If you are a frequent Twitter user, you may come across two different pictures of President Joe Biden and be confused.
In one picture, he may look like he is 80 years old and could use some sun. In another, he may have baby smooth skin and look like he just got back from a two-week trip in the Caribbean.
If you’re trying to figure out if Biden is some lizard person whose skin becomes super pale and wrinkly when he is away from the sun too long, you can blame some of his supporters. Because some of them have been exploring the wonders of Photoshop to make him appear younger and more energetic.
Townhall’s John Hasson reported on some interesting details of the president’s supporters’ Twitter feeds. In several cases, they shared side-by-side pictures of Biden and former President Donald Trump.
“As I have said before, if they want to make this campaign about fitness: game on,” wrote liberal Chris Jackson in one tweet comparing pictures of the two men.
In the picture of Biden, he appears to have a tan and his face is wrinkle-free as he flashes a big, confident smile. Meanwhile, Trump is smiling while squinting and appears to have a wrinkled face and sweat stains on his shirt.
As I have said before, if they want to make this campaign about fitness: game on.
— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) July 8, 2023
Exhibit 6,372 ???@POTUS @JoeBiden ? pic.twitter.com/iHxNk6wrsX
Hasson found the original photo of Biden from Getty Images which shows the image Jackson tweeted out appears to have been manipulated.
In the original photo, the president appears paler and more his age. Additionally, his smile is smaller.
They even used the same side-by-side style to argue that Biden was more fit for office than Trump pic.twitter.com/ZtVg15B3la
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) August 1, 2023
Ana Navarro, a co-host of ABC’s “The View,” also tweeted out the manipulated picture to make Biden look fit and younger.
Hasson found several other incidents of Jackson tweeting out manipulated pictures of Biden that hide his wrinkles and make him look more vibrant.
There’s no crime against sharing manipulated pictures to boost your preferred candidate’s image. Some Trump supporters would be in jail if there was such a crime.
But it is weird to share edited pictures of Biden to make him look younger and more vibrant. Are there no real pictures of him that would provide the contrast with Trump his supporters are looking for?
And aside from being weird, it can also carry political risks. If you are pumping out pictures of Biden looking younger and more tan, and then people see him appearing very pale and tripping or stumbling over words, it will come as a massive shock.