Yet, it was no meme page or troll account posting that image: It was posted on Biden’s own X page early on Monday. Coming against the backdrop of Israel’s brutal war on Gaza that has killed more than 28,000 people and that the US has backed, the image prompted particular criticism of Biden by some social media users.

Many suggested that Biden’s post was distasteful and insensitive as it came amid Israel’s devastating war on Gaza.

While calling for an end to civilian deaths in Gaza, the Biden administration continues to sell and supply weapons to Israel.

“But I don’t think Biden is thinking of the global audience here,” he said. “He is mostly thinking about his US audience.”

“The meme in itself is a political communication tool,” he told Al Jazeera. “It is being weaponised by different parties in order to attract attention and distract from other issues.”

Biden is not the only politician who has used memes to relay political messaging. Social media teams and followers of politicians including former US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have banked on memes and internet trends to further political messages.

  • HopeOfTheGunblade@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    edit-2
    5 months ago

    And what happens in that case? A lot of people sat out or voted third party in 2016, we got the annoying orange in office, and our courts are now fucked for years to decades. Now there’s Project 2025 to look forward to if we let the “day one dictator” back in office. Say, you wouldn’t happen to be a trump supporter disingenuously pretending to be on the left so as to depress voter turnout as an effort to help him get back in, would you? Because if not, you might want change your behavior, because it’s indistinguishable from that case.

    • LopensLeftArm@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      5 months ago

      That’s exactly the goal people like OP are pushing for - generate enough discontent with Biden by pretending to be a concerned leftist that Trump wins the election. It’s a classic form of bad faith manipulation that conservatives and Russian agents have been engaging in online for at least the past couple elections.

      Anyone telling you not to vote for Biden is aiming for a Trump win, period.