Biden appears to be giving Gabby Giffords very lively praise

President Joe Biden appeared to praise a former Democratic congressman Gabby Giffords on Friday while seeing her husband Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in Arizona.

Giffords was terrible shot in the head during a 2011 mass shooting near Tuscon. She survived and resigned from the House. Her long road to recovery was well documented.

On Friday afternoon, Biden was in Arizona to apologize to Native Americans across the country on behalf of the U.S. government for the atrocities committed at boarding schools for Indian children.

Before his comments on Native American children, the president was introduced on stage by the governor. Stefan Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community. Biden thanked Lewis, introduced himself, gave Senator Kelly a shoutout and then appeared to refer to Giffords in the past tense:

I’m Joe Biden, husband of Jill Biden. Governor, thank you for the introduction. And to the – Gila River Indian Community – for welcoming me today. You know, I say this with all sincerity. To me, this is one of the most important things I have ever had the privilege of doing in my career as President of the United States. it is an honor, a real honor to be in this special place on this special day. Thank you to Senator Mark Kelly, a wonderful friend who was also married to an incredible woman who was my friend.

It wasn’t the first time Biden buried someone prematurely. As vice president in 2010 Biden asked for a blessing for the Irish Prime Minister’s mother, saying: “God bless her soul”, despite her being very much alive.

Biden went on to speak to Native Americans, where he offered an apology that he said was “overdue” regarding Indian children who were forcibly removed to boarding schools for a period of 150 years ending in the 1960s.

Hundreds of these children died in the schools, while countless others were subjected to physical and sexual abuse.

Biden on Friday became the first US president to officially apologize for the relocation programs, fulfilling a long-standing pledge to do so.

Watch above via C-SPAN.

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