Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s got the political world buzzing—viral clips of President Joe Biden that are causing quite a stir. These videos, showing Biden in seemingly frail or confused moments, have been labeled as “cheap fakes” by the White House. Let’s break down what’s happening.
During a White House press briefing on Monday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the growing concern over President Biden’s mental acuity and physical fitness as he runs for a second term. She was pressed by a reporter to respond to these viral clips, which have been spreading like wildfire across social media.
A reporter asks Karine Jean-Pierre about how Barack Obama and Giorgia Meloni both had to physically put hands on Joe Biden to guide him. Both videos are authentic. Both went viral.
KJP: “This did not happen in the sense of what people were saying they were seeing.”
What?!? pic.twitter.com/vRqN6oN7Cn
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 17, 2024
Jean-Pierre didn’t mince words. She described the videos as “cheap fakes,” a term the White House is using to discredit them. “They are done in bad faith,” she said, accusing right-wing critics of spreading misinformation and disinformation. She emphasized that some news organizations have already pointed out credibility issues with these critics, who have been caught pushing false narratives.
REPORTER: “There seems to be a rash of videos that have been edited to make the President appear especially frail or mentally confused…”
KJP: “They are cheap fakes video. They are done in bad faith.” pic.twitter.com/uXJ2sgxMiE
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 17, 2024
So, what are these videos showing? One clip that made headlines depicted Biden wandering away from other G-7 leaders during a photo op in Italy, where they were watching skydivers. Another clip from a recent weekend fundraiser in Los Angeles showed former President Barack Obama guiding Biden off the stage, sparking further speculation about Biden’s condition.
🚨#WATCH: A confused and frozen Biden is grabbed by the hand by #Obama and led off stage at the conclusion of #fundraiser hosted by Julia Roberts and George Clooney…😳 pic.twitter.com/50qfrpNpUo
— Andre Nuta 🇺🇲 (@andre_nuta) June 16, 2024
These clips often find their way to X (formerly Twitter), where they go viral and fuel media coverage. This, in turn, prompts fact-checkers to scrutinize and the White House to issue denials. Jean-Pierre specifically called out the Italy and Normandy clips as “cheap fakes” that misrepresent the president’s actions. She argued that Biden was actually thanking troops in the Normandy clip, and the fundraiser moment with Obama simply showcased their friendship.
What is going on with Biden?
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni had to “guide” Biden back to the group and saved him from further embarassment. pic.twitter.com/jGn4LgNvhz
— Average Engineer (Modi Ki Bua Ka Ladka) (@yebhadiyatha) June 14, 2024
The Republican National Committee (RNC) quickly fired back. Their X account, known for posting unflattering clips of Biden, accused Jean-Pierre of being upset over their distribution of “unfiltered, unedited, publicly available clips” of Biden. They doubled down, promising to continue sharing such footage and mocking Jean-Pierre’s reaction as a sign of desperation.
“Karine Jean-Pierre is BIG MAD that we distribute unfiltered, unedited, publicly available clips of Biden in public. (We’ll do more),” RNC said. “Jean-Pierre has a conniption over raw footage of Biden wandering around in public,” it said in another post. “This level of coping and seething hasn’t been seen in YEARS!”
The clips, whether seen as genuine concerns or deceptive portrayals, are shaping public perception. As the debate rages on, the American public is left to sift through the noise and decide for themselves what’s real and what’s not.
As election season heats up, expect more of these viral moments and the ensuing clashes between political opponents.
