Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s campaign speeches and interviews with media are reportedly getting shorter and harder to come by. Some of his opponents say it’s because he can’t be counted on to stay on message and avoid gaffes.
While his speeches earlier on in the campaign could last as long as an hour, his speeches over the weekend in the middle of the country lasted less than 15 minutes each, according to the Washington Post. In St. Louis, Missouri, he spoke for just seven minutes; in Kansas City, 12 minutes; and 14 minutes in Jackson, Mississippi.
“Joe Biden’s staff are trying to hide Joe Biden,” Andrew Clark, director of the Trump campaign’s rapid response team, told the Daily Caller. “They are absolutely terrified that voters will see more viral and unedited videos of Biden’s embarrassing inability to communicate while President Trump delivers his winning message straight to the American people.”
Trump’s speeches at his campaign rallies often last more than an hour.
Faiz Shakir, the campaign manager for Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, poked fun at Biden’s shortened speeches on Twitter. (RELATED: Polls Show Joe Biden With Double-Digit Lead Over Sanders Nationally And In Michigan)
Bernie has three public events just today in two different states, each speaking engagement extending for close to an hour https://t.co/6TGOhMT6z9
— Faiz (@fshakir) March 7, 2020
The Sanders campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Biden’s campaign also did not respond when the Daily Caller asked whether it disagreed that the apparent change was made to prevent Biden’s gaffes.
Almost on cue, Biden found himself at the center of another viral video Tuesday showing him having a shouting match with an auto worker in Detroit, Michigan, over gun control. (RELATED: Republicans Prepare Full Court Press On Joe Biden’s Mental Fitness)
Parts of the audio are hard to parse out, but Biden can be heard shouting about “AR-14s,” and at one point telling a worker “you’re full of shit.”
Joe Biden to Michigan voter: “You’re full of shit.”pic.twitter.com/zayU6gh2Ml
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) March 10, 2020
“I support the 2nd Amendment,” Biden said. “The 2nd Amendment, just like right now if you yell fire, that’s not free speech. I have a shotgun … my son’s hunt. I’m not taking your guns away at all.”
