'This man is not well': Biden sparks concerns after he begins abruptly screaming during anti-Trump tirade in South Carolina

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA: President Joe Biden sparked a social media backlash following his reelection campaign kickoff in South Carolina on Saturday, January 27, delivering a spirited albeit awkward speech at a Democratic Party dinner in Columbia.

The historically Republican stronghold, which hasn't supported a Democrat for president since 1976, became the stage for Biden's pointed remarks aimed squarely at his GOP rival, former President Donald Trump.

Sharp critique of Trump

Biden, known for his occasional gaffes on stage, adopted a hostile tone as he criticized Trump's handling of the economy and referenced debunked allegations from The Atlantic in 2020. The report claimed that Trump referred to military veterans buried at the Aisne-Marne cemetery in France as "suckers and losers."

Trump has consistently denied the claims and labeled them as baseless.

"I look at veterans very differently from Donald Trump," Biden declared during his impassioned speech. "How dare he say that?" Biden said, referring to the alleged "suckers and losers" comment. "I call them patriots and heroes. The only loser I see is Donald Trump," he added, slurring the entire way.

Social media backlash

The President's abrupt escalation, marked by yelling and apparent slurring of words, drew a myriad of reactions on social media.

"This is his entire campaign, all that he has to offer," one posted on X.

"He’s literally croaking in front of the whole world," another wrote.

"Any White House physician who is not actively trying to figure out why Biden is slurring his words so badly is not doing his or her job," someone else added.

"This man is not well," another offered.

Concerns about Biden's age and mental capabilities persist, as reflected in recent polls from Monmouth University. The October 2023 poll by Monmouth University indicated that 76 percent of respondents believe Biden is too old for the presidency, including 56 percent of Democrats.

The Biden reelection campaign, however, has actively tried to brush off these concerns and paint them in a positive light. Campaign Communications Director Michael Tyler touted Biden's "wisdom, experience, and judgment," presenting them as crucial assets for the presidency.

Tyler told MSNBC, "The American people know Joe Biden's age. They also know that with that age comes wisdom, comes experience, comes judgment." The campaign seeks to shift the narrative, portraying Biden's age as an advantage rather than a liability.

Economic triumphs and electoral challenges

That said, Biden also used the South Carolina speech to highlight his economic record. He pointed to decreasing inflation and claimed that the US economy had outperformed Trump's tenure in the last six months.

Celebrating what he described as the "lowest levels of Black unemployment recorded in history" and a narrowed racial wealth gap, Biden aimed to showcase his administration's accomplishments.

However, a Newsweek analysis found that Trump is making inroads with Black voters, potentially winning more support than any previous Republican. Recent polls suggest a shift among Black voters, challenging the Democratic stronghold.

Biden's taunting of Trump continued on Saturday, with reports suggesting that the former president was "rattled" by Biden's efforts to provoke him. Responding to these reports on social media, Biden invoked former first lady Melania Trump's anti-bullying slogan, "Be Best," which she introduced in 2018.

The campaign event was not without disruptions, as protesters, including pro-Palestinian demonstrators and a climate activist, interrupted Biden's speech three times. All were promptly removed from the venue.

As the 2024 election looms, polling analysis by Real Clear Polling indicates a tight race in South Carolina. The Republican frontrunner, presumably Trump, is predicted to secure 47.3 percent of the vote, while the Democrat incumbent, Biden, trails at 43 percent.

In 2020, Trump won the state with 55.1 percent of the vote, showcasing the potential challenges for Biden in this traditionally red territory, Newsweek reported.

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