President Joe Biden took question after question from school age children at the White House during ‘take your child to work day’ – where on at least one occasion he had to rely on a kid for help recalling the answer.
The White House set up the event on the South Lawn, and allowed children of some administration employees to ask the president questions.
Biden fielded inquiries on topics ranging from his favorite color to his favorite ice scream, but had to second-guess himself when trying to reel off where all six of his grandchildren live.
What should have been a softball was a question about what country Biden last visited tripped up Biden for a while, as he mentioned instead how many leaders he has met as president.
President Joe Biden fielded a slew of questions from children at Take Your Child to Work day on Thursday, stumbling over where his grandchildren live and what country he last visited
‘Last country I’ve traveled – must be the last one I was in, I’ve been to – 89 heads of state so far.
Finally after a pause a kid yelled out ‘Ireland!’ – Biden’s ancestral homeland that he visited earlier this month.
‘You’re right, Ireland,’ Biden responded. ‘That’s where it was.’
Another child wanted to know where Biden’s grandchildren live.
‘One granddaughter lives in Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia,’ Biden said, speaking slowly knowing there were children from a range of ages there. ‘One granddaughter lives in New York. One granddaughter lives in Washington. One granddaughter lives in Wilmington, Delaware. The other grandson – my grandson lives in California.’
‘But I left somebody out, didn’t I? Anyway,’ Biden said.
Then, he turned the question into a pop quiz, going through the locations again. Philadelphia, Wilmington, and … I did say five, you’re right.’
‘One in New York, two in Philadelphia,’ he said, checking himself, before moving onto another question.
The children asked about series topics and light ones as well
Biden made the most of the event, staying longer than anticipated his staff thought might be wise
Biden spoke about his favorite movie and his favorite color
Finally a child told the president it might be time to return to the White House
Another child asked Biden to name his favorite movie. Biden instead opted to say his favorite movie of the year – but got a little help.
‘My favorite movie was the new movie that was about that guy who flies jet planes. You know who I’m talking about?’ he asked, before a kid answered ‘Top Gun.’
‘Top Gun,’ Biden continued. Did you see Top One: Maverick?’
Biden had direct answers to other queries, saying his favorite color is blue and his favorite ice cream is chocolate chip.
He sometimes veered into discussions about NATO, diabetes, civil rights, and Russian aggression when talked about his priorities and the most important things he is dealing with as president.
He also spoke about the White House itself and the agents who protect it.
On another question about his family, Biden said he is ‘crazy about’ his six grandchildren.
‘I speak to them every single day,’ and just got through calling. ‘Only one of them answered the call,’ he joked.
‘Guess what? They’re crazy about me,’ he said.
Biden at one point seemed to know he was in the danger zone. ‘I’m getting myself in trouble here, because your parents are saying when is he going to stop?’ he joked.
Biden gave his favorite rose – white – and what he had for breakfast: bacon, scrambled eggs, and cheese.
At one point he asked a young girl who inquired about the White House if she wanted to go in.
‘You don’t want to go in the White House?’ Biden said, gobsmacked.
After more than 20 minutes, one child had a question that seemed to channel what her parents might have been thinking. ‘Mr. President, I heard you have to go back to the Oval Office,’ she told him.
‘It’s what we call a tough room,’ actor Bradley Whitford, who was there and waiting to get back in the White House, joked to DailyMail.com.
