He was treated with children’s gloves.
President Biden answered questions from children in Ireland on Wednesday after outraging the White House press corps by refusing to carry an official press conference during his four-day tour of the island with scandal-ridden first son Hunter Biden.
“Do any of you wish to ask any questions?” The 80-year-old president asked the schoolchildren of US embassy employees shortly after arriving in Dublin. “What do you wish to ask me?”
Biden struggled together with his memory, answering a young boy’s query in regards to the key to success – forgetting the house state of the late Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC), who was Biden’s Senate colleague for 30 years, and incorrectly saying he was 32 years old when the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was introduced. Actually, the president could be in his forties.
“The important thing to success is that at any time when you disagree with someone, you possibly can query their judgment as as to if they’re right or incorrect, but you have to never query their motives,” said Biden, who as president blows up Republicans, in at one point accusing them of being slaves to “semi-fascism” in the person of former President Donald Trump and his allies.
At one other point, Biden promised the kid he would sign an autograph – though it’s unclear if he remembered to achieve this.
“Honey, can I sign this in a minute? I don’t desire to do it now. I promise I’ll sign it,” he said minutes before leaving as a person in the group picked up what looked like a notebook.
Biden met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast on Wednesday before flying south to be greeted by the Republic of Ireland’s leader Leo Varadkar.
In Dublin, one child asked about Air Force One, showing Biden a toy model plane that the president picked up and said, “Pretty cool, man.”
One other asked, “How are your dogs?”
“My dog is tremendous. His name is Commander. What’s your dog’s name? The president responded when the infant wailed, creating a soundscape harking back to a nursery.
Throughout the week, members of the White House press corps have been clamoring for a proof as to why there will likely be no press conference, whether with Biden answering questions himself, the president and Sunak appearing together, or Biden and Varadkar appearing before the media.
The presence of Hunter and first sister Valerie Biden Owens on the outing also created surprise, with CBS reporter Ed O’Keefe telling National Security Council official Amanda Sloat during a Wednesday morning briefing: “There’s a feeling that the remainder of this week is essentially you recognize, planting trees, ringing in bells and a taxpayer-funded family reunion.
On Monday, the day before Biden’s departure, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tried to defend the dearth of availability of the presidential press, arguing that Biden often accepts less formal shouted questions from reporters.
“The president at all times loves to reply your questions – shouted questions,” Jean-Pierre said on the time, to which one reporter replied, “Apparently not.”
Biden also avoided interacting with the press during his trip to Ukraine and Poland in February, although he held a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a recent trip to Ottawa – and drew attention by mixing “China” and “Canada” during a speech to Canadian Parliament.
The president told “Today” host Al Roker that he intends to run for re-election in 2024, despite the fact that he could be 86 if he accomplished a full second term, but isn’t yet able to formally begin campaigning.
“I plan on a minimum of three or 4 more Easter Egg Rolls. Possibly five. Possibly six, what the hell? I do not know,” Biden said, adding, “Either I’m rolling an egg or I will find yourself being the guy who pushes them out.”