Trump says he purposefully mixes up politicians' names
Published Date: 2/15/2024
Source: axios.com
Former President Trump said Wednesday at a campaign rally that his recent mix-up of other politicians' names was intentional.
Why it matters: Trump, like President Biden, has faced scrutiny about his age and mental acuity, especially among Democrats who seized on the gaffes as another reason he's unfit for a second term.
Context: In a speech last month, Trump switched the names of his GOP primary opponent, Nikki Haley, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
- Biden's campaign seized on the moment by sharing it on social media, and in a campaign ad.
- He's mixed up Biden and former President Obama at least seven times in recent months, per Forbes. He said he does so "sarcastically," and referred to a conspiracy theory that Obama is highly influencing the White House.
- In October, the former president also confused Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the president of Turkey.
The other side: Age and mental acuity are a significant concern for many voters when it comes to a second term for Biden.
- Adding to the woes, special counsel Robert Hur wrote in a report last week that Biden's memory "appeared to have significant limitations."
- "I'm well meaning, and I'm an elderly man, and I know what the hell I'm doing," Biden said last week in defense of the assertions in the report.
- House Republicans are planning long-term hearings and possibly subpoenas related to Biden's mental state.
Zoom out: Voters are more concerned with Biden's age than Trump's.
- Voters are more concerned over whether Trump is "corrupt, criminal, crooked," according to an AP-NORC poll from August 2023.
- Biden is already the oldest sitting president. He would be 86 and Trump would be 86 and 82, respectively, at the end of a second term.
Go deeper: Trump leads with Metro Detroit swing voters who say Biden's too old