President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden met with patients at National Children’s Hospital in Washington on Friday, carrying on a longstanding tradition during the holiday season. The first couple, sporting cloth masks, met with pediatric patients, their families and hospital staff, greeting leadership and emergency department workers. Dr. Biden read Ezra Jack Keats’ “The Snowy Day” before the Bidens visited with children and their families in the cardiac intensive care unit. The Associated Press has the story:
Bidens visit patients at Children’s National Hospital
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP)
President Joe Biden and his wife, first lady Jill Biden, swung by Children’s National Hospital on the Friday before Christmas to visit with patients and read a story.
Sitting in front of a Christmas tree, the president helped hold the book while the first lady read from “The Snowy Day,” an award-winning story about a boy named Peter and his adventures in the snow.
Jill Biden noted that there was a little snow today in Washington as the temperatures plunged.
“How many of you have made snow angels?” she said. “I loved to do that.”
This year is the 60th anniversary of the book, written by Ezra Jack Keats.
When finished, Jill Biden said, “Thanks for coming and listening to me read and have the president hold the book.”
Her husband added, “That’s my job.”
Before reading the book, the president and first lady met in private with pediatric patients and their families. The White House said they also thanked doctors, nurses and staff, including at the hospital’s cardiac intensive care unit.
Jill Biden’s visit continued an 80-year annual tradition dating to Bess Truman of first ladies bringing holiday cheer to children who are too ill to be at home on Christmas. President Biden decided to join his wife last year, the first visit by a sitting president.
Before leaving, the president told parents to “be strong.”
“It’s gonna be OK,” he said.
