President Joe Biden noted he is the only Irishman who has never had a drink while speaking at a St. Patrick’s Day luncheon at the Capitol on Friday.
Biden, who is proud of his Irish roots and often speaks of them, joked: “I’m the only Irishman you’ve ever met, although he’s never had a drink. I’m really not Irish.”
The President has said he was a lifelong teetotaler because one of his favorite uncles, who he grew up with, was a heavy drinker. “There are enough alcoholics in my family,” he said of his decision. Neither he nor former President Donald Trump were drinkers.
Biden hosts Irish leader Leo Varadkar for the White House holiday, which is known for celebrating with corned beef and Guinness.
But the President didn’t talk about the visit or anything else when asked about it. He declined to answer questions from American reporters in the Oval Office Friday, although his publicist Karine Jean-Pierre had indicated he would.
President Joe Biden took no questions from the press when he met with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office
Jean-Pierre was asked at her Thursday press conference why Biden did not hold a press conference with Varadkar. Traditionally, the president and a visiting foreign leader hold a so-called two-and-two, a press conference at which each summons two reporters from their country’s press corps.
Biden’s last two-and-two in the White House was in December when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was visiting.
Varadkar answered questions from reporters – outside the West Wing, on the driveway, before heading to the Capitol to join Biden over lunch. After her meeting with Biden, EU President Ursula von der Leyen also took questions from reporters in front of the White House and answered them in the dark and in the rain.
Jean-Pierre argued that Biden was asking questions and that the press could ask them during Friday’s Oval Office event.
“You will have the opportunity, or your colleagues will have the opportunity, to ask questions during the oval’s pool spray,” Jean-Pierre said Thursday, referring to the time when reporters were brought to the forefront of Biden’s meetings.
“So this is an opportunity to ask a question to the President or the head of state who is visiting the White House that day,” she noted.
But reporters crowded against them. “We get yelled at,” one said to her. “Usually when we’re in the Oval Office the press gets shouted down,” said another.
After Biden and Varadkar made their opening statements, White House staffers ushered reporters to the door before they could ask questions, shouting “thank you press” over any attempts by the press to speak.
The only question Biden answered came from an Irish reporter as the press exited the Oval and said “soon” when asked when he was visiting Ireland.
Jean-Pierre argued that a two-and-two was a joint decision by the White House and the host country.
“You see, the two-plus-two is something that is done in coordination with the country that is visiting us. This is not something that is decided unilaterally. That is something that is being discussed with the other country.”
“There is a possibility that the press will be in the room with the two leaders. I can’t talk to those who answer questions or don’t,” she noted.
A United States Secret Service agent directs members of the media to exit the Oval Office as Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar meets President Joe Biden on St. Patrick’s Day in the Oval Office
President Joe Biden, Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar have lunch at the Capitol
President Joe Biden joked during a St. Patrick’s Day luncheon at the Capitol, “I’m the only Irishman you’ve ever met, even though he’s never had a drink. I’m really not Irish
Biden and Varadkar went to the Capitol for a luncheon hosted by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, after their meeting.
The President noted that despite their political differences, he and McCarthy shared their Irish roots.
Biden often speaks of his Irish ancestry and quotes an Irish poet in most of his speeches.
His mother’s family – the Finnegans – were Irish-American immigrants. Biden frequented his family’s pub, Lily Finnegan’s, in Carlingford, County Louth when he visited Ireland in 2016.
His great-great-grandfather was born in Ireland and emigrated to America.
“Nice to have you back in the Oval Office, Taoiseach. It’s a big day in my grandparents’ household, our household, a big day here,” Biden said.
Varadkar said the entire Irish Republic is looking forward to seeing Biden. The President is expected to travel there next month to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
“I promise you we will roll out the red carpet and it will be a visit like no other. Everyone’s excited,” said the Taoiseach.
The White House turned green for the occasion. The water in the fountain on the North Lawn was dyed green, shamrocks adorned the Oval Office, and the President wore a green tie with white dots.
Varadkar’s visit comes after Biden said he plans to visit both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland next month, marking the 25th anniversary of the US-brokered Good Friday Agreement.
The agreement helped end the sectarian violence that had raged for three decades over whether Northern Ireland should unite with Ireland or remain part of the UK.
“I want to recognize the central role that the US has played in the peace process on our island, driving it forward and highlighting critical points,” Varadkar said during his meeting with Harris on Friday morning.
Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar (left) and EU President Ursula von der Leyen (right) took questions outside the White House following their meetings with Biden
The fountain on the North Lawn of the White House will be dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day when the beast carries President Joe Biden and Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar to the Capitol
Prior to his meeting with Biden, Varadkar, known as the Taoiseach, and his partner Matthew Barrett visited the Naval Observatory for breakfast with Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. “Eggs St. Patrick” was on the menu. It’s an Irish twist on Eggs Benedict.
Harris wore a green pantsuit for the occasion. The three men had shamrocks in the breast pockets of their suit jackets.
Acknowledging Biden’s love of all things Irish, she remarked: “He’s quite ebullient in that joy and I’ve caught the bug now.”
Later on Friday, boy band One Direction and Irish singer Niall Horan will perform before leaders and invited guests at the White House.
Horan was one of the five members of One Direction, the popular 2010 Anglo-Irish boy band that have sold more than 70 million records worldwide. The band officially split in January 2016.
Last year, on St. Patrick’s Day, then-Prime Minister Micheál Martin tested positive for COVID, prompting him to meet Biden virtually instead. And in 2021, Martin and Biden celebrated virtually because of the pandemic.
Varadkar, who served as the Taoiseach from 2017 to 2020, returned to the role in December. Most recently, he was in Washington for St. Patrick’s Day, when Donald Trump was President.
Vice President Kamala Harris clink glasses as she hosts a St Patrick’s Day breakfast with Ireland’s Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (seated left).
The holiday becomes a tradition celebrated at the White House. Some 31.5 million US citizens claim Irish heritage, second only to Germany, according to the Census Bureau.
The President has long made it clear that he wanted to visit Ireland as President, but Northern Ireland’s commercial status caused a diplomatic headache when it came to a Presidential visit.
However, this obstacle was removed when Britain and the European Union agreed the Windsor Framework Agreement, paving the way for trade across the Ireland-Northern Ireland border.
Former One Direction member Irish singer Niall Horan will perform at a St. Patrick’s Day reception at the White House on Friday
Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, remained essentially in the European Union market, along with its neighbor the Republic of Ireland, an independent country when Britain voted to leave the EU
The Windsor Framework will keep goods moving without repealing the Good Friday Agreement.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak personally invited Biden when he met with him during an Aukus event in San Diego on Monday.
“I know it’s very special and personal to you. We’d love to have you,” the Prime Minister told the US President.
‘Twenty-five years. It feels like yesterday. Like yesterday,” Biden mused about Sunak’s invitation. “Thanks,” he added.
Biden was last in Ireland in an official capacity as Vice President in 2016. This visit included stops in Dublin, Mayo and Louth – the capital and two counties of his ancestors.