'Such a farce': Internet mocks Joe Biden as Jill Biden prompts him about ice cream being his favorite food
WASHINGTON, DC: In a recent interview with former 'American Idol' host Ryan Seacrest for ABC’s New Year’s Eve programming, President Joe Biden stumbled when asked about his holiday food choices -- it seemed first lady Jill Biden had to prompt her husband, reminding him of his love for ice cream.
“I’m curious, what sorts of holiday foods have you been enjoying over the last few days?” Seacrest asked the POTUS.
Biden responded, "Well, I’ve been eating everything that’s put in front of me. But I’ve eaten pasta, which I love. I’ve eaten a lot of chicken, chicken parmesan, I’ve been eating all Italian foods, basically."
The first lady interjected, "And ice cream," to which the president added, "Chocolate chip ice cream."
BIDEN (between coughs): "I've been eating everything that's put in front of me! I've eaten pasta, which I love. Eaten a lot of chicken, chicken parmesan..."
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 1, 2024
JILL, ED.D.: "And ice cream!" pic.twitter.com/MIY4Inbv69
Joe Biden mocked on social media
The social media reaction was swift, with several users voicing their disdain. "This is such a farce at this point, seriously??" one posted on X (formerly Twitter).
"The king and queen of the grift," another added. "So embarrassing," a comment read.
"These are the type of questions I ask my 5-year-old," someone else quipped. "Old man loves his ice cream, doesn't he?!" another wrote.
These are the type of questions I ask my 5 year old
— Republican Reflections (@RepublicanRefl) January 1, 2024
Navigating Challenges
Despite the lighthearted interview with Seacrest, President Biden faces a multitude of challenges in the political arena.
During Biden’s most recent extended solo press conference at the White House in November 2022, a staffer carried in a front-row seat for the first lady at the last minute.
Her presence did little to prevent a gaffe, as Biden mistakenly claimed Russian troops were pulling out of the Iraqi city of “Fallujah” when he meant to say “Kherson” in southeastern Ukraine.
The president, currently vacationing in St Croix, delivered a New Year's message during the Seacrest interview, saying, “My hope is that everybody has a healthy, happy, and safe new year. But beyond that, I hope they understand that we’re in a better position than any country in the world to lead the world.”
The interview took place against a backdrop of significant hurdles ahead of the 2024 election, including a record-breaking surge in illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border and an impeachment inquiry into alleged corruption.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to reunify democratic Taiwan with the communist mainland in his own New Year’s Eve message.
Polls Indicate Growing Concerns
As Biden campaigns for a potential second term, polls indicate growing concerns about his mental acuity. The USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll suggests a tightening race, with Biden trailing former President Donald Trump 37% to 39%. The president is also struggling to maintain the coalition of voters that propelled him to victory in 2020.
The poll reveals Biden's decline in support among key demographics. Black voters, young voters, and Hispanic voters are showing decreasing support for the president. Among Black voters, Biden’s support has declined to 63%, down from 87% in 2020. He still leads Trump’s 12% support by a yawning margin.
Voters under 35 and Hispanic voters have jumped to support Trump, with the former president leading in both demographics. Trump now leads Biden 37%-33% among young voters and 39%-34% among Hispanic voters, according to the poll.
Biden’s slip in these key demographics spells bad news for his reelection campaign, as other recent polls show him struggling to beat Trump in several swing states. The president's approval numbers remain underwater, with only 39% of voters approving of his job in the Oval Office and 58% disapproving.
A New York Times poll released in November found that 71% of swing-state voters believe Biden is “too old to be an effective president,” versus 39% who said so of Trump. A Wall Street Journal poll released in September found 73% of registered voters believe Biden is too old, versus 47% who said the same of Trump.
The challenges facing Biden in the upcoming election are further compounded by the fact that former President Donald Trump, despite four criminal cases pending against him, currently leads in national and swing-state polls.
