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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Sravasti Dasgupta

Biden accidentally reveals ‘embarrassing’ cheat notes to himself

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Joe Biden accidentally flashed a cheat sheet prepared by his staff that included specific directions for him stating, “YOU take YOUR seat”, “YOU give brief comments”, and “YOU depart”, among others.

Images of the 79-year-old US president’s notes were snapped by photographers after Mr Biden held the sheet backward while addressing a meeting with wind industry executives on Thursday.

Titled “Offshore Wind Drop-By Sequence of Events”, the document tells the president to “enter the Roosevelt Room and say hello to participants.”

The paper says, “YOU take YOUR seat.”

It includes a note “Press arrives” followed by “YOU give brief comments (2 minutes).”

It then says “Press departs” followed by “YOU ask Liz Shuler, President, AFL-CIO, a question.”

The note adds: “Liz is joining virtually”.

It subsequently says “YOU thank participants” and “YOU depart.”

Joe Biden speaks from his notes with governors, labor leaders and private companies launching the Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership as he drops by a meeting at the White House in Washington, DC on 23 June (AFP via Getty Images)

Earlier in March, Mr Biden was spotted carrying a cheat sheet containing talking points related to his comments on Russian president Vladimir Putin.

He was also spotted holding a cheat sheet during his first press conference as president last year that included headshots of journalists present there who he planned to call on. It also included stats about the infrastructure bill.

Photographs of the cheat sheet at Thursday’s meeting were widely shared by Republicans and conservatives on social media who have often questioned Mr Biden’s mental fitness and mocked his usage of such cheat sheets.

“HOLY SHEET! Biden’s Presidential Cheat Sheet Leaks Online, Reminds Him to Sit Down,” tweeted Fox News host Sean Hannity.

A poll by ABC News/The Washington Post released on the eve of Mr Biden’s state of union address in February found 54 per cent of Americans believed he did not have the “mental sharpness it takes to serve effectively as president”.

In the same month, 38 Republicans demanded Mr Biden take a cognitive test and share his results with the public, writing in a letter to the president they were “worried about your cognitive and mental abilities”.

Mr Biden’s approval ratings are at an all-time low, according to a Yahoo! News/YouGov poll that said a whopping 56 per cent of respondents either somewhat or strongly disapproved of Mr Biden’s performance in office.

The survey comes at a time when there are fewer than five months remaining until the November midterm elections.

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