Biden Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day at the White House

Green Fountains, Ties, and Tweets

On Friday, the fountain in front of the White House turned a bright, Kelly green, and President Biden donned a green tie with shamrocks in the breast pocket of his jacket. He also confirmed his upcoming visit to Ireland next month. However, the real proof of Biden’s proud Irish heritage was in his tweet celebrating his connection to his ancestors.

The Most Unabashedly Proud Irish American in the White House?

Joe Biden is only the second Irish Catholic to occupy the Oval Office, but he may be the most unabashedly proud of his Irish roots. He has stated that he received his “Irish values” from his mother, who urged him to treat others with respect and dignity. Biden has clashed with the British monarchy in the past, but he has also played an influential role in promoting peace in Northern Ireland through the Good Friday Agreement. Biden will mark the Good Friday Agreement’s 25th anniversary with a visit to Ireland next month.

A Homecoming Celebration

Aides and reporters are expecting an enthusiastic president when he heads to Ireland for his first trip abroad as president. The announcement of his visit came following the resolution of some ongoing disputes over power-sharing in the countries. Biden spoke at a St. Patrick’s Day luncheon at Capitol Hill, where he reflected on his previous visit to meet his extended family members in Ireland. On Friday evening, he hosted a shamrock presentation and reception at the White House for Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and others.

Finding Common Ground

As the country remains divided politically, President Biden expressed his hope of finding common ground. At the luncheon, he shared a phrase from his grandfather: “never bend, never bow, never kneel, never yield.” Biden agreed with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, stating that both parties could put the country first and work toward changing the direction that the extremes are heading toward.

A Son of Ireland

Varadkar, Ireland’s prime minister, praised the US for standing with Ireland and acknowledged the support of past presidents. However, he emphasized that President Biden is special: “every American president is a little bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day,” but “today we’re celebrating our national day with a president who is unmistakably a son of Ireland.”

Credit: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/17/us/politics/biden-st-patricks-day.html

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