Biden’s Awkward Request: Calls Syracuse Trustee Resembling Obama to Join Him Onstage

Close, but not quite Obama.

During a portrait unveiling at Syracuse University School of Law on Tuesday, former President Joe Biden spotted a familiar-looking individual in the audience. In a slightly uncomfortable moment, he insisted the person join him on stage.

As Biden addressed the crowd at his alma mater, he quipped, “I always want to turn around to one guy and say … ‘Barack, what are you doing here?’”

The 83-year-old was referring to Jeffrey Scruggs, who is the chairman of the school’s Board of Trustees and happens to share some resemblance with the former President Barack Obama.

Despite Scruggs’ apparent hesitance, Biden persistently encouraged him to come up to the podium, saying, “Come here, come here, come here, come here … come here,” while gesturing for him to join.

“Come here, come here, come here, come here … come here,” Biden repeatedly demanded, motioning for Scruggs. 

“I feel like he should be standing on the right and I should be standing on the left,” Biden said, after the trustee finally walked over laughing. 

“Doesn’t he look like Barack?” the former president asked the audience, as Scruggs shook his head, seemingly disagreeing with Biden’s assessment. 

“As they say, you’ve done good, fella,” Biden told Scruggs. 

To which Scruggs responded, “Well, you know, I try.” 

Scruggs reportedly told Biden backstage that his daughter wanted him to ask the former president if he looked like Obama. The onstage moment was meant to show the daughter that Biden believed that her dad did look like his ex-boss, the Daily Mail reported.

Several social media users agreed with Biden’s assessment, while some argued the moment was “racist.” 

“He does look like Barack though,” one X user argued. “The hair, the face shape, the suit.” 

“Low key he does look like him!” another user chimed in. 

“That dude does genuinely look like Obama,” read another X comment.