In a rather unceremonious event, Joe Biden decided to drop by at Penn’s campus without any prior announcement last Friday. The ex-Benjamin Franklin Presidential Practice Professor and founder of the Penn Biden Center apparently still considers Penn worthy of his time. He graced the corner of 36th and Walnut streets at around 5:30 p.m. and conveniently entered the Penn Bookstore through a grandeur motorcade.
After his rather mundane bookstore visit, Biden wandered over to the University Meeting and Guest House. The rationale behind this visit remains as elusive as the agenda behind his Presidential run. The company he had for this visit was his grandson, Hunter Biden – whose public reputation leaves much to be desired. It’s a real surprise he would bring Hunter to a place of learning, but I guess it’s never too late to learn something useful.
To make the trip seem a bit more formal, or perhaps to sneak in a free meal, rumors are Biden planned to dine with Interim Penn President, Larry Jameson. The scene was set at the Guest House, where Jameson and his unsuspecting staff arrived around 3:30 p.m. It almost seems like Jameson was unaware of his ‘honored’ guest, who would only appear two hours later.
For those curious enough, a University spokesperson tried their best to deflect queries and pointed reporters to the always mum, White House. As expected, multiple attempts to solicit comment from the White House went unheeded. What was the point of this visit, if not to engage with the Penn Community and address student concerns?
Speculations ran high, and misleading information emerged about Biden having a meal with Jameson at the Guest House. The absolute lack of openness from the White House adds to the confusion, and the Daily Pennsylvanian couldn’t confirm these rumors. Unfortunate, as the truth indeed does set one free.
Interestingly, the White House pool reports shared that Biden set off from Washington, D.C. precisely at 3:58 p.m. The old man then barely touched down in Philadelphia around 5 p.m., as if he couldn’t wait to be out of the D.C pressure cooker. The rather mysterious paper he held with Jameson’s photograph raises eyebrows about his intentions.
Biden didn’t waste much time at the University Meeting and Guest House, spending only an hour in what could’ve been a valuable outreach opportunity to the youth. At exactly 6:49 p.m., he sped off from the campus, living up to his attraction for abrupt exits. Just like that, he was gone, creating little more than a ripple in the daily life of Penn.
Shortly after his hasty escape from the campus, Biden left Philadelphia, apparently satisfied with his brief appearance. In what seems like an attempt to demonstrate his affiliation, he wore a Penn hat while stepping onto Air Force 1. Well, a hat doesn’t compensate for hastily unplanned campus visits that leave more questions than answers.
True to the Presidential stereotype, a section circumscribing the 38th and Walnut streets was off-limits before his arrival. The Secret Service and PPD officers swarmed the vicinity, creating an unnecessary spectacle. It’s interesting how they create such a tense situation for what amounted to nothing more than a casual visit.
The Penn Bookstore was barricaded, and parts of Locust Walk adjacent to the Perry World House were also cordoned off. It begs the question, was he expecting an enthusiastic crowd of supporters? From what we can tell, the student body hardly had any time to prepare for his unexpected visit.
Conveniently, Biden’s visit took place a few days before the freshers from Class of 2028 arrived for their first-year move. One wonders if this timing was a simple coincidence or a calculated strategy to avoid direct interaction with these bright-eyed, bushy-tailed students, full of probing questions.
In April 2023, Biden had previously descended on Penn’s campus unannounced, much as he did this time, to visit the Charles Addams Fine Arts Hall. The occasion was an art exhibition by Maisy Biden, the President’s granddaughter and 2023 College graduate. Misplaced priorities, attending art exhibits when there are pressing national and international issues at hand.
It is also notable that yet another of President Biden’s granddaughters is currently a student at Penn. However, in line with the Biden tradition, off-point narratives trump substantive action. The question remains: is it truly in the best interest of Penn students, or is it merely a personal agenda masquerading as public goodwill?