President Joseph Biden addressed Air Force graduates on Thursday, as the NY Times, and pretty much everyone else, reports.
The problem is, no one remembers what he said, because his fall ended up becoming the main event:
He successfully handed out all the diplomas to the graduating class. After he gave out his last one, he went to exit the stage and fell to the ground.
He was quickly helped up by Air Force officials and Secret Service agents.
His communications director told the New York Times that “He’s fine. There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands.”
Ah yes, blame it on the sandbag.
You just saw the video. See any sandbags? Didn’t think so.
Ultimately, this may not be a huge deal for Biden, but you never know.
In the fall of 1975, President Gerald Ford was filmed falling down the steps of Air Force One:
It came at an inopportune time, since, like today, the election season was just starting to heat up.
Unlike Biden, he had fallen about three times before, adding to the general narrative of clumsiness and incompetence.
Saturday Night Live, then in its first year, had a field day with his stumbles, and likely, it contributed to Gerald Ford’s image:
Many voters just didn’t find him presidential, and he lost in a close race to Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.
Will this moment strengthen the idea that Biden is not fully cognizant and simply too old to lead? Quite likely.
Gerald Ford’s numbers fell post fall, and he ultimately lost. Don’t be surprised if Biden has the same fate, with this moment becoming more important than you might initially think.
Optics matter, especially with Biden.
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