WASHINGTON (Reuters) – It was take-your-child-to-work day at the White House on Thursday and President Joe Biden leaped fully into the event, taking questions from inquisitive kids at a mock news conference where some revelations were made: Chocolate chip ice cream is his favorite and Top Gun Maverick his preferred movie.
Biden, 80, sporting his signature aviator sunglasses (Ray Bans, he said), was escorted on to the South Lawn by several pint-sized “Secret Service agents,” also sporting aviators.
Awaiting him were dozens of children who joined their parents for what has been an annual event at the White House.
Over the next half hour he proceeded to take more questions from the children than he has from the regular White House press corps in weeks.
Who served as his biggest inspiration? His mother and father.
How many guards are in the White House? Unsure.
Favorite color? Blue.
What did he have for breakfast? A croissant with scrambled eggs and bacon.
The kids stumped him when they asked which country was the last one he visited. (It was Ireland).
Biden said he had met 89 heads of state so far.
“I’m trying to think what was the last place I was,” Biden said, before one of the children reminded him of his emotional Irish trip earlier this month.
Biden played as if he had to get back to work a few times but was easily persuaded to stick around for more questions.
He managed to pitch to the crowd of children, most of them offspring of the White House press corps and staff, on why he would like to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans.
(Reporting by Steve Holland and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Heather Timmons and Diane Craft)
