(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Joe Biden faced social media scrutiny after an incident where he appeared to approach a visibly frightened young girl during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania.
Footage of the interaction, which took place at Nowhere Coffee Co. in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, showed the president leaning over to observe a bookshelf behind a young girl seated at a table
😳 what on earth is he whispering? https://t.co/uvqsUtNfIO
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) January 12, 2024
“I’m sorry,” whispered Biden to the uncomfortable young girl. Another patron seemed to intervene, grabbing the girl’s hand to make her turn towards Biden. The girl then awkwardly smiled at Biden while maintaining her distance.
The exchange unfolded as reporters pressed Biden about the scandal involving Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd, who failed to promptly inform the White House about a case of prostate cancer.
A reporter asked Biden, “Do you have confidence in Secretary Austin?” as he interacted with the young girl. Biden replied affirmatively, but when questioned about the lapse in judgment, he admitted, “Yes.”
The interaction drew criticism from political commentators and Twitter observers, many of whom highlighted Biden’s history of awkward interactions with young individuals.
This poor girl https://t.co/PLfh7Jzt1G
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) January 12, 2024
The Blaze posted, “This young girl looks pretty creeped out by Biden…,” while New York Post columnist Miranda Devine questioned, “[W]hat on earth is he whispering?”
Daily Wire Investigator Editor Brent Scher commented, “This poor girl.” Echoing Scher’s sentiments, podcast host Benny Johnson remarked, “Joe Biden makes teenage girl visibly uncomfortable as she squirms away from him when he starts creepily whispering in her ear.”
Anti-Transgenderism personality Oli London added, “Young teenage girl looks uncomfortable and nervous as 81 year old Biden creepily leans over her and whispers to her.”
This incident is not the first time Biden has faced criticism for awkwardly approaching young girls. In November 2023, he came under fire after telling a 6-year-old girl, “I love your ears” at a Thanksgiving event. On July 14, 2023, he was seen nibbling at the shoulder of a girl in Finland.
Biden is so weird with children. He tells a 6-year old girl: “I love your ears.”
pic.twitter.com/lfQQir1gh5— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) November 19, 2023
#WATCH | President Joe Biden weirdly nibbles a little girl in Finland:pic.twitter.com/ixMFIYj7XG
— VOZ (@Voz_US) July 14, 2023
Notably, in 2019, Biden issued an apology video addressing his reputation for being overly affectionate. “I want to talk about gestures of support that I’ve made to women and some men that have made them uncomfortable,” he acknowledged.
He added, “The boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. I get it. I get it. I hear what they’re saying and I understand it. I’ll be much more mindful. That’s my responsibility and I’ll meet it.”
Social norms are changing. I understand that, and I’ve heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. That’s my responsibility and I will meet it. pic.twitter.com/Ya2mf5ODts
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 3, 2019
