Was Joe Biden wearing a hidden wired earpiece during debate? Fact Check

Claims spreading online claim that Vice President Biden was wearing a wire and earpiece during the Ohio debate with President Trump, and the wire was briefly visible outside of his suit jacket.

FALSE

Offshoots of the same claim instead make the assertion that the wire is part of an intricate mechanism used by Biden to inject himself with medicine during the debate proceedings.

In a widely shared video, Biden is seen briefly reaching for his right shoulder, and as his hand returns to his side, what appears in the video to look like a wire is visible next to the lapel of his suit jacket.

The video has been spreading prolifically on social media among many high profile conspiracy themed groups that are known for peddling this type of information without any thorough research.

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However, in this case, thorough research is not required, since it can be debunked with a simple and quick viewing of the original higher resolution C-SPAN footage of the Ohio debate, which soon reveals that what appeared to be some type of wire in the circulating low quality video is, in fact, a crease in Biden’s shirt.

The below screenshot of the relevant moment from the C-SPAN footage is below, clearly showing the crease and the shadow caused by the crease in the bright studio lights.

The Biden campaign has previously dismissed reports that Biden was planning on wearing an earpiece during the debate, as viral rumours circulated social media.

“Of course he’s not wearing an earpiece,” Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield told reporters Sept. 29.

Other rumours claim a wire or microphone can be seen sticking out of Biden’s cuff as he raises his hand to cough. Again this is easily debunked, since the object is almost certainly a part of a rosary that Biden wears on his wrist in memory of his late son.

In the image below, the left image is being circulated by conspiracy theorists. The right image shows what the “microphone” actually is – rosary beads.

Conspiracies about candidates receiving covert help during debates, interviews or town hall style events have been circulating for many years, and with the help of social media and a United States that seems more inclined to spread this type of misinformation, such rumours seem to be gaining more traction.

We rank the claim that Biden was wearing a wire, earpiece or microphone as false.