ANALYSIS — Joe Biden, in the week before he officially will become a lame-duck president, has had a rather awkward run of late — creating problems for Vice President Kamala Harris, his possible successor.
Forced to end his bid for a second term by party donors and lawmakers, the 81-year-old commander in chief has had a few vintage Biden moments, including a confusing statement during which Republicans contended he called Donald Trump’s supporters “garbage,” along with several misstatements and even a botched ice cream order. The president, a father and grandfather, was mocked on social media for playfully biting a baby’s leg while handing out Halloween candy at the White House on Wednesday.
“It’s shocking to hear Joe Biden has had some gaffes,” said Barbara Perry, co-chair of the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. “Why are we shocked? He’s always prone to this. This is the biggest reason he’s not the nominee.
