Biden softens tone at congressional picnic after Hunter Biden hearing: ‘We are friends’
Heather Hunter
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President Joe Biden hosted Republicans and Democrats at a congressional picnic at the White House and called on the lawmakers “to be friends” and to be “good to each other” just hours after first son Hunter Biden’s financial dealings were in the spotlight in a heated Capitol Hill hearing.
He opened his remarks on Wednesday at the picnic with a joke he used in last year’s picnic.
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“Every time I hear ‘Hail to the Chief,’ I turn around and say, ‘Where is he?'” the president quipped, getting laughs from Vice President Kamala Harris and first lady Jill Biden by his side.
The president thanked members of Congress at the picnic for attending and began talking about family.
“First of all, let me begin by thanking all of our families, and I think we underestimate sometimes about how much pressure is put on the family,” he said.
As the president looked out at the crowd of lawmakers, he thanked their family members alongside them on the South Lawn.
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The president’s comments about “family” come the same day as two IRS whistleblowers elaborated on the financial details of the Bidens, showing the family allegedly making $17 million in foreign money.
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He gave a shoutout to former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
“I want to welcome Speaker Emeritus — she’s gonna be my speaker her whole life, I think, my whole life. I want to thank Nancy,” the president said as he looked in the wrong direction for Pelosi. The first lady leaned in to point him in the right direction where she was located in the crowd.
The president then shared his fondness for the current speaker, Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
“Speaker McCarthy, I don’t want to hurt his reputation, but I actually like him. I’m sorry. All kidding aside, we’ve been able to work together, and I appreciate it very much,” the president said.
He closed his comments at the picnic with a tone of unity and friendship.
“With all of the disagreements that we have, we have to remember at the end of the day, we are friends. That’s how it’s always been. You got to be friends. Good to each other. I mean it. And I think we’re getting there,” the president concluded.
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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said all lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were invited to the White House’s congressional picnic on Wednesday.
“I believe so. I think that’s usually the way it works, that all members of Congress are indeed invited,” Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday. “We are not picking who gets to come and who doesn’t get to come.”