Events during this weekend have shown once again that neither Joe Biden nor Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) should be holding elected office now. It is obvious to everyone that their time in the public spotlight as lawmakers and policy-makers has passed. Why won’t anyone tell them that?

Instead, we have the Democrats pumping up both Biden and Fetterman and providing cover for them so that the balance of power does not shift away from their party in both the White House and in the Senate. And we cannot ignore the power of the political press as it, too, provides cover for both men. For example, the Washington-based online political site, Axios, went above and beyond in its twisting into a pretzel to pretend that Joe Biden’s use of “God save the Queen, man” at the end of a speech Friday that was about gun grabbing. No one knew where that random line came from and even the White House press pool covering the event could not offer up an explanation. Axios titled its article “Biden’s weird words.”

President Biden often uses old-timey expressions that confound even his own staff. That happened again Friday when he ended a speech on gun violence with “God save the queen, man.”

Even Olivia Dalton, the White House’s principal deputy press secretary, didn’t know what her boss meant. When journalists asked, she replied only that he “was commenting to someone in the crowd.”

Later, the White House didn’t respond when Axios asked what Biden had meant.

Why it matters: Biden’s quirky aphorisms are sometimes weaponized by Republicans to insinuate the 80-year-old president is in mental decline. But Biden has been using unique phrases for years — but even some of his aides aren’t exactly sure what he means by them.

It’s only a concern because Republicans pounce? Are you serious? When he speaks, the world listens. Imagine our allies in England hearing that. His mental decline is prominent enough that it affects his judgment in communication. Those words were not in the teleprompter to close out his speech. It’s something he winged, an off-the-cuff remark. What happened to just saying a simple thank you in the moment? Or, the traditional God bless America? A war was fought so that the American president isn’t required to defer to the monarchy. Not to mention the fact that Queen Elizabeth II passed away in September 2022.

Is it an old-timey expression, as Axios claims? I have never heard anyone use it. I doubt I’m alone in that. Axios reported that Biden has used it before. He used it as vice president in January 2017, after certifying Trump’s 2016 election victory. Axios admitted that “several current and former Biden aides” didn’t know what the phrase meant. Some thought it might be sarcasm from a proud Irishman whose ancestors weren’t fans of the crown. PROTECT BIDEN AT ALL COSTS! No matter how big a stretch an explanation turns into while doing so.

Axios ends its defense of Biden by saying there is cause for concern about Biden’s age and stamina as he runs for re-election but those wacky expressions? That’s just Biden being Biden. We see you, Axios.

Senator Fetterman showed up to greet Biden when he touched down in Philadelphia on Saturday, along with other officials. Fetterman was dressed in his usual attire – a hoodie and shorts. Everyone else was dressed appropriately. If we are to believe that Fetterman is capable of doing his job and everything is fine, why does he continue to get a pass for his unprofessional attire? Sorry, not sorry. If he can’t dress properly, he should not be out in public representing his constituents. That is a really basic requirement – just wear a suit, or at least a jacket and dress pants. It’s ok to skip the tie in more casual circumstances. He dresses like a teenager.

Joe Biden was greeted by John Fetterman in Pennsylvania, who showed up wearing shorts and a hoodie. pic.twitter.com/BTf1oRhpfR

— Real Mac Report (@RealMacReport) June 17, 2023

Things got worse when Fetterman spoke. He introduced another politician and things went terribly wrong, including getting his name wrong.

Senator John Fetterman: "It's a pleasure to be here and to introduce my friend, Congressman Boyle Bile."

(He means Rep. Brendan Boyle) pic.twitter.com/kNXX63loJh

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 17, 2023

And, it wasn’t any better when he spoke about Biden.

FETTERMAN: "[Biden] is here to commit to work with the governor and the delegadation to make sure that we get this fixed quick, fast, as well, too. This is a president that is committed to infructure, yeah, and then on top of that the jewel kind of a law of the infration." pic.twitter.com/9kBdp9MKK7

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 17, 2023

It’s a sad time for our country. We have two prominent Democrats who are clearly flailing. They will continue to do so because they do not have anyone around them who cares enough to let them know it is time to step back, time to retire from public life. Does no one love them enough to be brutally honest with them? Apparently, not.

I’m not so much upset with the men, because they don’t know what is going on, but I’m gob-smacked by their wives. Jill Biden has to lead her husband around to keep him walking in the right direction. Gisele Fetterman tries to keep her husband sheltered from the press. The two wives are so driven by their own ambitions that they are willing to sacrifice their husbands and act as though nothing is wrong. It’s abusive. Most of all, it is sad.

It’s all about the power and the status quo for the Democrat Party. Jill and Gisele like the power and the perks. Both men can barely do their jobs as it is now. Joe Biden is running for re-election and Democrats are going along with it. Some are grumbling on the sidelines but no one is stepping up to challenge him, except RFK, Jr. and Marianne Williamson. RFK, Jr. is doing better in the polls than was expected and that should raise a red flag for Democrats that voters are open to other candidates.

Fetterman will remain in office in order to keep the status quo in the Senate for the very slim Democrat majority. He should have left the race when he suffered a life-threatening stroke while campaigning for his office but he remained in the race and never gave himself the time to recover fully. Or, this is as good as it gets for his recovery. Either way, he should have allowed another Democrat to be the candidate. Instead, he and his wife campaigned from his basement. She kept assuring voters that everything was fine and her husband was recovering well. The reality is that Republicans had such a bad candidate that voters in Pennsylvania elected Fetterman. Special accommodations are made for him in the Senate. His communication skills are greatly lacking. That’s a problem for a U.S. Senator, as it is a deliberative body and communication is essential to do the job.

Every time Fetterman speaks, listeners cringe.

Since a major bridge collapsed in the all-important swing state of Pennsylvania, Biden went right away to campaign in Philadelphia and see the disaster for himself. He still hasn’t been to East Palestine, Ohio, a red area. Red versus blue is always high on Biden’s agenda. He has to keep the voters divided against each other. Without anger, he doesn’t have a stump speech. President Unity never takes responsibility for all the things going wrong during his time in office but quickly takes credit if something goes his way.

Biden is in a state of decline. His health is failing right before our eyes. Fetterman has not properly recovered from the stroke and may never. It is cruel for everyone to pretend otherwise.