If not Biden, who?

Monday was Martin Luther King Jr Day in the United States. And this year it was most memorable for two events. The first was the unveiling in Boston of a new sculptural tribute to the civil rights hero. Unfortunately, depending on the position from which you view this inept work of public art, it resembles either a man holding his head in despair or some people holding aloft a giant turd.

The second incident was Joe Biden doing what he does best. The President was careful not to politicise the day – apart from attacking the Republicans. But during his remarks he also noted that it was the birthday of King’s daughter-in-law and said that his wife has a rule that when it is someone’s birthday everybody should sing ‘Happy Birthday’. Crazy old rule.

So the President led the singing to Martin Luther King III’s wife Arndrea. ‘Happy birthday to you’ he started confidently. But he soon came to that tricky moment that has faced many restaurant staff. And he did not have the dexterity of those waiters who quickly sing ‘happy birthday, happy birthday’ in lieu of the name they do not know. Instead Biden sang something which came out like ‘Happy birthday dear Val-waaar’.

Perhaps the President should try slurring things a bit more. Because, as it happens, he has some explaining to do.

Last year the FBI sensationally raided Donald Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago. The cause was that the former president had allegedly kept hold of various top-secret documents that should have been deposited in the national archives when he left the White House. The material was said to include something compromising about the private life of a European leader, leading to much gossip in France for some reason.

Of course Trump was incandescent.