President Joe Biden got a little too close for comfort with a young girl during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, and the internet was ready to call him out on it.
In a clip on X, the president’s creepy gesture was highlighted during a local news segment about his campaign stop to pitch higher tariffs on Chinese steel manufacturers. However, his tactile touch of a young girl standing by his side on stage has taken attention away from his message. Rubbing her cheek with the back of his hand, President Biden looks down while the girl smiles awkwardly and plays along.
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“The bottom line is I want fair competition with China, not conflict,” Biden said in prepared remarks. “And we’re in a stronger position to win the economic competition in the 21st century against China, or anywhere else, because we’re investing in America and American workers again.”
The president’s visit comes as part of a three-day swing through Pennsylvania, a state where he has trailed former President Donald Trump in the polls for months and is critical to his reelection campaign. Recent results show the Democratic incumbent pulling ahead, but the latest misstep may prove damaging to his trademark grandfatherly brand. KTVZ reports he appeared in his hometown of Scranton on Tuesday to talk tax policy with union workers, and on Thursday he will appear in Philadelphia for several rallies, setting up a split-screen showdown with Trump as his rival remains stuck in Manhattan district court for his hush money trial.
Republicans like Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO) have already put Biden on blast for sniffing young girls’ hair on numerous occasions. One Republican Senate candidate in South Carolina already jumped on the news, posting a vomiting emoji in response to the video.
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