Joe Biden's awkward post-ceremony moment at Obama Presidential Center goes viral

Former President Joe Biden was seen awkwardly lingering on stage after the grand opening ceremony of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on Thursday. Biden tepidly waved at the crowd, looking dazed before squinting at the crowd and walking up to the podium. His rare public outing was reminiscent of the end of his presidency, when he was often seen wandering after events with a confused look on his face.

After the ceremony, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Jill Biden walked off the stage after acknowledging the crowd's enthusiasm with the band playing in the background. As they exited, the 46th president stood there seemingly dazed, all by himself, tepidly waving at the crowd and walking toward the center stage. The 83-year-old then went over to the podium, took off his glasses, and squinted at the crowd, shouting, "Where's my granddaughter?"

Biden then seemingly started to make his way off the stage as the footage of the event cut off with a big "thank you" on the screen. It was a rare public appearance by the former president, who is currently undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of prostate cancer, which has metastasized to his bones. At one point during the ceremony, Obama went over to Biden and gave him a pat on the back and even thanked him for his companionship. "Thank you for your steadfast partnership for eight years. Joe, we started as running mates and ended as family. And we would not be here without you, and we are grateful," Obama said in his speech. 

The 46th president was joined by former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and their spouses. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and a host of celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Tyler Perry, Dave Chappelle, Conan O'Brien, David Letterman, and Stephen Colbert, were also in attendance. The Roots opened the ceremony before Jennifer Hudson delivered a rousing rendition of the national anthem, and the performance was followed up by Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, John Legend, Common, Christina Aguilera, and Bono. 

In his remarks during the ceremony, Obama also took veiled jabs at the current administration without naming anybody and called on Americans to look to the future, saying: "We want to find a way to look toward each other again, not further away." He talked about his "belief in the peaceful transfer of power," and he also reminded the crowd that upon the founding of the country in 1776, "a different story took flight on this continent, a declaration that we are all created equal, endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, and that in the newly independent United States, there will be no kings or lords, no serfs or subjects, but only citizens, each of us free to pursue our own version of happiness.” 

The $850 million center officially opened to the public on Friday, giving people access to the sprawling campus that includes a museum, garden, basketball court, and a new branch of the Chicago Public Library.