Funviralpark
CNN
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President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden met with patients at Children’s National Hospital in Washington on Friday, continuing a long-standing tradition during the holiday season.
The first couple wearing cloth masks met with pediatric patients, their families and hospital staff, and greeted leaders and emergency department personnel. Dr. Biden read “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats before Mr. and Mrs. Biden visited children and their families in the cardiac intensive care unit.
“Thank you for listening to me and having the president bring the book and for coming,” she said after reading Biden’s deadpan expression, “That’s my job.”
And the president sent a message to the guardians in the room before departure. We also spent a lot of time with patients in children’s hospitals, and it’s okay. ”
The Bidens are traveling within Washington state because much of the United States, including the capital, faces frigid weather, with frigid temperatures, high winds and heavy snow.
President Biden’s visit last year marked the first time a sitting president visited Children’s National for the holidays, according to the White House.
The pre-Christmas Eve visit comes the day after the president delivered his Christmas speech in which he sought to deliver a message of unity.
In his speech, Mr Biden said he was “definitely making progress” and “things are getting better”.
“Covid no longer rules our lives. Our kids are back in school. People are back to work. In fact, more people are working than ever before.” he said. “Americans are building again, innovating, and dreaming again.”
Still, he acknowledged that “Christmas can be a time of great pain and great loneliness,” referring to his own experience of loss during the Christmas holidays—the death of his first wife and daughter 50 years ago this week. was quoted.
“I know how difficult this time can be… I know what other people are going through, what is really going on in their lives, what they are struggling with, what they are trying to do. “No one knows if we’re going to get over it, and that’s why the little acts of kindness can mean so much,” Biden said.
“So this Christmas, let’s spread a little kindness.”
Correction: This article and headline have been updated to correct the name of the hospital to Children’s National Hospital.
