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Liam O'Dell
Jun 02, 2023
Joe Biden falls at the Air Force Graduation
content.jwplatform.com
US President Joe Biden suffered another nasty fall on Thursday, while attending an Air Force graduation ceremony in Colorado, and after the cause of the trip was identified, the Secret Service has come under fire.
According to the White House pool report, it happened after the 80-year-old handed out the last diploma, and White House communications director Ben LaBolt took to Twitter to reassure people “he’s fine”.
“There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands,” he wrote.
This is backed up by the fact that after officials helped president Biden back up to his feet, he can be seen pointing at the sandbag before carrying about his business.
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When he returned to the White House, the president - who's hoping to be elected for a second term next year - told reporters he “got sandbagged”, before jokingly putting on a spring in his step to indicate he wasn’t hurt after the fall.
Now that it’s emerged a sandbag was to blame, Twitter users have criticised the Secret Service for not spotting the obvious obstacle:
\u201cI\u2019ve probably tripped on things much smaller than a sandbag at least 20 times in my life, and I\u2019m just 41.\n\nBiden tripped on a sandbag one time and he\u2019s 80.\n\nThe Secret Service is most responsible for this. They should have made sure there wasn\u2019t anything in his way. \n\nI would\u2026\u201d— Ed Krassenstein (@Ed Krassenstein) 1685657037
\u201cHe passed the debt ceiling with the feckless House. Tripped on a sandbag left on stage by his shady secret service, and he still did a jig coming off Marine One. Then he told Senate Rs to stop whining and approve the debt ceiling. Had some ice cream went to bed and woke to this\ud83d\udd25\u201d— Evie CG (@Evie CG) 1685712058
\u201cThe fall happened because the Secret Service left a sandbag obstructing the path he would have to take. What's up with the Secret Service? Small errors on their part have become all too common.\u201d— Joyce Alene (@Joyce Alene) 1685670887
\u201cPOTUS fell today because the Secret Service left a sandbag obstructing the path he would have to take. WHAT THE FU*K IS UP WITH THE F'ING SECRET SERVICE?! They are making too many damn errors!!! \ud83e\udd2c\ud83e\udd2c\ud83e\udd2c\u201d— Charm | DEMOCRATS deliver & NO CHAOS! \ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf2 \ud83d\udc99\ud83c\udf0a (@Charm | DEMOCRATS deliver & NO CHAOS! \ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf2 \ud83d\udc99\ud83c\udf0a) 1685671811
\u201cThe sandbag and unsecured cords flopping around in the wind. So glad he fell right and wasn\u2019t hurt. \ud83d\udc99 @SecretService look out for this stuff please. \ud83d\ude4f\u201d— Jane (@Jane) 1685678074
\u201cThe sandbag and unsecured cords flopping around in the wind. So glad he fell right and wasn\u2019t hurt. \ud83d\udc99 @SecretService look out for this stuff please. \ud83d\ude4f\u201d— Jane (@Jane) 1685678074
\u201cPress inquired how President Biden was feeling after his fall and his response was \u201cI got sandbagged!\u201d\n\nEven thought the Secret Service was asleep at the wheel, he made fun of it.\n\nAnd this is why we love you, Joe! \ud83d\udc99\n\n#ResistanceUnited\n#DemVoice1\n#wtpBLUE\nhttps://t.co/MJIh394u56\u201d— \ud83d\udc99Maca\ud83d\udc99 We Are Not Done #Biden/Harris2024 (@\ud83d\udc99Maca\ud83d\udc99 We Are Not Done #Biden/Harris2024) 1685670156
\u201cPOTUS fell today because the Secret Service left a sandbag obstructing the path he would have to take. WHAT THE FU*K IS UP WITH THE F'ING SECRET SERVICE?! They are making too many damn errors!\u201d— Sumit (@Sumit) 1685691801
The 80-year-old has previously made headlines for stumbling on his way into Air Force One in March 2021, and then again in June last year when he fell off his bike.
After the Air Force One trip, a White House spokesperson said the president was “just fine and did not even require any attention from the medical team who travels with him”.
As for the bike blunder, he told reporters at the time: “Any of you guys ride bikes? Well, they have some that have this thing you put your toe in, it restrains your foot so it doesn’t slide off the pedal.
“I was getting off the bike, and it got stuck on the right side.”
Whispering, he added: “I fell, if you didn’t notice.”
At least he’s taking the mishaps in jest.
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