Biden's dangerous, incoherent ramblings about the threat of war between Russia and Ukraine show that his mental decline may have disastrous consequences for America and the world, writes JIM GERAGHTY

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On Thursday, President Joe Biden and his administration frantically walked back an incredibly dangerous blunder that he made less than 24 hours ago.

Sitting behind a desk and reading from a script on Thursday, Biden pretended that yesterday didn't happen.

'Well, let me start by first getting a few words about Russia and Ukraine,' he said, looking down to read, 'I've been absolutely clear with President Putin. He has no misunderstanding, if any, any assembled Russian units move across the Ukrainian border, that is an invasion.'

The problem is that yesterday, when he wasn't reading from a script, he said something completely different.

'I think what you're going to see is that Russia will be held accountable if it invades,' Biden said on Wednesday at the second press conference of his presidency. 'And it depends on what it does. It's one thing if it's a minor incursion and then we end up having a fight about what to do and not do, et cetera.'

Biden may not have intended to give Vladimir Putin a green light for small hit-and-run attacks, but Biden effectively told Putin that the U.S. and NATO actions to 'hold Russia accountable' may not be as intense for a 'minor incursion.'

This is not deterrence; this is unwitting encouragement.

The remark triggered an immediate reaction around the world – especially in Ukraine.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden and his administration frantically walked back an incredibly dangerous blunder that he made less than 24 hours ago. (Above) Biden speaking at White House press conference on January 19, 2022

Biden may not have intended to give Vladimir Putin a green light for small hit-and-run attacks, but Biden effectively told Putin that the U.S. and NATO actions to 'hold Russia accountable' may not be as intense for a 'minor incursion.' (Above) Biden and Putin meeting on June 16, 2021, in Geneva, Switzerland

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted, 'We want to remind the great powers that there are no minor incursions and small nations. Just as there are no minor casualties and little grief from the loss of loved ones. I say this as the President of a great power'

Putin has amassed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border – as he threatens to invade and seize territory that he didn't take during Russia's 2014 invasion of Crimea.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried to help with damage control as well, saying 'any kind of incursion, on any scale' would be 'a disaster not just for Ukraine but for Russia.'

But again, that's not what the President of the United States said when it mattered.

Even worse, Biden's answer at his press conference suggested he hadn't been listening in intelligence briefings about the Russian military.

'Minor incursions' are exactly how Russia's invasions of Crimea and eastern Ukraine started during the Obama administration.

'Little green men' were not Martians, but the first wave of Russian military forces, working without insignias for plausible deniability, who crossed over the Ukrainian border in Crimea and secretly began operations in February 2014.

In a belated-recognition of this fact, Biden tried to look smart today.

'Remember when they moved into the Donbass [region of Ukraine] with the Little Green Men?' he reminded reporters.

In a sign that some members of the White House press corps still recognize actual news, Biden was asked on Wednesday to elaborate on his remarks about a 'minor incursion.'

Putin has amassed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border – as he threatens to invade and seize territory that he didn't take during Russia's 2014 invasion of Crimea.

'Are you saying that a minor incursion by Russia into Ukrainian territory would not lead to the sanctions that you have threatened? Or are you effectively giving Putin permission to make a small incursion into the country?' a reporter asked.

'Good question,' Biden laughed. 'That's how it did sound like, didn't it?'

Yes, it did Mr. President.

But then – nothing.

He didn't say that was a misstatement or a misinterpretation. He launched into another long-winded, confusing answer.

Subsequent follow-ups made it even worse, with Biden announcing to the world that, 'there are differences in NATO as to what countries are willing to do depending on what happens — the degree to which they're able to go…'

'The serious imposition of sanctions,' he continued, 'relative to dollar transactions and other things are things that are going to have a negative impact on the United States, as well as a negative impact on the economies of Europe as well.'

Biden was referring to warnings sent to Russia in recent weeks that the U.S. could retaliate against the Kremlin by targeting the Russian banking industry's ability to convert roubles into dollars.

This may well represent Biden setting up Europe as a scapegoat if Russia invades and NATO's responses are weak and ineffective. Biden will later be able to use the excuse that he wanted to do more, but European allies wouldn't let him.

In short, in a press conference that was designed to reassure everyone, Biden declared that the U.S. might not respond strongly to a minor incursion, that NATO members are divided on what to do about Russia's aggression, and that European members fear the economic consequences of new sanctions on Russia.

At least Biden didn't blurt out the nuclear launch codes.

Even when grading on the curve of a 79-year-old man who was never known for verbal discipline, Biden's press conference Wednesday afternoon was deeply troubling.

 We've watched him for decades, and we know the Biden before us is not as sharp, not as quick, not as energetic as the vice president and senator we remember.

Afterwards, White House press secretary offered one of her signature 'what the president meant to say' press releases, declaring, 'if any Russian military forces move across the Ukrainian border, that's a renewed invasion, and it will be met with a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and our Allies.'

But Biden had many opportunities to say that – and he didn't!

A rather revealing exchange came later, when Newsmax correspondent Rosen began, 'I'd like to raise a delicate subject but with utmost respect for your life accomplishments and the high office you hold: A poll released, this morning, by Politico/Morning Consult found 49 percent of registered voters disagreeing with the statement, "Joe Biden is mentally fit." Not even a majority of Democrats who responded strongly affirmed that statement.'

Biden laughed and said, 'Well, I'll let you all make the judgment whether they're correct.'

But Rosen wasn't finished, continuing, 'Why do you suppose such large segments of the American electorate have come to harbor such profound concerns about your cognitive fitness?'

Biden offered a four-word response: 'I have no idea.'

And then the president moved on to the next question.

Even when grading on the curve of a 79-year-old man who was never known for verbal discipline, Biden's press conference Wednesday afternoon was deeply troubling, and further evidence that his thinking and speaking habits are fundamentally mismatched with the duties of his office.

It's an opinion now shared by nearly half of American adults, according to a new AP-NORC Center Poll, which found that 47% are not confident that Biden has the mental capacity to serve as president. 46% doubt that he is healthy enough to fulfill his duties.

Now, no one likes answering a question like that, but facing tough questions about your performance is part of the job of being president.

Biden is the oldest man to ever serve in the Oval Office. In the 1980's he had surgery for not one, but two brain aneurysms.

We've watched him for decades, and we know the Biden before us is not as sharp, not as quick, not as energetic as the vice president and senator we remember.

Back in July, John Ellis astutely analyzed how it was acceptable within media circles to acknowledge Biden's age and mental condition if you used certain euphemisms: 'He's lost a step or two.' Or: 'he's lost something off his fastball.'

Unfortunately, Biden the president retained the worst habits of Biden the senator and vice president – a tendency to bluster and ramble, utterly oblivious to how he's coming across and the consequences of what he's saying, wildly stretching the truth in places and in other spots just outright lying.

Yesterday was just the second formal White House press conference of Biden's presidency – and it's easy to see why chief of staff Ron Klain and the rest of Biden's team want him to avoid these, and rarely have him sit down for one-on-one interviews.

The president of the United States cannot go before the cameras and speak for very long without hurting himself and his agenda, which is bad enough. 

But Biden's lack of mental and verbal discipline (or even control) could have even worse consequences for the country and the world.

Jim Geraghty is the senior political correspondent of National Review and the author of five books, most recently, Hunting Four Horsemen.