USA: Visiting an old acquaintance: Obama as a guest in the White House

USA: Visiting an old acquaintance: Obama as a guest in the White House

Cheers, applause and standing ovations: Ex-President Obama is enthusiastically received during a flying visit to his former workplace. He also has a joke for successor Biden in store.

In 2017, Barack Obama left the White House. On Tuesday, the former US President returned to government headquarters in Washington for the first time since leaving office. This time as a guest.

“Vice President Biden,” Obama said in greeting to his former deputy Joe Biden. laughter in the hall. “It was a joke,” Obama quickly added, went to Biden, hugged him and asserted that it was a joke that had been agreed upon.

The ex-vice president and current President Biden had invited Obama to the White House to publicly celebrate a reform from the joint government (2009 to 2017) and to seal an improvement. It was about Obama’s major health care reform, which was hotly contested at the time. Biden and his former boss also used the appearance to praise each other. Biden could use any support of this kind in the face of poor approval ratings.

Standing ovation for the ex-president

Obama was greeted with cheers, applause and a standing ovation at the performance. He tried to project a good mood and elicited a little more enthusiasm from the guests in the room than is usual for a Tuesday White House appointment.

“I’ve heard that the current President has made some changes since my last visit,” Obama joked. “Secret Service officials are now all required to wear aviator goggles.” This is Biden’s favorite sunglass model. “And now there’s a cat running around here,” Obama said, referring to the Bidens’ new cat. His dogs Bo and Sunny wouldn’t have been thrilled, the ex-president added. “But coming back – even if I have to wear a tie, which I very rarely do these days – gives me the opportunity to meet some of the incredible people who work in this White House and who serve this country every day.” That includes Biden.

He introduced himself modestly: “My name is Joe Biden. I’m Barack Obama’s Vice President – and Jill Biden’s husband.” Addressing Obama, the US President said: “Welcome back to the White House, man. Feels like the good old days.”

Source: Stern

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts