Karine Jean-Pierre’s “Cheap Fakes” Claim Draws Mockery and Outrage
June 21, 2024Key Takeaways
- White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre's claim that videos of Joe Biden are “cheap fakes” elicits rage and disbelief from Americans.
- People on social media swiftly resurfaced viral videos of Biden’s frequent gaffes and public confusions, ripping the White House and mainstream media for their denials.
- Even Democrats seem to believe Biden is declining both physically and mentally, although many of them still seem unwilling to say so publicly.
Our Methodology
Demographics
All Voters
Sample Size
20,000
Geographical Breakdown
National
Time Period
7 Days
MIG Reports leverages EyesOver technology, employing Advanced AI for precise analysis. This ensures unparalleled precision, setting a new standard. Find out more about the unique data pull for this article.
In a White House press conference, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre recently claimed clips of Joe Biden looking confused are "cheap fakes." These comments, particularly dismissing footage of former president Barack Obama leading Biden off stage by his wrist, are causing uproar among those who view the president as clearly in cognitive decline.
White House Gaslighting
Most average voters who witness Biden’s ongoing deterioration at public appearances perceive the White House comments as blatant gaslighting. This group says the White House is attempting to dismiss any negative portrayal of Biden as fabricated, attempting to undermine any legitimate criticism.
Many say labeling inconvenient clips as "cheap fakes" is a tactic to delegitimize opposing voices and maintain a favorable image of the administration, even at the expense of reality. These voters are concerned that Democrats are actively eroding trust in American, reinforcing a belief that government is manipulating information to maintain control.
Others see the White House’s dismissal of any negative story related to Biden as consistent with past efforts to suppress information. For them, Hunter Biden’s laptop denial by Democrats and the media symbolizes a broader pattern of lying to and insulting the public.
Some also say the White House Press Secretary made up the term “cheap fakes,” as a desperate attempt to confuse people. They say Jean-Pierre wanted to imply the videos are deep fakes but knew she could not say it outright since they’re not deep fakes.
Memes and Resurfacing Biden Clips
Online reactions to Press Secretary Jean-Pierre claiming footage of Joe Biden walking around confused and fumbling his words are “cheap fakes” often include memes, insults, and outright disbelief.
Drefanzor Memes for the win. Karine and her cheap fakes.pic.twitter.com/Ud3ScoXyxX
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) June 19, 2024
Many right leaning voters took the opportunity to post clips of Joe Biden currently and from years past, reminding everyone the White House has broadly labeled them all “cheap fakes.”
CHEAP FAKE ALERT:
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 19, 2024
A new video is out that seemingly shows President Biden struggling to go inside a Suburban.
An anonymous source says that what ACTUALLY happened was Biden was demonstrating how difficult life is for handicapped people of color. pic.twitter.com/3yotZYPKj1
Wow look at these “deep fakes” and “cheap fakes” and “manipulated” videos of Biden’s gaffes and mumblings! Why would Republicans do this?!
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 19, 2024
It would be really bad if everyone tagged @PressSec asking her about this!! pic.twitter.com/qCJ1jqo3j3
Frustrated Americans who are fed up with feeling the White House and mainstream media constantly lie to voters also ripped outlets like CNN, CBS, and MSNBC for unquestioningly regurgitating Biden administration talking points.
BREAKING: @CBSNews falsely claims that raw footage of Joe Biden at the G7 was "DIGITALLY ALTERED."
— Andrew @ Don’t Walk, RUN! (@DontWalkRUN) June 19, 2024
Here is a video comparing the "cheap fake" with the raw footage. Please note that they are EXACTLY THE SAME! pic.twitter.com/41AwLVC32Z
CNN spent almost all day warning people about cheap fake videos yesterday.
— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) June 19, 2024
They needed to interview their own staff. pic.twitter.com/GyTamOniNW
Mainstream news figures like Brian Stelter and Nicole Wallace both received flack online for their breathless support of the White House narrative about Joe Biden. Many in the media focus on the alleged cheap fakes, while leaving questions of Biden’s health completely unasked.
‘CHEAP FAKES!’ The Biden campaign is so screwed that today, they rolled out a new strategy to tell Americans they can't believe their own eyes when seeing video evidence of Biden's mental decline.
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 18, 2024
They're panicking. pic.twitter.com/ShG2M8ikm5
CNN must be desperate for talking heads since they brought on Potato Head to defend Biden from “cheap fakes.”
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) June 20, 2024
Apparently, Biden’s campaign is worried that people will see, with their own eyes, Joe's mental and physical decline. pic.twitter.com/iSqAVA5KsS
Democrats Spout White House Talking Points
Progressive Democrats say they believe Jean-Pierre’s explanation and insist it's a necessary effort to address misinformation in the digital age. They argue with the proliferation of sophisticated editing tools, it is crucial for the administration to call out manipulated content. For these partisan voters, promoting the party line is a matter of safeguarding democracy, even if they don’t personally believe it.
Though many Democrats are unwilling to speak out publicly about Joe Biden’s mental and physical health, MIG Reports data suggests many are questioning it. Plummeting approval numbers for Biden and increased conversations about Biden’s ability to lead the country suggest even Democrats don’t believe White House rhetoric. However, many Democrats also seem willing to prioritize beating Trump over shielding the country from an incapacitated Joe Biden’s second term.