EGN NEWS DESK
On Friday, President Biden urgently known as for an finish to the warfare in Gaza. He solemnly mentioned the rule of regulation after former President Donald J. Trump’s felony conviction. And he donned a shiny purple helmet to the whoops and cheers of a pack of soccer gamers and followers.
The go to to the White House by the Kansas City Chiefs to have a good time their second straight Super Bowl win gave the president a number of moments of frivolity in every week replete with sobering occasions.
“Winning back-to-back — I type of like that,” Mr. Biden stated, hinting on the robust re-election bid he faces in his rematch with Mr. Trump. He added, “When the doubters query should you can pull it off once more, imagine me, I do know what that appears like.”
The South Lawn celebration was a blip on the president’s schedule, squeezed between a gathering with the prime minister of Belgium and his weekend plans in Rehoboth Beach, Del., throughout a month with an infinite string of marketing campaign occasions. Yet, with among the National Football League’s most well-known names, it carried a sure movie star wattage.
Still, the highlight was far dimmer than it may have been. Taylor Swift didn’t make the journey along with her boyfriend, the star tight finish Travis Kelce, as she was touring in Europe and had carried out in Madrid on Thursday evening.
The White House had beforehand stated it was as much as the Chiefs whether or not to increase an invite to the star musician, who has largely prevented embroiling herself in politics. She endorsed Mr. Biden in 2020, resulting in hypothesis about whether or not she would achieve this once more.
The ceremony on the South Lawn got here after the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win in February, however simply over a month after Ms. Swift launched her newest album, which has at the very least one monitor that nods to Mr. Kelce, who, as she sings, is aware of “find out how to ball.”
“Travis, the place’s Taylor?” a journalist shouted close to the tip of the ceremony, prompting a murmur of disapproval from the group. Mr. Kelce, in a light-colored go well with and darkish shades, didn’t seem to react to the query.
Mr. Biden nudged Mr. Kelce to the rostrum throughout the ceremony, however stated that he was apprehensive: “I’d have Travis come up right here, however God solely is aware of what he’d say.”
Mr. Kelce, who sneaked as much as the microphone eventually 12 months’s ceremony however was redirected by quarterback Patrick Mahomes earlier than he may make any remarks, was much less daring on Friday.
“They instructed me if I come up right here, I’d get tased,” Mr. Kelce joked on the podium. He then rapidly rejoined his teammates.
Also in attendance was Harrison Butker, the Chiefs kicker who attracted controversy this month for a graduation deal with at a Catholic liberal arts faculty through which he instructed that being a “homemaker” was a lady’s most essential function. He additionally disparaged Pride Month, drawing rebukes from L.G.B.T.Q. teams. Mr. Butker stood silently within the again row alongside his teammates.
Coach Andy Reid and Clark Hunt, the staff’s chief government, rounded out the ceremony by giving Mr. Biden a Chiefs helmet to go together with the customized jersey he was offered with final 12 months. Mr. Reid scrambled to tug off Mr. Biden’s aviators because the president slipped it on to cheers of “Do it, do it!”
Mr. Biden praised the Chiefs for his or her response to a capturing in February at a celebration of their Super Bowl win in Kansas City, Mo., that left one lady dead and dozens wounded, together with a number of youngsters.
“One teen remembers Coach Reid giving him a hug, saying, ‘Just breathe, simply breathe,’” Mr. Biden stated. He added, “As a rustic, we’ve to do extra to cease the tragic shootings earlier than they occur.”
Speaking to reporters shortly after the ceremony on the South Lawn, Mr. Mahomes stated it was particular to see the president don a Chiefs helmet. “We didn’t anticipate that,” he stated, including, “You don’t take these moments as a right.”
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who was drafted by the Chiefs final month, paused a White House tour to step as much as the rostrum contained in the briefing room and tease a 3rd profitable season: “Three-peat, child.”
He and several other different gamers had already appeared to grasp certainly one of Washington’s oldest trades: When requested whether or not they would become involved in Mr. Biden’s re-election bid, they didn’t reply.
