- Republicans on Tuesday condemned Biden as a hypocrite after he called a defeated Democrat the ‘real governor’ of Virginia
- He gestured to Terry McAuliffe, despite being defeated by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2021
- After seeing the insult, Youngkin quickly responded, “I’m here.”
Republicans have criticized President Biden for “election denial” after he called Democrat Terry McAuliffe the “real governor” of Virginia despite losing his vote.
McAuliffe lost his bid to become governor of Virginia in 2021 to Republican Glenn Youngkin.
Still, Biden joked during a speech in Virginia on Tuesday: “Hello, Virginia … and the real Governor, Terry McAuliffe!”
Furious Republicans took to X to express their anger, accusing Biden of being an “election denier” and a “threat to democracy.”
Gov. Youngkin replied to the video on X: “Mr. President, I’m here.’
Biden made the joke during a speech in Virginia on Tuesday
Biden gestured to Democrat Terry McAuliffe, calling him the “real governor” despite losing in 2021. Governor Glenn Youngkin responded to a clip of the speech on
Republicans quickly compared Biden’s comment to Trump’s history of false election claims — when he repeatedly denied the outcome of the 2020 election.
Some called the president a hypocrite, with Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama saying, “I thought saying something like this was ‘a threat to democracy.’
“This man doesn’t have an ounce of integrity.”
Similarly, right-wing commentator Megyn Kelly said, “Election denial is only bad if your name is Trump.”
Throughout his presidency and the 2024 campaign, Biden has made defending democracy a key part of his pledge.
Biden has called Trump the “election denier” and campaigned against him as a “threat to democracy.”
Former Trump aide Alyssa Farah Griffin said the joke was “bizarre,” adding, “When you’re in the business of ‘defending democracy,’ jokes about stolen elections are *not* funny.”
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares wrote: “So Joe Biden is an election denier?”
In a statement to The Hill, Biden’s campaign spokesman Seth Schuster said comparing Biden’s comments to Trump’s was “ridiculous” and a “baseless attack.”
They added: “It is deeply disappointing that The Hill would legitimize their baseless attack with a story.”
“Especially when Donald Trump has promised to one day rule as a dictator and has encouraged his supporters to stop the peaceful transfer of power in our democracy by force.”
Biden was repeatedly interrupted by anti-Israel protesters during his speech in Virginia.
One by one, protesters interrupted him, forcing the president to pause his remarks as security removed them from the venue, which was decorated with pro-choice signs and spotlights.