Was Joe Biden booed during the Super Bowl?
The First Family made a pre-game appearance at Super Bowl LV finishing with a call for silence for those who have passed due to covid-19, there was none.
What was meant to be a solemn moment to pay respect the over 460,000 covid-19 deaths, was instead the “loudest moment of silence.” Prior to kickoff Sunday night President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden appeared on the big screens at Raymond James Stadium to pay tribute to the frontline workers who have been the foot soldiers in the nations war against covid-19.
At the end of the pre-recorded message President Biden called for a moment of silence but the crowd continued to be boisterous, with some commenting that they even heard booing.
President Biden’s address to the Super Bowl LV audience
Jill Biden began with praise for the frontline workers. “Before kickoff, we wanted to thank all the frontline healthcare heroes both at the game and watching across the country. You put yourself at risk to keep the rest of us safe. You and your families carried us through this year with courage, compassion and kindness. We couldn’t have made it without you. With all our hearts thank you.”
President Biden continued with “And as we thank you and all of our essential workers, let’s remember we all can do our part to save lives. Wear masks, stay socially-distanced, get tested, get vaccinated when it’s your turn, and most of all let’s remember all those who we’ve lost. So please join us, the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the National Football League in a moment of silence for the more than 440,000 Americans who lost their lives in this pandemic and for their loved ones who are left behind.”
Super Bowl LV viewers take to social media
During the address there was general noise throughout the stadium from the crowd of 25,000 spectators, which didn’t die down with the call to silence. Twitter began to light up with people in disbelief.
“That didn’t sound like a moment of silence,” one post read. While another wrote “Was that a boo I hear from the crowd when Biden asked for us to have a moment of silence for +400K lost due to the Covid 19? Wow. That speaks volumes.”
In the comments to a video posted on YouTube another who can’t distinguish whether they are boos or not, points out the reaction of the players “I can’t hear it clearly, but seeing the football players reaction says it all, they were surprised to hear boos.”
Other comments were more supportive of the booing saying it was targeted at the First Family. Those reflections went down the rabbit hole of QAnon conspiracy theories and election denial, failing to realize that the call for silence was about those who have perished, regardless of who it came from, not the nation’s politics.