WILMINGTON, Delaware — And of course, ice cream was part of it.
President Joe Biden and his wife Jill hosted a thank-you event Thursday for hundreds of staffers who worked on the re-election campaign. he chose to leave almost three weeks ago.
Judging by the security tents, the venue lent an air of political nostalgia: Staffers met Biden at The Queen, a music venue that played a pivotal role in his successful 2020 presidential run, when he often spoke to audiences from the theater’s stage.
After dropping out of the race, Biden wanted to show his appreciation for the staff’s work over the past year and their continued efforts to support Vice President Kamala Harriswho succeeded him as the Democratic nominee, according to a person familiar with the president’s plans who shared details of the events but spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the arrangements.
The event was all about food and, for Biden of course, his beloved ice cream.
The President has kept a lower profile since he dropped out of the presidential race, in response to a loss of confidence in his ability to defeat Donald Trump after a disastrous June 27 debate with his rival.
He has cut back on his travel schedule and is holding more private policy meetings.
Biden has continued to engage in a number of high-profile activities, such as working on a prisoner exchange involving Russia, resulting in a multinational deal that freed two dozen people.
The Queen, the downtown Wilmington concert hall where Biden met with his staff, played a pivotal role in the 2020 election, as Biden hosted events there as the pandemic curtailed public gatherings and travel. He used the space to hold press conferences and deliver speeches.
The building was originally a 19th-century hotel popular with traveling sailors, according to the venue’s website. From 1916 to 1959, it was converted into a movie theater, before being abandoned and falling into disrepair over the next 50 years. The Queen reopened in 2011 as a music venue.
After Biden’s performance, the theater’s website reports, the bands Cobra Whip, The Stone Eye and Dirty House will perform on Friday.
