Watch: Joe Biden appears to forget Hamas’s name in mumbling speech
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Joe Biden appeared to forget the name of Hamas and stumbled over his words when speaking to the press in the White House.
After delivering an address urging Republicans to back a bipartisan immigration and border deal that would provide funding for Ukraine and Israel, the 81-year-old was asked for an update about hostage negotiations involving Hamas.
“There’s been a response from the opposition,” he said, appearing to pause until a reporter suggested the word he was searching for was “Hamas”.
“Yes, I’m sorry, from Hamas,” Mr Biden continued. “But it seems to be a little over the top. We’re not sure where it is. There’s a continuing negotiation right now.”
Voters from both parties have told pollsters they are concerned about the age of Mr Biden, who will be 86 if he is reelected and serves a second term.
Polls show 70 per cent of Americans say they do not want a rematch between Mr Trump and Mr Biden.
In recent weeks, Mr Trump, 77, has also suffered verbal or mental slips, seeming to mix up Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi when he was talking about the events of Jan 6.
Ms Haley, 52, has used the age of Mr Trump and Mr Biden as she makes her long-shot bid to become president.
“He’s not what he was in 2016. He has declined. That’s a fact,” Ms Haley said about Mr Trump in January.
“Are we really in this country going to have two 80-year-olds running for president? It is a fact that when you are their age, you have mental decline.”
