Did Biden do a handshake in thin air or gesture to the crowd? Social media is split

A 30 second video from a 40 minute speech by US President Joe Biden is viral on social media. Users are debating whether Biden was doing a "handshake in thin air". See for yourself

By: Trends Desk

New Delhi | Updated: April 17, 2022 06:33 AM IST

3 min read

President Joe Biden arrives to speak at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, in Greensboro, N.C. (Source: AP)

Over the years, handshakes between state leaders have often created a huge buzz online. However, on Friday, US President Joe Biden got everyone talking online when a video of him doing a “handshake in thin air” took social media by storm. While jokes, memes and trolling followed, it was later clarified that it’s not what appears to be.

It all started when, after finishing his speech at the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, POTUS turned and appeared to extend his hand to a side where no one standing beside him. He looked kind of confused for a moment before walking off the stage. However, his gesture in the void quickly garnered a lot of attention online, particularly from the Republicans, leaving all in a frenzy online.

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Watch the video here, which amassed more than 12.5 million views in less than a day.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz posted a wide-eyed emoji at Biden’s video. Other social media users, too, latched onto it, and wondered what went wrong.

https://twitter.com/ErikMartinezAr1/status/1514744025642934278

https://twitter.com/Daedalianthony/status/1514931079353966592
https://twitter.com/CarelessCulture/status/1514760715101519882
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However, many tried to defend Biden, claiming the angle of the camera did not show that he was gesturing to the crowd. “I’m not a Biden fan but he’s clearly gesturing to someone in the crowd,” a Twitter user tweeted sharing a picture of a wider shot.

The viral video, only 30 seconds of a 40-minute speech by Biden, was fact-checked by International Business Times. Examining the live footage from the event, the publication claimed it becomes clear that Biden wasn’t shaking hands with thin air. “In fact, he was gesturing at the people on the right and eventually behind him who were cheering. He even gestures toward the crowd on the left side of the dais, but it is covered by a mic stand,” the report noted.

Even though it was clarified, hashtag #handshake and #Biden continued to trend online with many making spoof videos and photoshopping the image.

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