Newsmax Host Makes Geography Goof-Up For The Ages: 'Very Embarrassing Stuff'
Newsmax host Rob Finnerty’s attempt to list off President Joe Biden’s “very embarrassing” blunders didn’t go without an on-air error about the continent of Africa on Thursday.
Finnerty spoke with Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) as he referred to former special counsel Robert Hur’sreport on the president’s handling of classified documents. In the report, released in February, Hur took aim at Biden’s age and mental fitness.
Republicans have since threatened to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to release audio of Hur’s interviews with Biden.
“Robert Hur in his report said that he didn’t recommend charges for Biden because a jury wouldn’t rule against Joe Biden because he’s a quote ‘well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory’ and he gave us examples,” said Finnerty before making an obvious continental goof.
“He said that Biden didn’t know that Africa was a country. He couldn’t remember the year that his son died. He didn’t know the last names of staff members. He forgot when he was vice president. All very embarrassing stuff.”
The word “Africa” is not mentioned in Hur’s 388-page report.
The president has since slammed Hur over the report, asking “how in the hell dare he raise that” in response to a line that suggested he forgot when his son Beau died.
"Biden didn't know that Africa was a country ... very embarrassing stuff" -- Newsmax host Rob Finnerty attacks Biden pic.twitter.com/rspyz8kWGJ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 11, 2024
Critics including Keith Boykin, a former White House aide in the Clinton administration, mocked Finnerty and joked that he “didn’t know Africa was a country either.”
You can check out his and others’ reactions below.
I didn’t know Africa was a country either. https://t.co/BwaOwaywbp
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) April 11, 2024
You see why the US needs to invest more money in education. pic.twitter.com/TV7a3t4Dwn
— 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐢 (@ChidiNwatu) April 11, 2024
Not the sharpest knife....
— The Fact Checker (@MonitorFake) April 11, 2024
Please do not mock @RobFinnertyUSA for this. We all forget that Africa is actually a continent, not a country. https://t.co/Ynnsnodlwh
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) April 11, 2024
ahh the incredibly brobdingnagian sized country of Africa is such a lovely place
— bombardier 🇨🇱 (@dudesfast) April 11, 2024