Biden suggests very alive former Rep. Gabby Giffords is dead after bizarre remark: ‘Nothing wrong with me’

President Biden appeared to propose Friday that erstwhile Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) is either dormant aliases divorced— and nary longer his friend — successful an evident gaffe soon aft he told members of a Native American community that location is “nothing incorrect pinch me.” 

“Thank you to Sen. Mark Kelly, a awesome friend — who besides was joined to an unthinkable female who was my friend,” nan 81-year-old president told nan Gila River Indian Community, just southbound of Phoenix. 

Kelly, a Democratic legislator from Arizona, has been joined to Giffords — who is very overmuch alive — since 2007. 

Biden connected Friday said Giffords “was my friend” during a reside extracurricular of Phoenix, Ariz. REUTERS

The erstwhile congresswoman was shot successful nan head astatine a constituent forum successful Tucson successful January 2011 and miraculously survived. 

Giffords resigned from nan House of Representatives a twelvemonth later to attraction connected her recovery. 

Moments earlier that blunder, Biden stumbled complete nan sanction of nan preservation he was visiting and oddly reassured nan crowd that he was OK. 

“I’m Joe Biden and I’m Jill Biden’s husband,” nan president said astatine nan apical of his speech. “Gov, convey you for that introduction. And to nan Gila Indian River Community — nan Gila… nan Gila … thing incorrect pinch me.” 

He yet sewage nan sanction right. 

“The Gila River Indian Community, [thank you] for welcoming maine today,” Biden said. 

The president appeared to person problem reference nan teleprompters successful nan merciless Arizona sun. 

President Biden acknowledged that he was having problem reference nan teleprompter without his sunglasses. Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He whipped disconnected his trademark aviator sunglasses arsenic he began his remarks only to put them backmost connected astir a infinitesimal later. 

“I’m putting these glasses connected because I’m having problem seeing this,” Biden admitted. 

In his remarks, Biden apologized connected behalf of nan national authorities for nan humanities argumentation of forcing Native American children into assimilation-focused boarding schools.