Joe Biden's 'I have cancer' gaffe stuns Twitter; White House clarifies speech flub

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday left his audience and the internet startled after he claimed to "have cancer" during an address in Somerset, Massachusetts. Biden was discussing the adversities of emissions from oil refineries, recalling his childhood near one in Delaware, when he "accidentally" stated many people he grew up with have cancer.

"My mother drove us rather than us being able to walk and guess what? The first frost, you know what was happening?... That’s why I and so damn many other people I grew up with have cancer and why for the longest time, Delaware had the highest cancer rate in the nation," Biden said, adding to one of the many faux pas in recent.In very many references to his childhood, Biden claimed his mother used windshield wipers "to get literally the oil slick off the window."

Did Biden just say he has CANCER? Very concerning if true, but I HIGHLY DOUBT he knows what he’s talking about. Biden’s cognitive decline is so bad, he’s 100% UNABLE to read from a teleprompter. This has gone too far. He needs to RESIGN!
pic.twitter.com/nvBTBSfSng

— Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX)

Internet questions: 'Gaffe or bombshell admission?'

Biden's clip spread like wildfire on Twitter, leaving netizens in shock. "Cancer? This is either the biggest bombshell admission or biggest gaffe in history," said Real Clear Politics chairperson Tom Bevan. "President Biden just said he has cancer. Is it true? Or is the Commander in Chief confused? Who knows!!," said a Twitterati. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert took a jibe at the American President's ignorant speech, saying "People keep talking about Biden saying he has cancer. No one is talking about the fact that he claims he got it from windshield wipers". "Ok the American people have a right to know if Joe Biden has CANCER…or Alzheimer’s," said her potential colleague Lavern Spicer. 

Ok the American people have a right to know if Joe Biden has CANCER…or Alzheimer’s 🤷🏾‍♀️

— Lavern Spicer🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@lavern_spicer)

President Biden just said he has cancer.

Is it true?

Or is the Commander in Chief confused?

Who knows!! pic.twitter.com/OyrPXCYrd2

— Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog)

People keep talking about Biden saying he has cancer.

No one is talking about that he claims he got it from windshield wipers.

— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert)

While some poked fun at Biden's misspoken words, some cancer survivors organisations and activists were infuriated by it. "Pro tip: don't say you have cancer when you don't," said Independent Women's Forum senior fellow Beverly Hallberg. On the other hand, Washington Post journalist Glenn Kessler pointed out that Biden had skin cancer before he assumed office as President. His non-melanoma skin cancer was removed following a common procedure before he became President, "How dumb is this tweet...," Kessler tweeted. He attached Biden's physician's report from former White House spokesperson Jen Psaki's table which confirmed that the cancer was separated through Mohs surgery.

White House clears air over Biden's cancer gaffe

According to Fox News reports, the White House later clarified that Biden was in fact referring to his previous diagnosis. In a statement, the White House retracted the US President's comments clarifying that the POTUS does not have any kind of cancer at present.

The US President was in Massachusetts to announce new executive climate actions at an erstwhile coal plant- Brayton Point Power Station. The recent mix-up comes while Biden's critics just settled down over his controversial 'fist-bump' with Saudi leader Mohammed bin Salman. A week prior to that he was heckled by a gun-violence victim's father during a celebratory event in the White House.

(Image: AP)