CNN's Anderson Cooper cracked up with his guests on Thursday as he and a former Bill Clinton advisor deliberately flubbed each other's names, a gentle and topical ribbing of Joe Biden in light of the president's latest gaffes.
Appearing on AC360, Cooper asked political consultant and commentator Paul Begala his thoughts on Biden's remarks to a live audience in a question-and-answer session.
Begala said he found Biden to be heavy on substance, but light on style.
"I saw substantive mastery," said Begala. "I mean my goodness it was a tour de force in a tour of the world."
Begala heaped praise onto Biden for talking through tough situations the country faces with Ukraine, China, and the Israel-Hamas war.
"He seemed to have the substance really at his command," said Begala.
However, he lost style points for the "soft voice," Begala said, and didn't appear to have the same "command" that he had at his inaugural address. Begala acknowledged Biden's latest appearance was not the "catastrophic failure he had at the debate."
Then the conversation shifted to Biden's latest flubs Thursday.
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Hours after Biden mistakenly introduced Ukraine's leader as "President Putin," Biden flubbed his own running mate's name, instead calling her "Vice President Trump." The mistakes led to a firestorm of reaction on social media for Biden, who was already facing calls from several within his own party to drop out of the race.
"He already getting static for slipping and saying Vice President Trump," Begala said. He deadpanned: "Anybody could do that, Tucker."
After a brief two-second pause, Cooper got the joke, and the pair shared a laugh.
"Thanks, thanks uh, James Carville," he retorted, trying to hold back a smile as he turned to a chuckling Ashley Etienne, who served as communications director for Harris.
