Former president Jimmy Carter is 98 years old and receiving hospice care. It’s obvious to everyone that his days on this earth are significantly numbered, especially after the statement by the Carter Center almost a month ago.

Enter Joe Biden, who could not resist the urge to flap his gums about Carter’s current state of health during a private fundraiser in California – and his role once the former president dies.

“I spent time with Jimmy Carter, and it’s finally caught up with him, but they found a way to keep him going for a lot longer than they anticipated because they found a breakthrough,” Biden said at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser.”

“He asked me to do his eulogy,” he added.”

The president then appeared to catch himself for sharing the information, saying, “Excuse me, I shouldn’t say that.”

Biden was speaking to about 40 guests at a fundraiser in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., alongside Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), while on a three-day trip to California and Nevada.”

How very typical of Biden, the bragging blowhard, to toot his own horn and preen that he’s been asked to give the eulogy. Jimmy Carter is not dead yet, but Joe Biden is more than willing to whack him on the head and throw him on the cart as soon as possible.

How did these comments come about? Biden was discussing cancer research and treatment. And it’s a good thing he’s not a doctor, because he also broke confidence on Carter’s health.

He also implied the former president’s cancer had returned. These remarks were not recorded as video was not allowed.”

The comments came as Biden was discussing breakthroughs in cancer treatment and urging the dozens of people in the room to increase funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an initiative Biden created last year to improve the government’s ability to speed biomedical and health research.”

Good thing a president isn’t subject to HIPAA, or anything. It is well-known that Jimmy Carter had fought metastatic melanoma that had spread to his liver and his brain, but went into remission and was declared “cancer free” after immunotherapy treatment – the kind of treatment that Biden loves to brag about. However, melanoma is a nasty cancer, and can return very aggressively. (Wear sunscreen daily, everyone. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.) Looking at Biden’s statements, he is almost certainly referring to the immunotherapy that Carter received – which was approved by the FDA in 2014 as a last-ditch effort for those cancer patients that had not responded to other treatments – as the “way” that was “found” to “keep him going for a lot longer than they anticipated.” And now Biden is saying that “it’s finally caught up with him.” And then he casually drops that HE gets to give the eulogy. Only THEN does Biden stop himself and realize that he should have just kept his damned mouth shut. Not after spilling the beans on Carter’s current health, but after his humblebrag. Gross.

Honestly, given Joe Biden’s current state of mental acuity, I have serious concerns about him being able to deliver the eulogy at all. I realize that having the sitting president of the United States give a eulogy for a former president, especially one from the same political party, would be considered an honor. But… this guy? The guy that is constantly flubbing and gaffing and fighting the teleprompter?

All we need is one “end of quote, repeat the line” gaffe during a eulogy to make everyone realize – at a funeral – that Biden is quite likely to be the next president in need of a eulogy being read for him. Not the best visual, hmmm? It would be much smarter if the Carter family tapped Barack Obama to give the eulogy, even if it seems more prestigious to have Biden do it. But even if the Carter family did want Obama to give the eulogy, they’re backed into a corner now. After all, Biden has said that Jimmy Carter asked HIM to do it. How do we know Biden isn’t lying, and simply wanted to claim the opportunity for himself before someone else got the job? Looks like the Carters are stuck now.

But are the Democrats? Biden was running his mouth at a DNC fundraiser, because he’s going to need to start tapping those deep donor pockets as he likely prepares for his re-election run. However, polling is quite clear that Biden is not exactly lighting people’s hearts on fire for a second term. But who would be brave enough on the Democrat side to challenge a sitting president – and not be a long long long LONG shot like Marianne Williamson? Biden will likely end up the nominee out of fear and apathy – they can’t find anyone better, and the Democrats are too afraid to ditch the old man who looks like he could be in the casket instead of delivering the eulogy.

Biden probably thinks that Carter’s passing will take the pressure off him for a bit, as the media will be focused on all the pomp and circumstance surrounding the death of a president. That’s really never how it works, and the unfortunate visuals of an 80 year old man delivering a eulogy isn’t going to reassure the public one bit. Especially if he screws it up.

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