Sean Hannity shredded as he flubs Michael Waltz's name after poking fun at Biden's cognitive abilities

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Sean Hannity recently found himself in an awkward situation when, hot on the heels of criticizing President Joe Biden's cognitive abilities, he stumbled over the name of Republican Congressman Michael Waltz of Florida.

During a segment, Hannity intended to introduce Waltz alongside Victor Davis Hanson, but instead referred to him by his state, saying, "Florida — uh, Congressman..."

Sean Hannity's verbal slip-up amplifies criticisms of Joe Biden amid edited videos controversy 

This slip-up, highlighted by Acyn Torabi of Meidas Touch, underscored the irony of Hannity's prior commentary questioning Biden's mental sharpness. Hannity, known for his outspoken criticisms of the current administration, has been part of a broader narrative in right-wing media outlets suggesting Biden may not be mentally fit for office.

This narrative has been fueled by selectively edited videos, dubbed "cheapfakes," which manipulate footage to create misleading impressions of Biden's mental acuity.

"For instance, here with reaction, Hoover Institution senior fellow Victor Davis Hanson, Florida Congressman Michael Waltz," Hannity said in the clip first flagged by Acyn Torabi of the progressive Meidas Touch. "Florida — uh, Congressman..."

Manipulated videos fuel controversy over Joe Biden's public perception

The New York Post, in a recent example, showed a clip of Biden appearing to wander off from other leaders at the G7 summit, cutting out that he was interacting with a paratrooper off-screen.

The videos are called "cheapfakes" to distinguish them from fully engineered deepfakes, cut or cropped to create the impression Biden is not entirely there.

"While Biden has messed up words in his speeches, as a result of trying to control a lifelong stutter, such flubs are common in regular speech by everyone," Hannity said, "and Hannity is by no means alone — Trump himself gave a speech in Racine, Wisconsin this week loaded with speech flubs."

Social media reacts: criticism and satire aimed at Sean Hannity

Social media reactions to Sean Hannity's recent slip-up and ongoing criticisms have been varied, reflecting a blend of criticism, satire, and pointed commentary.

One user wrote, "Hannity likes to be right, but he is so often wrong."

Another said, "They’re paying him 9 figures for this."

One user replied,"Hannity has so many senile moments that it’s comical that he tries to throw shade."

Another said, "Hannity is just a reader."

Another commented, "Nailed the racists name tho"

One added, "You’d better getting a cognitive test Hannity!"