Former President Joe Biden has sparked media scrutiny after he jokingly referred to another man as his former commander-in-chief, Barack Obama, at a high-profile event at Syracuse University in New York.
When Biden was honored with his portrait at his alma mater before his speech, he turned to a man seated behind him. “Mr. Chairman, Chancellor Elect, and Dean—and by the way, I want to turn around and say, ‘Barack, what are you doing? Come here, come here,” Biden said.
According to The Irish Star, following the remarks, Jeffrey Scruggs, chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, joined Biden on stage. He appeared flattered by the comparison as he became the center of attention.
With Scruggs beside him, Biden added, “I feel like he should be standing to the right, and I should be standing to the left,” continuing the light and humorous tone of the banter.
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The moment quickly went viral on social media, with mixed reactions. Some found it witty and funny, claiming Scruggs resembled Barack Obama, while others argued the comments hinted at racial stereotypes and ignorance.
“Hey black guy, you look like a black guy I know. Typical Biden,” one person condemned the comment and posted on X. “Well, look, a racist Biden saying the quiet part out loud. He thinks all Black guys look alike,” another person added.
“I’m not one to defend Biden, but the dude does look like Obama,” a third user said. Several others compared Joe Biden and Donald Trump amid a volatile political scenario in the United States.
Ed Krassenstein said, “He’s functioning much better than Trump is right now. At least he doesn’t think he’s Jesus.” The comment was an indirect jab at the recent incident where the 79-year-old shared an AI-generated photo of himself dressed in a white biblical-style robe with a red sash.
Another user said neither politician was in good mental or physical health. “At least I can admit they’re both mentally declining and shouldn’t hold office. Be for real,” he wrote in a lengthy comment while attacking both of them.
According to the Syracuse University website, Scruggs is the managing director at Goldman Sachs & Co., one of the finest investment banks and financial services in the world.
An alumnus of Harvard University, Jeffrey Scruggs will continue in his role as Board Chairman at Syracuse University through May 2027. In the current position, he leads the Board’s Executive Committee as well as the Organization and Nominating Committee, while also serving ex officio across all standing committees. His contributions earned him the 2020 Dritz Rookie Trustee of the Year Award.
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At Syracuse University, Scruggs has been involved as a member of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Advisory Board since 2017. Furthermore, Joe Biden graduated from the University of Delaware in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science.
The Pennsylvania native then studied law at Syracuse Law School, graduating in 1968. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972, while representing Delaware for 36 years.
In 2008, Biden was elected as the Vice President alongside Barack Obama, serving two terms and playing a major role in helping shape major policies such as the Affordable Care Act and the Cancer Moonshot.
The 83-year-old was elected President in 2020 after defeating Trump with 306 Electoral College votes and 51.3% of the popular vote to Trump’s 232 votes and 46.8%.
Even though the Trump administration has previously labeled the Biden administration as a failure, their term included major legislative measures such as, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act, alongside judicial appointments such as Ketanji Brown Jackson.
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