By Darlene Superville | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and his wife, first lady Jill Biden, visited Children’s National Hospital on the Friday before Christmas to visit patients and read a story.
Sitting in front of a towering Christmas tree, the president helped hold the book while the first lady read “The Snowy Day,” an award-winning story about a boy named Peter and his adventures in the snow. This year marks 60 years since the book, written by Ezra Jack Keats, was published.
Jill Biden noted that Washington had “a tiny bit of snow” on Friday as temperatures plummeted. “Has anyone seen it?” she asked.
When the story was about Peter and snow angels, she asked how many of the patients they had ever made. “I liked doing that,” she said.
When she finished reading, the first lady said, “Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone. Thank you for coming and listening to me read the book and let the president hold the book.
“That’s my job,” he added.
Biden and his wife also privately met with pediatric patients and their families. The White House said they also thanked doctors, nurses and staff, including in the hospital’s cardiac intensive care unit.
Jill Biden’s visit continued an 80-year tradition that predates Bess Truman of first ladies cheering up kids too sick to be home for Christmas. President Biden joined his wife last year in the first visit by a sitting president.
Kurt Newman, the hospital’s president and CEO, said he asked the president last year to come back this year and exclaimed, “Look, he did!”
“It’s so important to all of our families, our children and our staff because there have been many challenges,” Newman said of the visit. “We look forward to seeing you next year.”
Before leaving, the president told parents in the audience to “be strong.” He said his family has also spent a lot of time in children’s hospitals. “It will be fine,” Biden said.
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