcing that corporate-owned housing could only bump up your rent by $55. The crowd erupted in applause, perhaps inspired or just as confused as he was. The real policy? A likely 5% cap—close enough if you squint, right?
The NAACP Convention breaks into applause after Joe Biden just announces he is going to cap raises of rent to $55.
That of course is not remotely true… pic.twitter.com/WWY5gO9BK7
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) July 16, 2024
Even the ever-patient Washington Examiner reached out for a clarification, probably hoping for some semblance of coherence from the White House. Spoiler alert: they might still be waiting.
Biden didn’t stop there. He tried to hit back at Trump’s remarks about immigrants “taking black jobs” by rattling off a list of black appointees. It was all fine and dandy until Biden magically transformed Barack Obama into his own vice president and, for good measure, a woman. Talk about revisionist history. Someone hand the man a script or at least a “Who’s Who” guide.
And then, with the finesse of a bull in a china shop, Biden tried to paint a picture of peaceful protests surrounding George Floyd’s death. According to him, there were no riots, just serene gatherings of citizens exercising their rights. Meanwhile, he portrays Trump like a comic book villain, calling in the National Guard to wreak havoc on said “peaceful protesters.” Captain Oblivious strikes again.
Biden wrapped up his bedazzling performance by justifying his constant criticism of Trump, even dragging the assassination attempt against the former president into his verbal circus. He channelled his inner Harry Truman, declaring that his harsh words were just truths that get misinterpreted as hellfire. Okay, Grandpa Joe, whatever you say.
Despite all the vitriol, Biden insisted that he was praying for Trump after the assassination attempt, showcasing a bewildering mix of animosity and apparent concern. Maybe his teleprompter was malfunctioning. Or maybe, just maybe, the man needs a new scriptwriter.