President Joe Biden, 82, played with a toddler Friday as first lady Jill Biden read Twas the Night Before Christmas amid fallout over a shocking report that suggested that his cognitive decline started years ago.
The Bidens made their annual trek to the Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. Friday afternoon for a Christmas-themed book reading.
As the first lady, an educator by trade, read the story, Biden made faces at the children in the crowd.
When a toddler approached him – making Dr. Biden crack up – the president motioned that it was OK to climb up on his chair.
The child did so, then left, then returned and threw a small ball at the president.
Children’s Hospital CEO Michelle Riley-Brown commended the president for tagging along to the event, which historically has been attended by first ladies.
‘We’ve never had a president join for four years straight,’ Riley-Brown said.
Biden then asked if it was OK for him to say a few words.
President Joe Biden, 82, played with a toddler Friday as first lady Jill Biden read Twas the Night Before Christmas amid fallout over a shocking report that suggested that his cognitive decline started years ago
When a toddler approached him – making Dr. Biden crack up – the president motioned that it was OK to climb up on his chair. He held the young one for a few seconds, before the child ran off
‘This is a tough time to be here,’ the president said, acknowleding that he knew from personal experience.
His first wife Neilia and daughter Naomi were killed in a Christmastime car crash in 1972 – the same year he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
The crash left young sons Beau and Hunter injured and Biden spent hours at a Wilmington hospital over the holidays during their recovery.
The president and his family took a mid-week trip to Wilmington, Delaware this week to attend church services on the sad anniversary.
‘Keep the hope,’ Biden told the families. ‘These guys are going to take care of everything.’
Biden’s appearance came hours after reporters were clamoring over why he hadn’t personally spoken out about the brewing government shutdown.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre fielded a number of questions earlier Friday afternoon about why the president hadn’t been more vocal after President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk derailed a bipartisan spending deal.
‘We’ve heard that message from you, but why aren’t we hearing that directly from the president? Why haven’t we seen or heard from President Biden?’ asked a reporter.
Jean-Pierre answered that ‘this is a strategy that we have done many times before.’
President Joe Biden was later repaid by being the hit with a small ball, as Dr. Biden continued to read the story to the children
A reporter later probed: ‘To be clear, the strategy is he is leading by staying in the background.’
‘The strategy is Congress, Republicans in particular, need to do their jobs and get out of their own way and focus on the American people not their billionaire friends,’ she said.
The inquiries came after one prominent Democrat blasted Biden for ‘quiet quitting’ as he’s limited public appearances and questions to the media in the aftermath of Vice President Kamala Harris’ election loss.
On top of that, new questions arose this week when The Wall Street Journal reported on the many ways Biden’s top White House staffers cocooned him so it was less apparent that he was showing signs of old age.
