‘President Harris’: Biden’s Gaffe-Filled Commencement Speech Raises Eyebrows

Virginia KrutaDecember 17, 2021

President Joe Biden raised eyebrows with several gaffes during while delivering the commencement speech at South Carolina State University on Friday.

Biden’s first mistake was one he has made in the past, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as “President Harris.”

“President Harris” pic.twitter.com/KoWAxqdUd3

— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) December 17, 2021

“All kidding aside, of course President Harris is a proud Howard alum — she might have something to say about Delaware State,” Biden said.

Biden has referred to Harris as “president” in the past, but this time it comes amid his own plummeting poll numbers and speculation that someone else — perhaps Harris or Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg — might ultimately be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2024.

The White House has said repeatedly that Biden will seek a second term in 2024, and Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that she was not even thinking about the 2024 election yet.

Kamala Harris, yesterday: “We do not talk about nor have we talked about re-election, because we haven’t completed our first year.”

Joe Biden, today: https://t.co/9eMGXMNa7O

— Nathan Brand (@NathanBrandWA) December 17, 2021

“We do not talk about nor have we talked about re-election, because we haven’t completed our first year,” she said.

As the Daily Wire previously reported, Fox News host Harris Faulkner wondered whether Biden could hope to win a contested primary in his own party, given recent polling that indicated nearly one-third of Democrats do not want him to run again in 2024.

“If he has any idea that he’ll run, he’ll do it whether it’s good for the party or not. The challenge is if and when he fails. Because he’s got to get through the primary and this polling would suggest he may not make it that far. How embarrassing would that be? That they might put somebody up against him. That could actually happen. I mean it would be historical to see somebody run against the incumbent. But who would that really be? Would it be Pete Buttigieg? We know it’s not going to be the vice president? Would he change the bottom of his ticket? Would he kick her off of it? Would he … There are a lot of questions,” Faulkner said.

Biden went on to address race in entrepreneurship, saying, “What did we learn? We learned there’s no difference between a black entrepreneur and a white entrepreneur in success, except the black entrepreneur usually doesn’t have a lawyer, usually doesn’t have someone who is going to be there, an accountant to get it all set up. Their idea is as profound, but the help is missing.”

“There’s no difference between a black entrepreneur and a white entrepreneur in success, except the black entrepreneur usually doesn’t have a lawyer.” -Biden

pic.twitter.com/7ekGXTRj63

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) December 17, 2021

Townhall noted that Biden had used that same line before, sharing video from early June of the president saying, “Young black entrepreneurs are just as capable of succeeding given the chance as white entrepreneurs are, but they don’t have lawyers, they don’t have accountants —”

BIDEN: “…young black entrepreneurs are just as capable of succeeding given the chance as white entrepreneurs are, but they don’t have lawyers, they don’t have accountants…” pic.twitter.com/uaVQO6vPeN

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 1, 2021

Townhall managing editor Spencer Brown said at the time, “The President of the United States doesn’t think black entrepreneurs have lawyers or accountants, which seems like some of that ‘soft bigotry of low expectations’ that’s the Democrats’ favorite kind of racism.”

The responses to Biden’s repeat performance were similar: “Sounds racist,” Kassy Dillon responded in a tweet.

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