Inauguration Day – Bill Clinton ‘appears to fall ASLEEP’ during Biden swearing-in while seated next to Hillary
FORMER President Bill Clinton appeared to be nodding off at Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony today while sitting next to his wife Hillary.
Clips posted online show Clinton, 74, with his eyes clearly shut while a TV camera cut to him during Biden’s inaugural address outside the US Capitol.
Read our Inauguration Day 2021 live blog for the very latest news and updates on Joe Biden's swearing-in and Donald Trump's exit...
The former Democrat president and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were attending Biden's ceremony in Washington, DC.
But he seemed to be struggling to keep awake as the 46th president was sworn in.
In the clip, a voice of the person recording a CBS News’ broadcast with his cellphone can be heard saying "Bill Clinton is absolutely asleep."
A similar recording of BBC TV coverage was also posted on YouTube with the title “Bill Clinton Falling Asleep At Presidential Inauguration."
The man taping it says: "They’re zooming in on Bill Clinton sleep… the man’s old."
Clinton had been sitting next to his wife, Hillary, and near former President George Bush and former Vice President Mike Pence – none of whom appeared to need a brief power nap.
Biden, who is 78, is the oldest person ever sworn in as president of the US, has himself been dubbed "Sleepy Joe" by former President Donald Trump.
CLINTON 'WORE COVID MASK WRONG'
Clinton was also criticized on social media on Wednesday for his face mask blunder as he arrived on the stage ahead of the president's swearing-in ceremony.
While Hillary appeared to wear her mask correctly, her husband Bill was seen with the covering, not over his nose.
He had been mingling with other top politicians as they waited for Biden to take the stage.
One Twitter user wrote: "In keeping with tradition, Bill Clinton was wearing a pair of panties as a mask."
And another user said: "Will someone please tell Bill Clinton to put his mask above his nose?"
One wrote: "There's a small number of people not wearing their mask properly, eg Bill Clinton."
And another observer joked: "People complaining about Bill Clinton not wearing his mask properly at the inauguration, but tbh it must be pretty hard to fit a mask over your nose after lying under oath."
Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush, as well as their spouses, also arrived at the Capitol for the scaled-back ceremony.
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At one point, Bush was also pictured taking his mask off completely as he spoke to delegates.
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Pence and other top Republicans were on hand as well – despite Trump snubbing the tradition of attending the inauguration.
Reports came in that Trump left the letter for his predecessor as he quit the White House for the final time as president and left for Florida.
