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No, Biden didn’t wave to an empty field in Florida
If Your Time is short
• Biden was waving to firefighters and ground personnel out of frame.
• Two videos more clearly show Biden waving toward a firetruck at the other end of the field.
On Sept. 15, Joe Biden arrived in Tampa, Fla., for a campaign event, and as he descended the stairs of the airplane, he waved.
One video capturing the moment spread quickly on social media as Facebook users shared it with derisive captions suggesting Biden was waving to an empty field. However, the video truly took off when Fox News host Sean Hannity posted it to his account with the title, "This Is Real: Biden Waves To An Empty Field."
Yes, the video is real — but the field wasn’t empty.
This Facebook post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
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According to an Associated Press reporter who was there with Biden as he left the plane, the Democratic nominee was waving to a group of firefighters and personnel who were out of the frame due to the camera angle.
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Another video of Biden descending the stairs clearly shows him waving in the direction of a firetruck at the other end of the field. And in yet another video shared by Bloomberg News reporter Tyler Pager, four people are seen standing near the fire truck facing him.
We rate this post False.
This fact check is available at IFCN’s 2020 US Elections FactChat #Chatbot on WhatsApp. Click here, for more.
Our Sources
AP, "Video does not show Biden waving to an empty field," Sep. 16, 2020
Facebook post, Sep. 15, 2020
Facebook post, Sep. 15, 2020
Facebook post, Sep. 16, 2020
Tweet, Sep. 15, 2020
Tweet, Sep. 15, 2020
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No, Biden didn’t wave to an empty field in Florida
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