President Joe Biden’s recent speech at the Congressional Black Caucus event has once again sparked controversy as he mispronounced rapper LL Cool J’s name and referred to him as ‘boy’. Critics are raising questions about the 80-year-old president’s age and health following a series of recent speech blunders.
During the event in Washington DC, LL Cool J and MC Lyte received Phoenix Awards for their contributions to the music industry. President Biden, 80, stumbled over LL Cool J’s name, saying, ‘Two of the great artists of our time representing the ground-breaking legacy of hip hop in America, LL Jay Cool J, uhhh…’ He followed this by stating, ‘By the way, that boy – that man’s got biceps bigger than my thighs,’ eliciting laughter from the audience.
Criticism swiftly followed on social media, with commentators pointing out that referring to African Americans as ‘boy’ is widely considered derogatory. Some users expressed frustration and labeled the situation as a mockery.
This is not the first time President Biden has faced backlash for using such language. Earlier this year, he referred to Maryland’s first black governor, Wes Moore, as a ‘boy,’ during an event. In May, he told an audience member at a White House event to ‘hush up, boy’ during an Eid-al-Fitr celebration.
President Biden’s speech missteps have raised concerns about his age and health, as critics argue that such gaffes reflect poorly on his ability to communicate effectively as the leader of the nation. This incident adds to a series of recent speech blunders, including repeating the same story twice within minutes at a private fundraising event in New York and leaving the stage without shaking hands with Brazil’s president during a joint speech.
The president’s health and cognitive abilities continue to be a topic of discussion as he faces challenges in maintaining a clear and coherent public presence.
Written by:
Dana Sterling-Editor
