US Presidential Election 2024: Lip-reader 'decodes' viral video of Joe Biden, Barack Obama's talk, 'She's not as..'

Written By Pravrajya Suruchi | Updated: Oct 18, 2024, 08:59 PM IST

U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama

A viral video shows a supportive exchange between Biden and Obama, with lip-read speculation about discussing Kamala Harris's candidacy for the upcoming election.

A video showing an exchange between U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama has recently gone viral on social media. The video, taken during a memorial service for Ethel Kennedy in Washington, shows a brief conversation between the two, just weeks before the upcoming election on November 5. While the topic of their discussion isn't entirely clear, some viewers have speculated that the footage captures Obama "pulling up" or "scolding" Biden.

The New York Post reported that a professional lip-reader, Jeremy Freeman, who is a forensic expert with 16 years of experience in London, attempted to decipher the conversation. According to Freeman, the exchange began with Biden saying, "She’s not as strong as me," to which Obama responded, "I know... that’s true. We have time." Biden then followed up with, "Yeah, we’ll get it in time." Earlier in the conversation, Obama reportedly hinted at joining Vice-President Kamala Harris on the campaign trail, saying, "It's important that we have some time together."

The mention of an unnamed "she" has led some to speculate that the two were discussing Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee. Harris took over as the party's candidate after Biden's withdrawal from the race earlier in the year. Following Biden's exit, Harris initially saw a boost in polling, but her numbers have now become more competitive, especially in key swing states.

Freeman described the interaction as supportive, noting that while Obama did shake his head at one point, there didn’t appear to be any tension between them. He suggested that the conversation was likely focused on the upcoming election and the strategy for moving forward.

Reactions to Freeman’s lip-reading translation have been mixed. Some Democratic insiders interpreted it as a candid acknowledgment of concerns about Harris's strength as a candidate, while others questioned the accuracy of the transcript. One Democratic source noted that there had been ongoing concerns about Harris's ability to be a strong alternative to Biden, especially since his popularity had waned.

However, the Biden team quickly dismissed the report. Andrew Bates, a spokesperson for Biden, mocked the use of a "lip-reading expert" and argued that only Biden and Obama knew what was said, but that it certainly wasn’t what was reported. A source close to Obama also dismissed outside interpretations of the conversation as "ridiculous."

The speculation comes after Biden decided to exit the presidential race following a poorly received debate with Donald Trump on June 27, which led to increasing pressure from within the Democratic Party for him to step aside. On July 21, Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed Harris as the Democratic candidate for president, setting the stage for a competitive battle against Republican candidate Donald Trump.

 

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