As we reported earlier, Joe Biden welcomed the President of Kenya, William Ruto, to the White House on Wednesday. But Biden was clearly not in a mood to be asked questions by reporters.
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When they inquired when he would be going to Africa because he had said last year that he would be going, he childishly first try play some kind of game, retorting, “When are you gonna go?” to the reporters. Then when he was asked if he would go before January (when his term is up), he said he would go in February, after he “won,” he claimed. Then he got snippy with the reporters, asking why those questions were relevant. Um, maybe because you said you were going to go and you’re meeting with an African leader? But he just didn’t want to be challenged, so he behaved like a baby.
READ MORE: Biden Gets Snippy at Reporters and Makes Weird Comment As He Greets Kenyan President at WH
But then Biden and Ruto had to go into a meeting in the White House with business leaders where both leaders were supposed to deliver remarks. Biden read almost completely from notes that were right in front of him. This was the one moment where he ad libbed, where he marveled about how the U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, was smarter than he was and she could spout off about statistical data without having a piece of paper. That “amazed” him.
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Um, you mean people might actually know what they are talking about and they don’t just have to read off notes like you? What a concept! Maybe it’s not a great idea to be admitting your ambassador is smarter than you. Unfortunately for us, most people are smarter than you, Joe.
Biden said Whitman “reminded him of his sister.” He thought this was a funny story. But instead, it just exposed (again) how limited in ability he is when the basic competency of the ambassador stuns him — because he can’t even get through a few minutes of normal greeting remarks with Ruto without completely reading from notes.
Meanwhile, Ruto spoke without notes and with energy, looking around the room, for about five minutes. He could speak understanding what he was talking about, not being told what to say. The comparison was stark. What must he think of Biden?
Then, after Ruto was finished, the Biden team couldn’t risk having Biden taking any questions. So once again he sat there, looking vacant and confused as they just tossed the press out.
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He just looked so old. I don’t know what work he’s had done on his face, it looks pulled so tight. But it hasn’t helped it’s just accentuated his age and his squinting.
Biden and Ruto will have more talks on Thursday, as well as a joint news conference, and then a state dinner.
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