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Salon
Politics
John Wright

SNL: Biden gets back rub from past self

President Joe Biden gets a back rub from his past self on the cold open of "Saturday Night Live." NBC

A dismayed President Joe Biden got an uplifting visit from "the ghost of Biden past" in SNL's Cold Open on Saturday night.

The sketch began with Biden, played by cast member James Austin Johnson, getting some bad news from White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki in the Oval Office.

"Your CNN Town Hall was watched by no one, and your approval rating is in the Dumpster," Psaki says.

"I don't understand. People used to like me," Biden says to himself after Psaki leaves. "The press would call me Uncle Joe. I miss the old me. Where the hell did that guy go?"


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At that point, Vice President Biden from 2013, played by SNL host Jason Sudeikis, wanders in wearing aviator sunglasses and doing finger guns.

"How can you be me? You seem so happy," the new Biden says.

The 2013 Biden explains that being VP was the "easiest gig in the world," before giving his 2021 counterpart a shoulder massage and smelling his hair.

"I hope this doesn't sound sexist, but you've got to smile more, sweetie," the old Biden says.

When the 2021 Biden complains about Democratic senators blocking his agenda, his former self says, "Screw Joe Manchin. The only mansion I care about is the Playboy mansion. That's classic 2K3 Biden!"

RELATED: Meghan McCain fumes over her "Princess of Arizona" SNL portrayal: "Laughing stock of the country"

The pair get a brief visit from a third Joe Biden, from March 2021, before the 2013 version prepares to go back in time.

"Don't leave. I can't do this without you," the new Biden says.

"Of course you can, because guess what buddy, you are me," the 2013 Biden responds. "I want you to stand tall, I want you to flash those 100 percent natural choppers we got, and remember, we may be from different eras, but at the end of the day, we're both Joe freakin' Biden."

Watch below via YouTube:

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