Biden jokes about age, memory in speech to National Association of Counties
Feb. 12 (UPI) -- As President Joe Biden continues to counter last week's special counsel report questioning his memory, the president used a speech Monday to the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference to joke about his age.
"I know I don't look like it, but I've been around a while," Biden quipped at one point.
After finishing his speech and saying "thank you" as the band played, Biden stepped back to the microphone and said "I forgot."
"One more thing, I forgot," Biden quipped. "I forgot to mention New Castle County, Delaware," as he pointed to several tables before walking off the stage again.
Biden, 81, has spent the last few days angrily denouncing Special Counsel Robert Hur's report, which was released Thursday following a yearlong investigation into the president's handling of classified documents.
While the special counsel chose not to prosecute Biden, after finding he "willfully retained and disclosed classified materials," the report did call Biden a "well-meaning elderly man with poor memory."
"I am well-meaning," Biden said during a news conference Thursday after the report came out. "And I'm an elderly man. And I know what the hell I'm doing. ...I don't need his recommendation."
In addition to taking a more light-hearted jab at the report Monday, Biden spent most of the speech touting his administration's accomplishments.
"I came to office, the pandemic was raging and our economy was reeling," Biden said. "Counties nationwide faced devastating budget cuts. But we turned things around."
"The American Rescue Plan provided $350 billion to state and local governments. That money put cops on the beat, teachers in the classroom," Biden added, as he turned to infrastructure.
"We passed the most significant investment in our nation's infrastructure in generations: roads, bridges, railroads, ports, airports, public transit, clean water, high-speed Internet and so much more."
"It's clear we have the strongest economy in the world," Biden said.
Biden also touted "falling inflation," as he called on companies to follow suit.
"We know prices are still too high because of what I call 'greedflation' and 'shrinkflation.' I'm calling on corporations to pass their savings on to consumers, for God sake," Biden shouted.
In addition to claiming "violent crime rates are falling all across the nation," Biden blasted MAGA Republicans for killing a deal that "included the toughest set of reforms to secure the border ever" as he urged an end to "political games."
"We're the United States of America," Biden said. "There is nothing, nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we work together."
