A photo choice for a new Joe Biden election campaign ad in the United States has not escaped the attention of Australians on social media.
Biden is gearing up for a second showdown with Donald Trump in November’s US election and the campaign season is in full swing.
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The 81-year-old incumbent has been taking potshots at Trump lately, while the Republican is tied up in court in New York fighting a hush money criminal case.
One of Trump’s targets dating back to his term in office has been the NFL, with his issues stemming from former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s political statement to take a knee during the American National Anthem in 2016.
That move infuriated Trump, who later said NFL owners should sack players who protested during the anthem.
On Friday (AEST), the day the NFL was holding its annual Draft, Biden opted to take a shot at some of 77-year-old Trump’s previous comments on the league, which is by far the most popular sporting competition in the US.
“Football is boring as hell,” Trump says in the Biden clip you can see above.
“Nobody cares about football because of it. I mean, it’s boring.”
The social post put together by the Biden campaign includes the famous NFL theme song.
It also has the caption: “Trump says football is “boring as hell” and “nobody cares” about it.
“So we’re airing this during the NFL draft for football fans to see.”
Playing above the clips of Trump are various images of Biden, including welcoming the Kansas City Chiefs and the US Air Force Academy teams to the White House.
But it’s the last photo chosen that has sent Aussies into a fervour.
It depicts a beaming Biden holding a football and it’s the type of ball fans have latched onto, using an image from his visit to Australia back in 2016 when he was vice-president to Barack Obama.
The Democrat was handed a Sherrin football and a Carlton jumper when he toured the MCG, posing for a number of photo opportunities alongside the likes of ex-AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan and former Carlton captain Marc Murphy.
“Is that Joe Biden with a Sherrin in an official campaign ad?” journalist Leo Puglisi asked in a retweet of the campaign ad.
“Why’s Biden holding an Aussie Sherrin football?” asked another X user Luna.
Luna’s comment is the first on the social post and sparked a fierce debate over the type of football he was holding.
But there’s no doubt it is a Sherrin. You can see the original photo and other images of Biden’s MCG visit below.
“I thought you had doctored that … but great pick up!” another X user said in reply to Puglisi.
“Even Joe Biden knows Aussie Rules is the best sport in the world,” wrote another.
The realisation Biden was holding a Sherrin also made its way onto social media site Reddit, producing some more reaction.
“President bans American football, decides Australian football is the new #1 sport, sorry Americans,” was one comment.
“Geelong recruiting from overseas now? Bold,” wrote another.
“As an American I will gladly accept our new sports overlords from down under,” added a third.