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Celebrating nation's birth, Biden urges Americans to help end COVID-19 pandemic

Published 07/04/2021, 06:08 AM
Updated 07/05/2021, 05:02 AM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden poses with supporters after touring King Orchards farm in Central Lake, Michigan, U.S., July 3, 2021.  REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden poses with supporters after touring King Orchards farm in Central Lake, Michigan, U.S., July 3, 2021. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

By Trevor Hunnicutt

(Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden celebrated the nation's 245th birthday on Sunday by opening the gates of the White House and calling on Americans to do their part to end the COVID-19 pandemic once and for all.

"This year, the Fourth of July is a day of special celebration for we are emerging from the darkness of ... a year of pandemic and isolation, a year of pain, fear and heartbreaking loss,” Biden told a White House party opened to around 1,000 people, including military families and workers involved in the COVID-19 response.

“We never again want to be where we were a year ago today,” he added.

The largest White House event since Biden took office in January included burgers and fireworks and was geared toward giving Americans something to celebrate as signs of normalcy have returned following a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 600,000 Americans.

Still, the country has fallen short of Biden's goal to have 70% of U.S. adults get at least one vaccine shot by Sunday. The figure is around 67%, as some people have resisted getting inoculated, raising concerns among health officials as the more aggressive Delta variant threatens to generate another surge.

Biden mourned the people who died, praised Americans who aided in the country's emergency response and said vaccines were the best defense against new variants of the virus.

“It’s the most patriotic thing you can do,” he said of getting vaccinated.

But his administration was also eager to celebrate what it sees as its signature accomplishment - restoring some normality for a country weary of pandemic restrictions and hardship, burdens that have eased but not disappeared with the widespread availability of inoculations.

The pandemic forced cancellation of nearly all celebrations last year and led to a toned-down January inauguration for the Democratic president, who had to do without traditional black-tie galas and bipartisan comity as Republican former President Donald Trump disputed his election loss.

Fortress-like security around Washington following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was eased as crowds marked the Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1776.

Fencing surrounding the White House has been dramatically scaled back, and the streets filled on Sunday with people who snapped photographs of the president's motorcade returning from a weekend trip to a Michigan cherry farm, the golf course and his Delaware family home.

© Reuters. U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the White House at a celebration of Independence Day in Washington, U.S., July 4, 2021. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Speaking to people on the south lawn of the White House who had shed their masks to eat watermelon slices and drink beer, Biden said the coronavirus "no longer paralyzes our nation, and it's in our power to make sure it never does again."

After the speech, the president greeted guests and posed for photographs ahead of a 17-minute fireworks display to be set off later from both sides of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool (NASDAQ:POOL).

Latest comments

biden is all "none of these girls are young enough for a good sniffing".
Thanks to President Trump, we have the vaccine. Of course mr biden fouled up the distribution.
Biden belongs in prison.
I think he just pooped his pants
Everyone that attended is in the photo.
maybe sleepy Joe can pardon himself, his son and Hillary.. they are all crooks..
Hey republicans! What’s it like to have a president that pardons his son in law’s dad? Jared & Ivanka’s kids have bragging rights that no one else can touch. My grandpa pardoned my other grandpa! Beat that!
It looks like trailer parks finally got wifi! They think Trump is still president.
To all of you red hats that say the election was stolen, talk to Barr. Trump’s attorney general, that Trump tried to use as his personal attorney, showed that the 2020 election was safe, and never compromised. Thoughts & prayers. Maybe Trump can run in 2024, if he’s not in prison. Thoughts & prayers.
let not focus on how trump was mad he got cheated
I thought that he only ate weiners
Look at this hilarious 3rd grader! ^^^
Tough decision this year. What to do with the 16 cents the White House says I’ve saved? 🤔
Hey! You can now buy that rock thats next to your current rock u live under! Life is good!
1st year of fascist rule.
Nothing says fascist like dousing citizens with tear gas for a photo-op opportunity. Oh wait, that was Trump.
Glad to see another day without  republicans/Trump supporters attacking the US capital.
Im sorry, but when it costs over 100 bill total to fix up the damage, and then the politicians sneak it in as "Covid relief" i would consider that destruction. Destruction for the thousands of lost jobs, destruction for all the property destroyed, destruction for every day peoples way of life. Yes, I will call it destruction
 liberals leveled Portland the same way they did countless other dem controlled SHs.. much like decay rots a tooth. If a city is now unlivable, consider it “leveled”..
No one “attacked” the Capital. They were protestors. That’s all.
Weren't we supposed to be worried about the Delta variants that apparently infects even those vaccinated? lol
left wing, right wing, same bird
thats why they dont like Trump, he was an outsider and want to bring accountability to politicians
Eudon, don't kid yourself. Trump is the last person who's into accountability. Finger-pointing and blaming, sure. But when has he ever taken responsibility for any of his own mistakes? And look at all the people he fired for trying to hold officials, including himself, accountable.
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