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But when Thomas attempted to acknowledge them from the podium, the tribute quickly veered into confusion.
During his remarks, Thomas thanked what he described as “the five presidents” attending the funeral.
He then listed them out one by one.
“President Harris, President Clinton, President Bill Clinton, President Joe Biden, and President Barack Obama.”
The comment immediately raised eyebrows.
First, Vice President Kamala Harris has never served as president.
Second, Thomas named Bill Clinton twice. Once simply as “President Clinton,” and again as “President Bill Clinton.”
That left the supposed list of “five presidents” consisting of only three actual presidents.
Those three included Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama.
Despite the obvious mix-up, the audience inside the service appeared unfazed. Many attendees applauded the remarks as the moment passed without correction.
The clip quickly spread online, where critics mocked the bizarre acknowledgment and pointed to it as yet another embarrassing moment tied to the Democratic political orbit.
Social media users also noted the irony of the mistake, given how often Democrats accuse political opponents of spreading misinformation or denying election results.
Some commenters sarcastically dubbed the former NBA star “another election denier,” referencing the moment he effectively elevated Harris to a presidency she has never held.
The memorial service itself was intended to celebrate the life of Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of the most recognizable civil rights leaders of the past half-century.
Jackson rose to national prominence during the civil rights movement and later became a major figure in Democratic politics. He ran for president twice in the 1980s and remained a visible activist and political voice for decades afterward.
His influence stretched across multiple presidential administrations, which is why several former presidents attended the ceremony honoring him.
But instead of focusing on the tribute itself, much of the online conversation quickly centered on Thomas’ peculiar roll call of leaders.
Critics argued the moment illustrated how political ceremony can sometimes turn into awkward theater when prominent speakers appear unprepared or careless with basic facts.
Supporters of the figures present at the funeral brushed off the criticism, noting that mistakes can happen during emotional public events.
Still, the clip has continued to circulate widely, with commentators pointing out the strange combination of titles and duplicated names.
Whether it was a simple slip of the tongue or a deeper misunderstanding, the moment ensured that a memorial meant to honor Jackson’s legacy briefly turned into one of the most talked-about viral clips of the day.
And for many watching online, the scene raised an obvious question.
How exactly do you end up thanking five presidents when only three were actually there?
