Biden is barely doing his job at this point and it’s insane.
A short video clip of President Joe Biden asking the Boston Celtics players, “You’re Celtics, right?” during a White House event has sparked a viral reaction online. Shared by the RNC Research account, the eight-second video quickly accumulated over 369,000 views, with many critics seizing on it to raise questions about Biden’s mental clarity. The clip shows Biden smiling and turning to the championship-winning team, seeking confirmation about their identity.
Republican voices, including those from Donald Trump’s communications team and the Republican National Committee, often use such moments—sometimes edited or presented without full context—to suggest that Biden is showing signs of cognitive decline. In this case, the brief clip doesn’t convey the full context, which shows that Biden was simply making a playful joke. In the complete video, the president opens his remarks by saying, “Welcome to the White House,” then adds, “I did not know any of these people behind me, but they just showed up out of nowhere. I do not know where in the hell they showed up from,” causing both the crowd and athletes to laugh. He then joked about the team’s identity, initially saying “The Balls,” but quickly fixed his mistake, saying, “You are the Celtics, right? The Boston Celtics?” This lighthearted exchange was met with cheers and applause.
The Boston Celtics were at the White House to celebrate their historic 18th NBA championship win. During the event, Biden also mentioned his personal connection to the Celtics, explaining that his Secret Service codename is “Celtic” due to his Irish roots.
While clips like this are often used to question Biden’s cognitive abilities, the full context paints a very different picture. Similar short videos posted by the RNC Research account have previously tried to create confusion, such as one that falsely claimed Biden had wandered off into the Amazon rainforest. In that instance, a longer version of the video revealed that Biden had simply walked down a path used by the press.
At the White House event, Biden also showed off his basketball skills, dribbling a ball tossed to him by a spectator, smiling for selfies with fans, and even engaging with the crowd in a lighthearted manner. However, despite the jovial atmosphere, Biden declined to take questions from reporters after his speech.
This viral clip is just one example of how Republicans are framing the debate as the 2024 election approaches, with many questioning whether Biden, who will be 82 when he leaves office, is mentally fit to continue serving as president. Many Republicans are eagerly anticipating a return to the White House for Donald Trump, who is set to begin his second term in January 2025.
WATCH:
BIDEN: "2024 NBA champions, the Balls— you're Celtics, right?" pic.twitter.com/gqVgRw9vQd
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 21, 2024