Lip reader reveals Biden told Barack Obama 'she’s not as strong as me' at Ethel Kennedy’s funeral

WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden was overheard telling former president Barack Obama, "She is not as strong as me," to which Obama responded, "That's true," in an off-microphone exchange interpreted by a professional lip reader. It remains unclear who Biden was referring to.

The seemingly candid evaluation of Vice President Kamala Harris' position before the November 5 election occurred Wednesday afternoon, as the two most recent Democratic presidents spoke during Ethel Kennedy’s memorial service in Washington.

Joe Biden's candid remarks to Barack Obama highlight leadership dynamics

“She’s not as strong as me,” Biden, 81, reportedly said, according to a professional lip reader’s translation based on analyzing his lip movements during the conversation caught on video, as reported by The New York Post.

“I know, that’s true,” the former Democratic president concurred, further stating, “We have time.”

“Yeah, we’ll get it in time,” said Biden, who was compelled by fellow Democrats to step aside and hand the party’s nomination to Harris on July 21, in a mutiny that Obama was believed to back.

Moments earlier, Obama mentioned, "It's important that we spend some time together," possibly alluding to joint campaigning efforts with Harris.

The dialogue was translated by Jeremy Freeman, a London-based forensic lip reader born deaf, who has served as a certified expert witness for University College London for 16 years, assisting litigants, the police, and journalists.

Although Harris’ name was not mentioned in Freeman’s transcription, it remains unclear who else the conversation could have concerned.

Freeman described the conversation as “very supportive” and noted he detected “no tension” between Obama and Biden, despite speculation in viral commentary that suggested otherwise due to Obama shaking his head at one point.

Democrats divide over lip-reading translation and leadership concerns

Democratic sources were divided when asked about the translation—some believed it was an honest take on the state of the 2024 race, while others expressed such strong skepticism that they questioned the accuracy of the script.

“From the outset, there has been widespread concern that Harris was not a strong alternative to Biden, who clearly was a sinking ship. So much so [that] multiple House members floated the idea of an open convention or removing Harris from the ticket along with Biden,” said one Democratic source. “Democrats essentially robbed Peter to pay Paul and are now stuck with a less likable sinking ship.”

Biden's spokesperson, Andrew Bates, expressed disdain, “A ‘lip reading expert’? Did your usual right-wing soothsayer have their out-of-office up? Only President Biden and President Obama know what they discussed, but this certainly wasn’t it.”

A source close to Obama did not refute the translation but stated, “Only President Obama and President Biden know what they discussed yesterday. Any assertion otherwise is ridiculous.”

Two former officials from the Biden White House, who are now supporting Harris' candidacy, expressed to The Post their astonishment at the transcript and questioned its accuracy, with one suggesting the need for "a new lip reader" and the other claiming it's “not even like [Biden] to say that.”

Internet reacts to lip reader's translation of Biden and Obama's conversation

As soon as the lip reader's translation of Biden and Obama's conversation went viral on Facebook, users started reacting to it.

A user claimed to compare Harris with Biden, "She’s weaker than the guy who can’t say what he wants or climb a flight of stairs unassisted."

Another added, "Finally some truth all but Biden is weak."

A third commented, "The realest thing to ever come out of their mouths."

"She's not as strong as me. Said the guy who was a sinking ship. Kamala Harris is in big trouble November 5," slammed a user.

A person said, "It’s hard to find someone weaker than Biden, yet they’ve done just that with Comrade Kamala."

Another wrote, "They know they have a weak candidate that will make a weak president."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.