Joe Biden: 'Doesn't He Look Like Barack?

During a portrait unveiling at the Syracuse University School of Law on Tuesday, former President Joe Biden sparked a viral moment by singling out a man in the audience. The 83-year-old Biden pointed to a tall, slender African-American man and remarked that he looked like Barack Obama.

The man, Jeff Scruggs, serves as the chairman of the Syracuse University Board of Trustees and sat onstage next to Biden throughout the program. Biden approached him, asking, "Barack? What are you doing? Come here." After Scruggs moved closer, Biden remarked, "I feel like he should be standing to the right and I should be standing to the left. Doesn't he look like Barack?" The comment prompted laughter from both Scruggs and the audience.

The interaction quickly ignited a firestorm of criticism online. Some MAGA commenters labeled the moment "cringe," accusing the former President of leaning into racial stereotypes by suggesting any Black man resembles the former President Obama.

However, behind the scenes, the interaction appeared to be a planned gesture. Two sources familiar with the matter revealed that backstage, Scruggs had told Biden that his daughter specifically wanted him to ask if Scruggs resembled Obama. The onstage display served to demonstrate that Biden believed the resemblance was real.

This incident adds to a history of verbal slips that characterized Biden’s presidency and fueled public concern regarding his age. In 2022, he famously asked, "Where's Jackie?" regarding the late Representative Jackie Walorski, a comment White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended by stating Walorski was "top of mind." In 2024, Biden also claimed his uncle had been eaten by cannibals during World War II, a statement that Jean-Pierre also could not explain.

These moments occurred against a shifting political landscape. Following a difficult debate performance against Donald Trump, Biden withdrew from his 2024 reelection bid. Trump subsequently defeated Vice President Kamala Harris—who had replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee—to reclaim the presidency in November.

Despite his retirement, Biden remains active in political circles. He has been seen traveling via Amtrak and commercial flights while continuing to advise Democratic winners, such as Florida’s Emily Gregory and Texas’s James Talarico. However, while he continues to offer counsel behind the scenes, Biden—who is currently undergoing treatment for Stage 4 prostate cancer—has not appeared at campaign rallies for Democratic candidates ahead of the November midterms.