
File photo of US President Joe Biden coughing at a press conference taken during NATO's 75th anniversary summit, in Washington, DC, July 11, 2024. (Credit: Yves Herman/Reuters)
BEIRUT — Social media users quickly reacted after U.S. President Joe Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the presidential race, stating it was “in the best interest of my party and the country.”
Reactions ranged from outrage to satisfaction, with many predominantly sharing satirical comments about Biden's decision.
This followed months of speculation about Biden's age and fitness for another four years as president of the US.
Political and social activist Jamil Moawad wrote a few hours after Biden's announcement, “Praising Biden or giving a positive assessment of his presidency without mentioning the genocide in Palestine is essentially participating in feeding the narrative of denying genocide. As the world gradually acknowledges the occurrence of genocide, we know well who denies its occurrence…”
لبنانياً، عربياً، او دولياً:
— Jamil Mouawad (@JamilMouawad) July 21, 2024
أية مديح لبايدن، او اقله تقييم إيجابي لولايته، من دون ذكر الإبادة في فلسطين هو بمثابة مشاركة أساسية في تغذية سردية انكار الإبادة.
في حين يعترف العالم تدريجياً بحصول الإبادة، نعرف جيداً من ينكر حصولها…
Asad Abu Khalil, a Lebanese-American Professor at California State University, said, “They are acting like Biden stepped down because of a great patriotic impulse when it was under duress and due to pressures from big donors within the Democratic Party. He tried to the last end to stay, despite his mental and physical infirmities.”
They are acting like Biden stepped down because of a great patriotic impulse when it was under duress and due to pressures from big donors within the Democratic Party. He tried to the last end to stay, despite his mental and physical infirmities.
— asad abukhalil أسعد أبو خليل (@asadabukhalil) July 22, 2024
Abu Khalil continued in another tweet, “By agreeing to step down as a presidential candidate, Biden is conceding that he is mentally unfit and incompetent which should lead him to resign at once as president.”
In his resignation announcement, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
Saint Hoax, a social media page led by a Syrian artist, satirist and socio-political activist, posted a video on Instagram of U.S. talk show host Wendy Williams dancing on her show, titled: Kamala Harris on her way to the Oval Office.
Karl Sharro, a social media page led by a Lebanese satirist wrote on X: “Would be funny if some intern tweeted the Biden abdication falsely but nobody else knows the password to delete it.”
Would be funny if some intern tweeted the Biden abdication falsely but nobody else knows the password to delete it
— Karl Sharro (@KarlreMarks) July 21, 2024
Mohammad Alsaafin, a journalist at Al Jazeera (AJplus) wrote on X “Back in Nov, Rashida Tlaib said Biden wasn’t fit to be president. His support for genocide in Gaza was more disqualifying than his cognitive decline. She risked the wrath of her party and didn’t budge.”
Back in Nov, Rashida Tlaib said Biden wasn’t fit to be president. His support for genocide in Gaza was more disqualifying than his cognitive decline. She risked the wrath of her party & didn’t budge.
— Mohammad Alsaafin (@malsaafin) July 21, 2024
Compare her stand to the recent stances of some congressional progressives.
Biden has been repeatedly referred to as “Genocide Joe” by protesters and social media users due to his support for Israel in the ongoing Gaza war — this particularly includes his administration's military and financial assistance to Israel. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the war has resulted in the deaths of over 38,983 Palestinians since Oct. 7.