President Joe Biden apparently forgot the name of Martin Luther King III's wife while attempting to sing "Happy Birthday" to her during an event to honor the slain civil rights leader's own birthday Monday.
The miscue took place during the annual MLK breakfast honoring slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. on his day of national remembrance, the Daily Mail reported Monday.
Biden attended the event, hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network in Washington, D.C., and opened his remarks by leading the audience in singing the traditional birthday song to Andrea Waters King, wife of Martin Luther King III, whose birthday Monday coincided with the event paying tribute to her late father-in-law.
"Well, look, my wife has a rule in our family – when it's somebody's birthday you sing 'Happy Birthday,'" Biden said before leading the crowd in the song.
When the time came for the name of the birthday honoree, however, Biden, 80, appeared to stumble, seemingly starting to call her "Valerie" instead of Andrea, according to the report.
It is not the first time Biden has forgotten a name while speaking in public.
The Republican National Committee posted a C-SPAN video from July 2021 where Biden appears to forget the last name of his Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
"Xavier," Biden said, then apparently fails to be able to pronounce the last name before continuing, "Mr. Secretary, you can come up [to the stage] too."
Later, in September 2021, Biden made a major gaffe during the announcement of Australia's nuclear transition by apparently forgetting that nation's Prime Minister Scott Morrison's name, instead calling him "that fella from down under," Australia's News.com reported at the time.
In December 2021, Biden forgot the name of the Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas during a speech in that city, shorenewsnetwork.com reported at the time.
"Under the leadership of mayors," Biden said in a video posted on the site, seemingly struggling to recall Lucas' name, before going on, "like your mayor here."
Newfoundland's Telegram journalist Tom Elliot posted a video on Twitter in February where Biden seemed unable to name his former boss, President Barack Obama, while talking about his "cancer moonshot" initiative.
"I started the cancer moonshot," Biden said, apparently struggling to recall Obama's name in the posted video. "Under the administration … the administration I served in last."
Recently, Biden appeared to forget the name of a Maryland Democrat he was stumping for before the midterm elections in November 2022.
"And, of course, you got that next governor. What's his name? Wes … Wes …" OK! News reported Biden saying during a Nov. 7 rally in Maryland the day before the election as the crowd held "Wes Moore" signs.
"Wes Moore!" Biden shouted once he saw the name. "The guy's the real deal, man. He's a combat veteran and a Rhodes Scholar. I've always worried about Rhodes Scholars, though. They're so damn smart. I wonder about it, you know?"
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