Bandaged-up Biden says son Beau ‘should’ve been the president, not me’ in speech ripping Trump

Former President Joe Biden, wearing a seemingly fresh bandage on his head, told Nebraska Democrats Friday that his late son should have been elected commander-in-chief in 2020, not himself, in a speech ripping President Trump. 

The ex-president invoked the 2015 death of his eldest son, Beau Biden, from brain cancer to attack Trump, who he accused of “cutting government funding for cancer research” after his administration made it a “priority.”

“Folks, I know what cancer research means,” Biden said in a speech at the Nebraska Democratic Party’s Ben Nelson Gala. “Cancer hits every family. It’s hit my family hard.”

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“When the love of my life, my oldest son, the attorney general of the state of Delaware – who should’ve been the president, not me – volunteered to go to Iraq for a year, didn’t have to, he came back with stage four glioblastoma because he lived in a burn pit just like those guys did on 9/11, and he died,” the 46th president said quietly. 

Biden, who was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer earlier this year, then referenced his own battle with the disease. 

“But when you get that research, research, they’re, they’re doing, when they diagnose it – in my case, I just had prostate cancer – so, and, I, uh, when you finish that round of treatment, you get to ring that bell at the end of each treatment,” he said. “Well, thank God for the doctors and nurses and incredible breakthroughs we’re making in cancer research.” 

“Now, Trump and his Republican friends are cutting government funding for health care, making it more expensive.” 

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Biden, who turns 83 on Nov. 20, appeared at the event wearing a seemingly new bandage on the top-left portion of his head. The reason for the new bandage is unclear. 

In August, Biden underwent Mohs surgery, a procedure used to treat skin cancer, and appeared in public with healing gash – on a different part of his head.

“Why in God’s name are they doing this?” Biden shouted as he continued to rail against the Trump administration budget cuts, arguing that the reason for them is to cut taxes for the “wealthiest people in America.” 

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The ex-president became particularly enraged when discussing the record-long government shutdown.

Trump “better get the damn government open,” Biden fumed. 

“We have a president who is deliberately making hunger worse for Americans,” he charged, alluding to the funding lapse for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

“In the United States of America, 1 in 5 children, 1 in 5 children, go to bed hungry every night!” Biden shouted. 

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When the crowd booed, the former president said: “No, no, it’s more than ‘boo’ … it’s a disgrace!”

Trump and Republicans blame Senate Democrats’ repeated refusal to vote in favor of a measure that would fund the government at pre-shutdown levels for the prolonged shutdown.

Biden also touted Tuesday’s Democratic wins in state elections, declaring, “The Democratic Party is back – not hyperbole.” 

“The fact is that we had a great night in Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, New York City, Georgia, Mississippi, – even in Mississippi,” he said, arguing that the election results show voters are “sending a message to Trump and to his crowd.”