President Joe Biden had trouble putting Republican Sen. Rob Portman into words during a Friday speech honoring the beginning of work on an Ohio computer chip factory.
“I’m trying to find the words for him, but he’s a good man. Thank you. You’re leaving a hell of a legacy as you leave what you’re doing as a consequence of you in large part,” Biden addressed departing Ohio senator Rob Portman, a Republican, during the groundbreaking for an Intel facility. According to the transcript, Biden also reportedly mispronounced the name of Republican Rep. Troy Balderson, referring to him instead as “Tony.”
According to the Columbus Dispatch, the event was also attended by Ohio’s Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger was also present. In his speech, Biden praises Congress for passing the CHIPS Act.
According to the transcript, Biden made another apparent mistake in the address.
“The United States of America, we used to rank number one in the world in research and development; now we rank number nine. China was number eight a decade ago; now China is number two.”
In earlier speeches, the president stuttered over his words. During a speech on August 30 where he criticized MAGA Republicans and called for a ban on so-called assault weapons, Biden confused the Democratic candidates for governor and the US Senate, Lt. Governor John Fetterman and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.
During a July 8 speech on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Biden also misread a teleprompter.
The CHIPS and Science Act, which Congress passed into law in July, authorizes up to $252 billion in research grants and subsidies for domestic computer chip producers. After Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin declared his support for the Inflation Reduction Act, Republicans voted against the bill.
