New Delhi:
On Halloween evening, US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted a memorable trick-or-treat event, marking the last Halloween celebration for the 81-year-old during his current term at the White House.
Amid a festive atmosphere, Biden had a series of light-hearted interactions with young visitors, including a humorous moment where he pretended to bite the leg of a baby dressed as a chicken. All the while the iconic theme from Jaws played in the background.
U.S. President Joe Biden bites a baby during a trick-or-treaters celebration for Halloween at the White House in Washington. Photo by @SmileItsNathan pic.twitter.com/VXzvtI3IZo
— corinne_perkins (@corinne_perkins) October 30, 2024
First Lady Jill Biden also participated in the festivities dressed as a giant panda – a nod to her earlier collaboration with the National Zoo to celebrate the return of pandas to Washington, DC.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden — dressed as a panda! — hand out candy for Halloween at the White House, including to Sec. of State Blinken’s kids. Theme is Hallo-read pic.twitter.com/dSrswXITT2
— Maddie Gannon (@maddiegannon3) October 30, 2024
FLOTUS also delighted the kids with a reading session, introducing the educational theme of “Hallo-Read”. Earlier in the day, she shared a spooky pumpkin story with a group of costumed kids on the White House lawn.
jill biden being fully dressed up for halloween ad a panda is actually hilarious pic.twitter.com/uSUvf6EPxq
— annika ???????????? (@theannikaj) October 31, 2024
As evening fell, the couple spent over an hour distributing goodies to up to 8,000 attendees, including local students and families with military backgrounds. President Biden, in a suit and tie, filled children’s treat bags with White House-branded Hershey’s Kisses, while the First Lady handed out copies of 10 Spooky Pumpkins. The White House grounds were decorated with festive decorations, including a large orange moon, stacks of books and cardboard cutouts of Willow, the family’s cat.
An Air Force band played spooky tunes throughout the evening.
On Halloween, former President Donald Trump is set to visit Albuquerque, New Mexico, to appeal to Latino voters and promote his immigration policies. Despite New Mexico’s predominantly Democratic and Hispanic population, Trump aims to leverage recent Republican gains among Latino men. His visit is significant, especially following a rally in New York where inflammatory comments about Puerto Rico were made, raising tensions with Latino communities.
Trump’s campaign focuses on New Mexico’s proximity to the border and its oil and gas industry, hoping to attract conservative Latinos employed in these sectors. However, Democrats argue that his claims about energy production are misleading, as oil and gas output has increased under President Biden.
The visit will occur at a private venue after the state declined Trump’s requests for public spaces due to maintenance claims. Critics, including New Mexico Democratic spokesperson Daniel Garcia, argue that Trump’s past actions, including unpaid debts from previous campaign visits, indicate he is unlikely to succeed in swaying voters in the state.
