Back in November of 2023, President Joe Biden visited Nantucket, Massachusetts for a campaign stop. While there, he got an icy reception from some residents, leading to a wild situation in which the elderly and allegedly mentally declining president smiled and looked around as a crowd chanted anti-Biden slogans at him.
The slogans had to do with American support for the Israeli war effort amidst its fight in Gaza against the Hamas terror group, a fight that began following the bloody October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the many civilians who were captured, killed, and wounded during the firefights and massacres along the border that resulted. Biden has been broadly supportive of Israel during the fight, much to the disdain of the left, which sides with Palestine.
For example, a press release from his office noted that Biden was pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza, as many on the left want, while otherwise remaining broadly supportive of the Israeli state and war effort. It said, “President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to welcome the deal for the release of at least 50 hostages held by Hamas. The two leaders discussed the pause in the fighting, which will allow for surging in much needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza.”
It continued, “The Prime Minister thanked the President for his tireless efforts, and those of his team, to help broker this deal. The two leaders agreed that the work is not yet done and the President assured the Prime Minister that he will continue working to secure the release of all remaining hostages. The President further emphasized the importance of maintaining calm along the Lebanese border as well as in the West Bank. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact directly and through their teams over the coming days.”
Biden then visited Nantucket for a mixture of campaigning and relaxing. Speaking during the day on a hostage deal that had been struck at the time, a deal that led to the release of some hostages held by Hamas, Biden said that the deal was “only a start, but so far, it’s gone well.” He then stopped in stores around the island, including Craftmasters of Nantucket, the Jeweler’s Gallery, and a bookstore.
After poking around the shops for a bit, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden made their way to Nantucket’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. They, watching the Christmas ceremony, participated like many other locals by clapping as the town counted down to the lighting and the tree was bathed in colored lights.
It was at that ceremony that the elderly president awkwardly smiled as protesters confronted him over American support for Israel, chanting slogans like “Biden, Biden, you can’t hide. We charge you with genocide!” from behind barriers while waving “Free Palestine” banners. As those cries echoed out, Biden smiled awkwardly, presumably for the tree lighting, which was ongoing as the chants echoed out.
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Watch the awkward moment here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video