former president Joe Biden On Tuesday, he was at his alma mater, Syracuse University, for the unveiling of his portrait at the college. Amid the celebration of the 83-year-old’s life and achievements, Biden’s relaxed moment with Syracuse University trustees stood out.
With much of the latter part of his presidency marred by health issues and frequent gaffes, Biden appeared to mock the criticism by jokingly referring to the trustee as “Barack” (Barack Obama).
Video of Biden’s exchange with trustees was shared on social media and immediately went viral. While many pointed out that it was probably a joke, others accused the former president of racism.
Here’s the clip that went viral:
Biden targeted for alleged racism
While the quote may have been a joke, many, especially Democratic critics, were not satisfied. Many claimed the quote was racist.
“Biden has been a Democrat since the great political shift. I’m sure racism won’t go away with this shift,” one user wrote.
“Biden and the Democrats are more blatantly racist,” another said.
Another commented: “Biden is racist again.”
“This is actually racist,” said conservative talk show host Kimberly Klacik.
“Racism at worst, dementia at best,” one person said.
This story is being updated.
