Fact-checking website PolitiFact analyzed recent claims that US President Joe Biden is "incapacitated" as seen in a viral video wherein he was about to shake hands with nobody.
President Joe Biden toured last Thursday the new engineering and research facility at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the country's biggest historically Black university, with students, faculty, U.S. government officials, and Kathy Manning, a member of the House of Representatives, as per Marca.
Following that, he gave a speech regarding supply chain disruptions, economic renewal, and his administration's Build Back Better initiative.
The 79-year-old president went to his right at the end of his speech, extending out his hand like he was about to shake it with someone. The fact that he was the only one on stage at the time, however, drew the majority of the public's attention.
While those present congratulated him, the incident occurred. For a brief moment, Biden appeared baffled, murmuring something to himself and turning to his left before stepping offstage.
His video went viral on social media, prompting some users to speculate whether he noticed a ghost or made a protocol error.
Following the incident, Radio station WDBO posted on Facebook: "After Biden finished his speech today, he turned around and tried to shake hands with thin air and then wandered around looking confused."
Then it raised a question for the public, "Do you fear our president is incapacitated?"
The claim also showed up on social media giants YouTube and Twitter. Some politicians, like Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, commented on the video showing a seemingly confused president.
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What Really Happened?
This prompted PolitiFact to conduct fact-checking on the claim. According to its report, upon checking the clips and full videos of Biden's speech, the nonprofit project operated by the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg found out that the president is not trying to shake hands "with thin air."
Politifact said that "different angles show that he was gesturing toward onlookers behind him."
According to a C-SPAN video of the full address., When Biden completed speaking at the 53-minute mark, he turned to those gathered to his right behind him and pointed his hand towards them as they stood up to cheer, He then moved to his left and repeated the gesture for others sat on that side, who stood and clapped as well. Before heading down the ramp towards the audience in front of the podium, Biden smiled at both sides.
Biden speaks briefly to audience members before going out of the room surrounded by Secret Service personnel, as shown in a YouTube video from WFMY News 2 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Biden Critics React
PolitiFact also sought the input of the White House and North Carolina A&T State University but neither provided any comment as of present reporting.
"The clips of Biden gesturing to those seated in the audience are being misconstrued to appear as if he was trying to shake hands with air. We rate this claim False," the PolitiFact's analysis concluded.
On the other hand, Fox News reported that critics mocked PolitiFact's recent fact-checking effort.
Versus Media podcast host Stephen Miller reacted, "Dying at this entire thread..."
Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway ridiculed the liberal fact-checker, saying, "Get up get get get down, Politifact is a joke in your town."
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