President Joe Biden answered one question after another from school-aged children in the White House during “bring your child to work” day, having to rely on a child for help remembering the answer at least once.
The White House hosted the event on the South Lawn and allowed children of some administration employees to ask the president questions.
Biden answered questions on topics ranging from his favorite color to his favorite ice cry, but he had to ask himself as he tried to find out where all six of his grandchildren live.
What should have been a softball question about what country Biden last visited caused Biden to stumble for a while, as he instead mentioned how many leaders he has met as president.
President Joe Biden answered a slew of questions from kids during Take Your Child to Work day on Thursday, stumbling over where his grandchildren live and what country he last visited
“The last country I’ve traveled to — must be the last I’ve been, I’ve been to — 89 heads of state so far.
Finally after a pause a child shouted ‘Ireland!’ – Biden’s ancestral homeland which he visited earlier this month.
“You’re right, Ireland,” Biden replied. “There it was.”
Another child wanted to know where Biden’s grandchildren live.
“A granddaughter lives in Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia,” Biden said, speaking slowly, knowing that there were children of different ages there. “A granddaughter lives in New York. A granddaughter lives in Washington. A granddaughter lives in Wilmington, Delaware. The other grandson – my grandson lives in California.”
“But I locked someone out, didn’t I? Anyway,” Biden said.
He then turned the question into a pop quiz, going through the locations again. Philadelphia, Wilmington and… I said five, you’re right.’
“One in New York, two in Philadelphia,” he said, checking himself before moving on to another question.
The children asked questions about series topics as well as light topics
Biden made the most of the event, staying longer than expected which his staff thought would be prudent
Biden talked about his favorite movie and his favorite color
Finally, a kid told the president it might be time to return to the White House
Another child asked Biden to name his favorite movie. Biden opted instead to say his favorite movie of the year, but got a little help.
“My favorite movie was the new one about the guy who pilots jet planes. Do you know who I’m talking about?’ he asked, before a child answered “Top Gun.”
“Top Gun,” Biden continued. Have you seen Top One: Maverick?’
Biden had direct answers to other questions, saying his favorite color is blue and his favorite ice cream is chocolate chip.
He sometimes got into discussions about NATO, diabetes and the cost of insulin, civil rights and Russian aggression as he talked about his priorities and the most important issues he faces as president.
He also talked about the White House itself and the agents who protect it.
When asked about his family, Biden said he is “crazy” about his six grandchildren.
‘I speak to them every day’, and just called. “Only one of them answered the call,” he joked.
‘Guess? They love me,” he said.
Biden seemed to know at one point that he was in the danger zone. “I’m getting myself into trouble here because your parents say when he’s 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 was inquiring about the White House if she wanted to go inside.
“Don’t you want to go to the White House?” Biden said stunned.
Biden wasn’t done yet – he answered one more question, about Poland
The president invited some kids to the Oval Office when he finished
Nina Walkuska, 10, finally got a tour of the Oval Office with the president after asking a question about Poland
After more than 20 minutes, one child had a question that seemed to channel what her parents might be thinking. ‘Mr. President, I hear you have to go back to the Oval Office,” she told him.
“It’s what we call a difficult room,” actor Bradley Whitford, who was there and waiting to return to the White House, joked to DailyMail.com.
Just as his aides might have caught their breath, Biden wasn’t done yet. While walking along the colonnade, Biden passed a child who asked him a question about Poland.
Nina Walkuska, 10, whose father is a correspondent for Polish Radio, did the research. The president invited her and another child to the Oval Office. She was allowed to sit behind the Resolute Desk and returned with a handful of cookies wrapped with the seal of the US President.
Biden also showed her pictures of his own family. She said Biden said “a lot of great things.” But he did not answer the question about Poland.