President Joe Biden was certainly not greeted like a king during his homecoming visit to Scranton, Pennsylvania on Tuesday.
Residents of the midsize town of about 76,000 turned out to line the Democrat’s motorcade route, hurling insults and anti-Biden chants at the passing vehicles. A clip of his car and a phalanx of police vehicles traveling through downtown revealed just how deep the animosity runs in his boyhood town.
“F*** Joe Biden!” chants carried across the street as both supporters and opponents of the president waved American flags and attempted to drown out one another. “F*** you!” a man shouts at the Beast, the president’s limousine. A caption of the video reads “Welcome to Scranton, PA Joe”
WATCH:
Biden’s hometown of Scranton, PA:
“F-ck Joe Biden!”pic.twitter.com/ntjUh5r5Wy
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 18, 2024
Tuesday’s Scranton stop, intended to talk tax policy with union workers, comes as part of a three-day swing through a state where the Democrat’s campaign is working feverishly to shore up support. Recent polls given Biden a narrow lead over Trump, a result that was reversed for months according to FiveThirtyEight.
The following day, President Biden received criticism for yet another unwanted overture toward a young girl who accompanied him on stage at a Pittsburgh rally. The 80-year-old brushed the back of his hand back and forth against her cheek, once again bringing to mind the “Creepy Joe” vibes that Republicans have sought to stoke since his first campaign against former President Donald Trump.
On Thursday he will appear in Philadelphia for several rallies, setting up a split-screen showdown with Trump as his rival remains stuck in Manhattan district court for his hush money trial.
With approval numbers mired around historic lows, both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have both been hassled by protestors at various stops in recent months. During a visit to Puerto Rico, the vice president unknowingly clapped along as agitators sang in Spanish in support of Palestine and increased humanitarian aid for Haiti.
Nor has the electoral math proven easy for Biden. Several Democratic primaries were marred as thousands of voters selected “No Preference” or “None of the Above,” sending the president a message about the strife his stance with Israel has caused among the far-left.
President Trump, meanwhile, has been followed by throngs of supporters even as he remains stuck in Manhattan for the remainder of his hush money trial. During a visit to a bodega in the borough, Trump was surrounded by a diverse crowd of adoring fans as well as a contingent of NYPD officers who shook his hand and asked for a group photo. The scene was reminiscent of past court appearances made by Trump, including in Fulton County where Black supporters lined the streets to cheer him on as he reported to the jail for his mugshot.