President Joe Biden opened the doors of the White House to thousands of children this Monday, for the traditional Easter egg race. This when there are just over 7 months until the presidential elections against Donald Trump and at a critical moment in terms of his popularity.
Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, opened the official residence to about 40,000 people, including parents and children, despite light rain in Washington. This is a tradition that dates back to 1878 and consists of different recreational activities in the gardens of the White House, according to the EFE agency.
In a brief statement from the balcony overlooking the south lawn of the presidential residence, where children’s activities were set up, the president said: “We hope that this year we will have the largest event in the history of this celebration.”
Likewise, the Democratic president asserted that he has never been “more optimistic” about today’s United States. “We have enormous opportunities,” he added.
For her part, first lady Jill Biden, whose presence in the campaign is increasing since her popularity is much greater than that of the president, also offered a speech in which she spoke about education, the theme chosen for the celebration.
“Education expands our horizons and transports us to new worlds,” said the first lady, a teacher by profession, next to a decoration made up of enormous hot air balloons with the words technology, science or art, according to EFE.
The activities
The Bidens went down to the gardens and spent a few minutes talking with some of the attendees and playing with the children.
Biden himself, 81, helped several children in egg races, in which the little ones have to use wooden spoons to roll colored eggs to a finish line.
Likewise, during the day visitors – children of veterans or military personnel or people who won tickets in a raffle – can enter the White House for a few minutes to participate in activities such as the Easter egg hunt or the reading corner.
Among those in attendance were Elizabeth and Ben Bergin and their two daughters, residents of New York, who have traveled to the American capital for the occasion.
“I had never been inside, I had seen it from the outside, but it is the first time I have been inside and it is beautiful,” Ben told Efe, excited by the possibility of seeing the president up close.
Criticism of Biden
The activity at the White House for Easter comes at a time when Biden is being harshly criticized by Republicans, after he recognized Sunday as Transgender Day of Visibility.
“The Biden White House has betrayed the central principle of Easter, which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” questioned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson. “Banning sacred truth and tradition, while proclaiming Easter Sunday as ‘Transgender Day,’ is outrageous and abhorrent. “The American people are taking notice.”
The White House has rejected the criticism, arguing that Biden himself is quite religious.
Likewise, it occurs when there are seven months left until the presidential elections against former President Trump, in which Biden starts at a disadvantage in the polls.
The tradition of egg races at the White House dates back to 1878. Since then, American presidents and their families have celebrated Easter Monday by hosting a party at the presidential residence. It is one of the longest-running annual events in White House history.
With information from EFE.
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