I never thought we’d get to the point where we’d need someone to tell the president of the United States when he should leave the stage and what he should do before then, but I guess there’s a first for everything — and that first is named Joseph Robinette Biden.
On Wednesday, the president seemed to suffer another episode of premature departure when he walked offstage after a media briefing with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, or Lula for short, without shaking his hand.
Lula, as a very viral clip showed, was having none of it.
According to a fact sheet released by the White House after the two held the briefing in New York in the midst of the United Nations General Assembly, the two men “launched the Partnership for Worker’s Rights, the first joint U.S.-Brazil global initiative to advance the rights of working people around the world.”
The deal itself isn’t worth poring over: It’s the usual claptrap about labor rights, “green” energy and giving a hand to those goshdarned oppressed workers — something both Biden and Lula, a dedicated leftist, can get behind.
Building ties with Brazil is also a key agenda item for the U.S. since Lula leads one of the so-called BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — which have formed an economic bloc that tends to run counter to U.S. interests. (As you may have heard, there are occasional contretemps between Washington, D.C., and the governments in Moscow and Beijing.)
Biden, reading off note cards at the event, didn’t seem super pumped to be there, although “high-energy” isn’t exactly Uncle Joe’s middle name.
Biden, reading his pre-written script directly from a notecard, tells Brazil’s President Lula about “mobilizing hundreds of millions of dollars” for “ecosystems in Latin America” pic.twitter.com/BbJPEiHhhj
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 20, 2023
However, Biden’s official Twitter account shared a picture of the president and Lula engaging in a vigorous handshake.
Mr. President, it’s great to see you again.
When we last met, you said that we have an obligation to leave the next generation a better world, and I couldn’t agree with you more.
Brazil and the United States are meeting that obligation together. pic.twitter.com/RjXxOKbGx2
— President Biden (@POTUS) September 21, 2023
The handshake part is important, because the post was issued after a clip began making the rounds of Lula walking away at the end of the briefing in disgust after Biden seemed to forget to shake his hand:
Biden salutes the audience and shuffles off stage, leaving Brazil’s president behind pic.twitter.com/JtkV0rmYqO
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 20, 2023
Now, is it entirely certain that a clearly miffed Lula was annoyed because Biden didn’t shake his hand? No. Should Biden be given the benefit of the doubt in these cases? Also no.
First, this wasn’t the only instance of weirdness during the briefing — and we’re not just talking about the rote, sleepy reading of prepared remarks.
Biden almost knocked over a flag while coming onstage and stared off into space while reporters asked questions. Lula, meanwhile, had to repeatedly ask if Biden could hear him, and in a manner that is usually reserved for those who are not quite all there, faculties-wise:
Biden walks on stage without the Brazilian president, almost knocks down a flag, then does a little jog pic.twitter.com/JbrV7LBMpc
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 20, 2023
Biden stares off into the abyss as reporters attempt to ask him questions following his meeting with Brazil’s President Lula pic.twitter.com/0epFavalEg
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 20, 2023
LULA: “Can you hear me President Biden?!”
BIDEN: ……….
LULA: “President Biden can you hear me??” pic.twitter.com/s8ZTN6HwGi
— ALX ?? (@alx) September 20, 2023
Nor was this the first time Biden has appeared to walk offstage prematurely — in fact, it wasn’t even the first time this month.
Those of you with memories longer than Biden’s might recall the odd incident when he presented the Medal of Honor to retired Army Capt. Larry Taylor for his heroics during the Vietnam War.
And then he promptly up and left. To heck with the rest of the ceremony:
Joe Biden just BOLTED out of the room immediately after awarding the Medal of Honor to Army Captain Larry Taylor.
The ceremony continued on for several minutes afterwards.
Biden completely missed a concluding prayer. pic.twitter.com/BjSdeHcLPD
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 5, 2023
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later insisted he was supposed to walk out of the room early to “minimize his close contact with attendees” since first lady Jill Biden had COVID at the time.
Karine Jean-Pierre claims Joe Biden left the Medal of Honor ceremony early to “minimize his close contact with attendees” pic.twitter.com/dTTERaCUGz
— ALX ?? (@alx) September 6, 2023
Never mind that Biden wasn’t wearing a mask during the ceremony, including when he shook hands with the elderly veteran, which — well, if the White House still wants to say that mask-wearing is part of “the science,” he should follow the science. (KJP said he took his mask off to “honor” Taylor and to deliver “incredibly powerful remarks.”)
That was a few weeks ago. What’s the excuse this time? Is it that the president needs someone to guide him through basic ceremonies?
Because that’s certainly what it looks like from here, and it’s not a wild guess that that’s what it looked like to Lula, as well.
Yes, there’s a first for everything. Let’s hope this is also a last.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
