Biden holds social event with ice cream to thank campaign staff after bowing out of election

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Of course, ice cream was involved.

President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, hosted a thank you event on Thursday for hundreds of staffers who worked on the reelection campaign that he chose to exit nearly three weeks ago.

Judging by the security tents, the location offered a dose of political nostalgia: The staffers met with Biden at The Queen, a music venue that played a critical role in his successful race for presidency in 2020, when he often spoke to the public from the theater’s stage.

After having dropped out of the race, Biden wanted to show his appreciation for the staff’s work over the past year and their continued efforts in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, who succeeded him as the Democratic nominee. That’s according to a person familiar with the president’s plans who shared details of the events but insisted on anonymity to discuss the arrangements.

The event featured food and, naturally for Biden, his beloved ice cream.

The president has kept a lower profile since leaving the presidential race, a response to a loss of confidence in his ability to beat Donald Trump after a disastrous debate on June 27 against his rival.

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