A video of President Joe Biden seemingly ignoring a young Black woman supporter in favor of an older white supporter has gone viral, prompting a flurry of reactions, particularly from Republican supporters who suggest Donald Trump should use it as campaign material.
The video was reportedly taken in Madison, Wisconsin, where Biden was meeting and greeting his supporters. The footage shows Biden hugging supporters and taking selfies. During this interaction, a young Black girl holding a Biden-Harris sign can be seen waiting for her turn. However, Biden appears to move past her and hugs a white woman standing next to her. The girl then looks away, appearing visibly upset, but later smiles as Biden interacts with others around her.
Smitten black girl rejected by Biden who instead stopped to take selfies with old angry white women. pic.twitter.com/iKWM52AMeP
— John Curtis (@Johnmcurtis) July 5, 2024
One social media user commented, “Trump should run this as a campaign ad,” while another added, “The look on her face. Oh my!”
Another user shared a similar sentiment: “Smitten black girl rejected by Biden who instead stopped to take selfies with old angry white women.” The same user further claimed, “Not only did Biden shun the black girl, not once, but twice, and one of the old white hands that Biden favored cursed her for holding a sign.”
Adding another layer to the controversy, one user shared another video suggesting that the young Black girl was not initially in the front row but was moved there to be visible to the cameras, accusing Biden of using her as a political prop. “It gets worse. The black girl was pulled from the back row and placed up front where cameras could see her. She was nothing more than a political stunt for Biden to gain appeal with black voters, and he ignored her,” the user said.
Some comments even suggested that Trump should capitalize on the incident. “Trump should send her a personal invite to his next rally,” one user wrote. Another criticized Biden’s actions, saying, “That was crude, rude, hurtful and embarrassing. Ignored twice, and basically pushed aside. He is so obvious, and disgusting. She would not have been treated like that at a Trump event.”
Joe Biden: “I grew up at the black church”
Also Joe Biden at a black church ??:
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 7, 2024
The incident also brought to light a recent slip-up by Biden during a radio interview on Thursday (4), where he mistakenly referred to himself as “the first black woman to serve with a Black president.”
While the video has ignited a debate and stirred political sentiments, the full context of the interaction and Biden’s intentions remain unclear. As the footage circulates, it continues to generate discussion about political optics and voter engagement.