US President Joe Biden appeared to walk up to the platform with general ease and speak steadily, albeit cautiously, as he presented the descendants of Civil War heroes with posthumous Medals of Honor (MOH) on Wednesday evening at the White House, shortly after his staff denied allegations that he was considering suspending his presidential campaign.
He read from the teleprompter and lightly stumbled over a few words. Like most of Biden’s speeches, he gained energy and momentum toward the end.
His remarks centered around the notion of unity and included frequent lines from his campaign stump speeches like, “There’s nothing beyond our capacity in the United States if we work together.”
A major shift in speech when using teleprompter
Reporters and pundits alike have raised questions regarding Biden’s measure of success at events when he opts to use a teleprompter rather than choosing to speak off the cuff instead. Notably, the White House has overwhelmingly limited Biden’s live interviews and press conferences.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended Biden’s teleprompter use earlier on Wednesday, saying, “This is something presidents have done in the past.”
Jean-Pierre told reporters that there will be several opportunities this week to see Biden engage with members of the military, voters, and the press.
“You’ll see him out there connecting with and engaging with the American people,” Jean-Pierre said. “And I think that’s important.”
Biden did not make any unscripted remarks on Wednesday night.