In a moment receiving reactions of both sympathy and mockery, Joe Biden was seen falling multiple times as he walked up the steps to Air Force One on the morning of March 19.
Falling
Biden, 78, was holding onto the railing, and still managed to fall three times as he walked up the flight of stairs. After recovering from the falls, Biden appeared to pause to dust off his knee. He then made his way to the top of the stairs without falling again, gave a salute, and climbed onto the plane on his way to Georgia.
According to White House communications director Kate Bedingfield, Biden was not injured.
“I know folks have seen that President Biden slipped on his way up the stairs to AF1, but I’m happy to report that he is just fine and did not even require any attention from the medical team who travels with him. Nothing more than a misstep on the stairs,” Bedingfield wrote on Twitter.
Twitter Response
As Biden once mocked Donald Trump for walking slowly down a ramp at West Point, it is only right that Trump’s son would mock Biden for a much worse moment.
“Watch how I run up ramps and he stumbles down ramps. OK? Come on,” Biden said last September.
Donald Trump Jr. sent out several tweets about the incident, including one with an edited clip of Biden’s fall that has many users dying of laughter.
“It wasn’t the wind folks,” he wrote.
WATCH:
It wasn’t the wind folks. pic.twitter.com/jYc01dBZCe
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 19, 2021
“I remember the press bashing Trump for touching the rail once. Biden falls repeatedly but I’m sure he’s the picture of health. No wonder all our enemies are pouncing simultaneously and mocking him publicly,” Donald Trump Jr. said in another tweet.
I remember the press bashing Trump for touching the rail once. Biden falls repeatedly but I’m sure he’s the picture of health. No wonder all our enemies are pouncing simultaneously and mocking him publicly. pic.twitter.com/R1qN9DDHFW
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 19, 2021
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary, tried to blame the fall on the wind, but John Cardillo wasn’t going to let her get away with that.
“WH Spox @KJP46 says the wind was so strong, it knocked Biden over and that’s why he fell three times boarding Air Force One. She’s lying. Weather at Joint Base Andrews shows only 6-14 mph winds which are considered light to moderate breezes by the National Weather Service,” Cardillo tweeted.
WH Spox @KJP46 says the wind was so strong, it knocked Biden over and that’s why he fell three times boarding Air Force One.
She’s lying.
Weather at Joint Base Andrews shows only 6-14 mph winds which are considered light to moderate breezes by the National Weather Service pic.twitter.com/ys0uiMoNUX
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) March 19, 2021
Representative Jim Jordan pointed out the differences in media coverage between President Trump and Joe Biden, writing:
“President Trump takes a sip of water. The media: ‘He had a stroke!’
President Biden falls going up the stairs. The media: ‘Happens to everyone.'”
President Trump takes a sip of water. The media: “He had a stroke!”
President Biden falls going up the stairs. The media: “Happens to everyone.”
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) March 19, 2021
Bo Snerdley, of the Rush Limbaugh show, showed more sympathy than most for Biden, writing:
“1) I hope Joe Biden did not suffer serious injuries in his repeated falls up the stairs to AF1.
2) What would have been the MSM reaction if President Trump had suffered the same misfortune?”
1) I hope Joe Biden did not suffer serious injuries in his repeated falls up the stairs to AF1.
2) What would have been the MSM reaction if President Trump had suffered the same misfortune?
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) March 19, 2021
The Bottom Line
Many conservatives constantly point out Joe Biden’s mental decline as a sign that he should not be president, but we often forget to discuss his physical decline. As a 78-year-old man, Biden is in the age group most likely to develop serious physical ailments, and most likely to be severely injured from even the most minor fall. This video illustrates the danger that Biden faces. Just because he wasn’t seriously injured this time, doesn’t mean he won’t be injured during future falls.
