In a recent political rally, former President Donald Trump has once again stirred controversy by ridiculing President Joe Biden‘s stutter, drawing widespread condemnation for what many see as an act of bullying.
What Happened: The incident took place at a campaign event in Rome, GA, where Trump sarcastically questioned Biden’s ability to “bring the country t-t-t-together,” mimicking a stutter. This mocking reference to Biden’s State of the Union address was reported by The Washington Post, despite transcripts showing no such stutter in Biden’s actual speech.
Trump’s imitation of Biden’s speech impediment has been criticized by disability advocates and others. John Hendrickson, a writer for The Atlantic, described the mockery as crossing a line into “ugly” territory. T. Kenny Fountain, an associate professor at the University of Virginia, sees it as a tactic to dehumanize Biden and create an “in” group among Trump’s supporters.
Speech consultant Michael Sheehan expressed his dismay at the audience’s reaction to Trump’s imitation, calling it “unforgivable.” Biden’s team, through senior adviser TJ Ducklo, has condemned Trump for his lack of decency, while Ezra Horak, an advocate for stuttering awareness, shared that such behavior by a leader and its defense by some is deeply troubling.
“What appalls me is we're now telling people it's okay to laugh at stuttering,” said Sheehan.
“Trump thinks mocking people and taking away their rights makes him look strong. But it just reveals how weak and insecure he is,” said Ducklo.
Why It Matters: The recent mockery by Trump comes in the wake of a heated political climate. Biden’s State of the Union address last week, took a confrontational stance against Trump, criticizing his undermining of democracy and immigration reform. This speech followed an attempt by some GOP members to cancel the address over the border crisis, as reported in February.
Trump’s pattern of attacking Biden’s mental acuity was noted in a November report, where he called Biden a “stupid person” and suggested medication use. The political rivalry has intensified, with the latest poll showing Trump leading Biden, though Democrats question the poll’s accuracy.
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