Outgoing US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted a thank-you dinner over the weekend for longtime supporters, donors, and other political insiders. Democratic vice presidential nominee Gov Tim Walz and his wife, Gwen, were reportedly also present at the black-tie affair packed with musical performances. They were spotted interacting with Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, according to Page Six.
Reported scenes from the farewell bash captured some laughs during the dinner, as the Democratic leader jokingly advised black-tie attendees not to jump in the pool, given that the night’s venue was the White House South Lawn, where the pool and fountain are pictured.
Biden addressed the attendees at his farewell White House party
“Good evening everyone… If you have a seat, please take it. Don’t jump in the pool!” Biden said on November 21.
According to a video on C-SPAN, he added, “[First Lady] Jill [Biden] and I are hosting this dinner tonight for a very simple reason – to say thank you. Thank you to so many dear friends.”
“We began this journey to redeem the soul of the nation and define the light in the darkness. And I never could have gotten to where the White House has become without you and we never could have gotten as much done as we did without you. And that’s not hyperbole. I mean it from the bottom of my heart.”
Insider describes the bittersweet moment
Photos of the 46th US president from the White House dinner succinctly capture his blue expression in some moments. The bittersweet night marked the end of an era for the political leader. As Biden kept overt mentions of the recent Democratic election loss and Donald Trump out of his speech, an attendee poignantly described the event as a “real love fest” to Page Six. The insider noted, “It was of course sad, but also just a real sense of appreciation for the Bidens. It was absolutely gorgeous.”
“Weirdly, it was also really fun – like a last hurrah.”
Another source speaks for dismayed Dems supporters
Although this one attendee’s claims painted the picture of a dreamy night, another dragged the mood down, speaking on behalf of those who didn’t attend Biden’s farewell party for a reason. They foregrounded that some donors who had splashed $250,000 on the Dems’ cause chose to sit out the evening. “Insiders who were invited and didn’t go are calling it ‘the losers party.’”
In light of the political party’s “embarrassing loss” to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, many are purportedly fuming over the grand sum of $1.5 billion being spent on a “failed” campaign. The source emphasised that they “didn’t want to be associated with the Dems.”
Joe Biden’s White House era comes to an end
Nearly a month ago, the Biden family hosted its final Halloween event at the very same location, with the first lady dressed as a giant panda.
This weekend’s Biden farewell party followed a week after the Dems politician invited President-elect Donald Trump for a tradition-upholding post-election meeting in the White House’s Oval Office, with numerous portraits of iconic US presidents of the past looking over them. Despite their clashes, the MAGA leader eventually told the New York Post that they “both really enjoyed seeing each other.” He also revealed that Biden said he would be attending his inauguration in the new year.
