Let’s Not Forget When Joe Biden Was President
Let’s Not Forget When Joe Biden Was President
A Strange, Human, and Occasionally Baffling Era
Every now and then, a thought sneaks into your brain uninvited:
Joe Biden was really President of the United States.
And just like that, you’re back in that era — a blend of policy, pauses, puzzling quotes, and occasional stair-related acrobatics.
Biden’s time in office had its legislative milestones, sure. But for many, it was the moments — the deeply human, unscripted ones — that linger. Like when he boarded Air Force One and somehow managed to trip not once, not twice, but three times. The clip was only a few seconds, but it’s probably imprinted on the internet forever.
Then there were the speeches. Sometimes heartfelt, sometimes… unexpected. Midway through a gun control speech, Biden closed with:
“God save the Queen, man.”
No British officials in sight. No royal context. Just those six words — hanging in the air like a glitch in the political matrix.
There were also well-meaning moments that didn’t quite land. At a Paralympic ceremony, Biden gestured toward participants on a platform and yelled:
“Don’t jump!”
It was his usual casual style, but in that context — with several attendees in wheelchairs — it left people unsure whether to laugh, cringe, or both.
Diplomatic mix-ups made regular appearances too. He once referred to Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy as “President Putin.” Then, in France, he mentioned meeting “President Mitterrand” — a leader who passed away in 1996. That same week, he called UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “Mr. President” — then joked that maybe he’d just demoted him.
Some slip-ups hit a little harder. At a public event, Biden asked where Representative Jackie Walorski was — unaware, or having forgotten, that she had recently passed away. The room fell silent. And it stayed that way.
And who could forget his version of Happy Birthday — belted confidently, except when he got to the name… which he clearly didn’t know. So he just mumbled the line and kept singing. Effort? A+. Execution? Interpret as you wish.
Then there’s the pool story. Yes, the one where Biden talks about being a lifeguard, about kids playing with the hair on his legs, and a guy named Corn Pop who brought a razor to the pool. Somehow, that story resurfaced again and again — an odd anecdote that now lives permanently in internet folklore.
By the end of it all, Biden leaned in. He embraced the jokes. “Dark Brandon” became a thing — a version of himself memed into existence, complete with glowing red eyes and coffee mugs. It wasn’t about policy. It was about knowing people were watching, and giving them something weirdly unforgettable.
Looking back, Biden’s presidency wasn’t polished. It was real. A little chaotic. A little unclear. But in a world of perfectly scripted soundbites, maybe that’s why it stuck.
Written for the timeline where that really did happen.