As election season gathers pace ahead of the November vote to decide the US president, every word, photo and soundbite will be pored over endlessly by both the media and the public, which makes it all the more bizarre that MSNBC would attempt to somewhat needlessly obscure the phone script for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

“I’ve decided I would like you to join this effort to win back the soul of our country and be our nation’s next vice president,” the visible portion of the document reads. “I think you are entitled to know why I chose you. There are three reasons.”

The eagle-eyed GOP rapid-response director Steve Guest was among many who spotted the rather egregious cropping, calling it “an embarrassment [that] Biden needed talking points to talk to his own VP.”

Both Biden’s use of notes and MSNBC’s apparent decision to crop them out caused a considerable stir on social media and many on the political right couldn’t resist the opportunity to twist the knife on Twitter.

Others poked fun at the orientation of Biden’s smartphone, with many scratching their heads trying to figure out why the Democrat was holding the device upside down.