Fans attending the Super Bowl appeared to both boo and cheer President Biden and first lady Jill Biden as they addressed the crowd and requested a moment of silence for those who died of the coronavirus.
“Enjoy joe and Jill getting boos at Super Bowl,” one social media user said, accompanied by a video in which booing is briefly heard as the Bidens are introduced.
@Alyssa_Milano https://t.co/L7wGgz973I enjoy joe and Jill getting boos at Super Bowl.
— A Marie (@Marie92635200) February 8, 2021
Videos with booing have since circulated on social media of the event.
A video clipped by the Washington Examiner appears to show both faint booing and cheering when the Bidens are introduced, though the booing is less pronounced than it is in the videos circulating on social media.
In the video message, Biden asked those in attendance to share a moment of silence in remembrance of the people who died during the pandemic.
“So please join us … in a moment of silence for the more than 440,000 Americans who lost their lives in this pandemic,” Biden said.
The crowd’s reaction prompted social media users on both sides of the political aisle to use the moment to their advantage, while others pointed out it was a moment of silence that lasted “0 seconds.”
POTUS: let’s take a moment of silence for those lost
Crowd: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH#SuperBowl— Patrick Crawford (@pattycrawdaddy) February 7, 2021
That moment of silence lasted 0 seconds. #SuperBowl
— Nathan Bannerman (@NBSportsWriter) February 7, 2021
President Biden: “Please join us in a moment of silence for all of those we have lost to the pandemic.”
Crowd: *starts cheering*#SuperBowl
— Brandon Rossi (@Ross__Eye) February 7, 2021
President Biden on the Super Bowl: Let’s have a moment of silence for all those we’ve lost from covid-19 including health workers helping treat others family members.
Super Bowl crowd: pic.twitter.com/M1QfW4IhED
— Emily Coughenour (@EmilyCoughenour) February 7, 2021
Conservative social media users said the moment was proof of Biden’s unpopularity, with Benny Johnson saying that people are “tired of the health PSAs.”
Joe Biden, even appearing on a recording next to his wife, asking for a minute of silence, in the final of the Super Bowl, took boos, many boos.
Where will Biden not be booed, knowing that he deceived the North American people?
These elections will be marked forever as “FRAUD”.— Mario.sor (@mariosor) February 8, 2021
LMFAO @joebiden just got boo’d at #SuperBowl what a perfect moment for an absolute trash president. LMFAO
— Brian Vogelpohl (@BrianVogelpohl) February 7, 2021
Others lamented the booing, suggesting that it was in response to his request for a moment of silence and disrespectful to those who died.
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? #SuperBowl
Wow. That speaks volumes.
— Jai Nokes ?? (@CallMeNokes) February 7, 2021
Did ya’ll boo Biden during the moment of silence? What the actual fuck?
— Fortheright (@Fortheright4) February 7, 2021
I don’t understand it either! When the recorded message from President Biden played, asked for a moment of silence to honor the victims of covid, there were boos and jeers from the stands. So disrespectful to the healthcare workers there, and families that lost loved ones. https://t.co/fHvIbCF0ZV
— KCG (@eastcoastangel) February 8, 2021
Roughly 7,500 healthcare workers were in attendance at the game held in Tampa, Florida, and were thanked by the first lady for their work during the pandemic.
“We wanted to thank all the front-line healthcare heroes, both at the game and watching across the country,” she said. “You and your families carried us through this year with courage, compassion, and kindness.”
The Buccaneers finished the game with a win, beating the Chiefs, 31-9.
