Joe Biden Ireland: Commentator asks why Biden ‘turned back’ on Rishi Sunak and why no 'handshake moment on camera for all to see'?
A respected political commentator has queried why Joe Biden allegedly ‘turned his back’ on the Prime Minister during their greeting in Belfast – and why there was no “handshake moment on camera for all to see”.
Sam Coates, Deputy Political Editor at Sky News, penned his analysis piece after the US President stepped off his plane in Northern Ireland on Tuesday night to be welcomed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
"This is confusing me," Mr Coates wrote the next day.
"The choreography around presidential trips are planned to the last second. Everyone knows it matters. Live footage is beamed around the world. It sends a signal, it's used by political leaders as a power tool."
He noted that on Tuesday night Rishi Sunak "dashed" to Northern Ireland to greet President Biden as he stepped off Air Force One.
"A meet and greet on the tarmac. This is what he wanted you to see," Mr Coastes said.
"But the live pictures were … dreadful."
There was a pool of accredited broadcasters on the scene in several authorised locations to capture the greeting, he said.
However, he said that none of them was able to get a proper view.
"From one camera vantage point - captured on behalf of the UK broadcasters by what's known as the 'pool', Rishi Sunak was obscured by the Beast, the US presidential car imported for the special occasion.
"There was a second camera angle. It did capture the handshake, but in many ways it's worse.
"It shows Biden's attention elsewhere, turning his back on Sunak, talking to others and briefly dispensing with the UK PM.
"Is this an accident? Did the Beast need to be there? Why isn't there a handshake moment on camera for all to see?
"Small details of presidential visits are picked over, and rightly so given the amount of work done in preparation. What signals are the US sending?"
The two men have been snapped shaking hands before, however, the only photo the News Letter could find of them shaking hands this week in Belfast was attributed to ‘No Ten Downing Street’ itself.
The US Government declined to offer any comment.