After the New York Post reported that a widely shared video showed President Joe Biden freezing up during a Los Angeles fundraiser Saturday, the White House pushed back and asserted that the Post is deliberately misleading readers. Rather than freezing up and needing to be led off stage by former President Barack Obama, senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates wrote on X that Biden was taking in the crowd’s applause as the event ended.
TheWrap’s reporter in attendance at the L.A. event noted that it did not appear to the crowd as if Biden froze up. Obama put his hand on Biden’s wrist, at which point he turned toward Obama. As the two walked off stage, Obama put his arm around Biden’s back. He did not appear to be leading Biden away.
Video from a livestream of the fundraiser, shared by journalist Olga Nesterova of the ONEST Network, showed more angles of what Biden was doing on stage during the event’s conclusion.
Here is the video that spread on social media, shared by people including media personality Piers Morgan, which the Post used to support its coverage. Morgan described it by writing, “So embarrassing. The Democrats can’t let this go on, surely?”
The clip was also shared by the RNC Research account on X, which is run by the Republican National Committee and the Donald Trump campaign.
Bates wrote on X, “Fresh off being fact-checked by at least six mainstream outlets for lying about POTUS with cheap fakes, Rupert Murdoch’s sad little super PAC, the New York Post, is back to disrespecting its readers and itself once again. Their ethical standards could deal with a little unfreezing.”
“By pretending the President taking in an applauding crowd for a few seconds is somehow wrong, all they’re really admitting — once again — is they can’t take on the leadership that’s fueling the strongest economic growth in the world and bringing violent crime to a 50-year low,” Bates added.
Biden, known to have a stutter, did stutter and occasionally pause during the event Saturday, but he did not appear confused. The president remained low-key, with Obama being the more energized speaker, though Biden did land several statements in a punchy fashion. He also told anecdotes that occasionally wandered, as both Biden and his opponent are known to do.
Saturday’s fundraiser raised over $28 million, making it the most successful in Democratic Party history.
