President Joe Biden appeared at the National Bar Association’s 100th annual gala held Thursday night at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.

The event, attended by black judges, lawyers, and lawmakers including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), marked one of Biden’s few public appearances following his disclosure of an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

Biden, 82, looked visibly disoriented upon arrival. Video from the gala shows Biden being guided to his seat and later to the podium.

BREAKING: Former President Joe Biden walks onto the stage and gets LOST at the National Bar Association Gala. He is NOT doing okay... pic.twitter.com/abHSCh0Jwu

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Once at the microphone, the president delivered a slurred and, at times, rambling speech focused on race, civil rights, and political opposition to the Trump administration.

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The president at one point shouted, “All men and women are created equal! And deserve to be treated equally throughout their lives!” The outburst came without apparent provocation and was not tied to a specific part of his speech’s structure.

Biden warned the audience that the political climate under the current administration posed existential threats to marginalized groups.

“Not since those tumultuous days in 1960s has this fight been so existential to who we are as a nation, with marginalized groups so dramatically under attack,” he said.

He continued by referencing his own administration, though the phrasing appeared confusing. “My friends, we need to face the hard truth of this administration, and that it has been to ease all the gains we’ve made in my administration,” Biden stated.

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He further alleged efforts to “erase history rather than making it,” and claimed his political opponents aim “to erase fairness, equality, to erase justice itself.”

Video clips of the speech circulated widely online Thursday night, drawing attention to Biden’s delivery and demeanor.

Critics pointed to his slurred speech and repeated stumbles as signs of cognitive decline, reigniting questions about his fitness to serve, especially amid his ongoing health battles.

The event brought together members of the legal community to mark the centennial of the National Bar Association, which primarily represents African American legal professionals.

While other speakers emphasized the role of legal advocacy and historical progress, Biden focused heavily on perceived political threats and sought to contrast his presidency with that of President Donald Trump.

No additional statement was released by the White House following the speech.

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