Biden used a cheat sheet while doubling down on the message of ousting Putin

President Joe Biden once again referred to a printed cheat sheet when he doubled down on his unwritten weekend assertion that Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power.”

On Monday, Biden, 79, told reporters he did not apologize for his remarks — off the cuff and not part of his prepared speech in a nationally televised address from Poland on Saturday — and did not consider it a provocation towards Russia.

“It’s more of an aspiration than anything else. He shouldn’t be in power. There aren’t – I mean, people like that shouldn’t run countries, but they do. The fact is they do, but that doesn’t mean I can’t express my outrage about it.”

His comments closely matched notes printed on a small piece of paper, which he held in his left hand as he spoke, beginning as follows:

• If you weren’t advocating regime change, what did you mean? Could you explain that?

• I expressed the moral outrage I felt at this man’s actions

• I have articulated no change in policy

“I spoke to the Russian people. The last part of the speech was talking to the Russian people and telling them what we thought,” Biden told reporters.

The President has been photographed several times using a cheat sheet to speak to reporters and constituents both at the White House and on the campaign trail.

About two weeks before the 2020 election, he pulled notes from his jacket while answering a question about taxes at an event at City Hall.

“I carry this card with me,” Biden told the inquiring voter as he repeatedly pointed to the notes to recite a litany of dollar amounts and percentages related to his plan to eliminate former President Donald Trump’s tax cuts.

Photos showed he used several cheat sheets during his first presidential press briefing, including one listing the headshots and names of reporters he intended to call.

Biden also used notes during a 2021 summit with Putin, when he toured the damage from Hurricane Ida in Louisiana and visited reporters at the G20 summit in Rome.

“I’m going to answer your questions, and as usual, folks, you’ve given me a list of people I’m going to call,” Biden told the assembled media at the November forum.