Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn just prior to a trip to Chicago, Biden said that, "It’s hard to tell, but he's clearly losing the war in Iraq. He's losing the war at home and he has become a bit of a pariah around the world. And it’s not just NATO; it’s not just the European Union. It’s Japan. It’s — it’s — you know, it’s 40 nations," he said.
The error was a repetition of a similar statement made Tuesday, when Biden spoke at a fundraiser in Chevy Chase, MD.
In that instance, Biden said, "Think about this. If anybody told you — and my staff wasn’t so sure, either — that we’d be able to bring all of Europe together in the onslaught on Iraq and get NATO to be completely united, I think they would have told you it’s not likely."
In an official transcript of the President's statements, the White House crossed out, "Iraq," and added, "Ukraine," in parentheses.
In that same instance, Biden spoke about his "new best friend, the prime minister of a little country that’s now the largest in the world, China — I mean, excuse me, India. India is not looking for a permanent alliance, but they’re looking for some hedge against — in the region."
