I’ll admit that my hearing isn’t perfect, so when I first saw this video, I thought it must be a deepfake. Perhaps Biden was trying to make a joke and got carried away due to his dementia. People were laughing at something. Or maybe many people, like me, just heard him wrong? I tried two different AI transcribers and got the same result:
'I realize, I was talking to your wife; I personally asked you to extend your service. Forgive me.'
Okay. I’ll accept that, but I still don’t understand why the audience is laughing. Also, when I watched his lips move, it didn’t look to me like he was articulating the word ‘talking’.
Nevertheless, I have to accept that this could be a case of auditory illusion. These illusions occur when there is ambiguity in the spoken language, causing the listener to perceive words or phrases differently from what was actually said. One well-known example of this is the "mondegreen," which specifically refers to a misheard version of a phrase as a result of near-homophony, where the words sound similar enough to create a new interpretation that makes sense to the listener.
I’m just glad I wasn’t that sign language interpreter.
Seriously though, why has this video gone viral, and what does it say about our current situation?
The fact that a significant portion of the public is willing to believe that Biden could make such a crass joke on the world stage is not merely about mishearing or misinterpreting his words. It's about a broader distrust. For years, Biden's verbal slips, odd behaviours (I’m being kind), and the controversies surrounding his family have painted a picture of a man who might just say or do anything.
This viral video is not simply about the psychology of the viewers or a hunger for scandalous content. I think it reflects a deep-seated concern about the capability and reliability of the man at the helm of the world's most powerful nation. Even those in the media who have historically supported him are now questioning his suitability as a presidential figure, a radical shift that underscores a fatal erosion of trust.
The image of the U.S. president influences not just national but global perceptions. Missteps, real or perceived, can have far-reaching consequences. This incident, whether blown out of proportion or not, is a reminder of the nature of political credibility. I think about this credibility factor all the time in relation to leaders on the brink of nuclear war (see ‘JFK and Cuban Missle Crisis’).
This episode is not just about whether Biden actually made a distasteful joke; it's about why so many find it plausible that he could have, and what that means for the safety of the world.
Do you think I’m reading too much into this few seconds of video and its public reaction? I would have thought so myself just a few years ago.
Further reading:
Biden and NATO Chief's Wife