- The Bidens relationship with Kamala Harris continues to sour
- The first and second couple attended the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday
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President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden completely ignored Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff on Sunday.
The two couples were seated beside each other at the Kennedy Center Honors.
When announced at the arts awards show in Washington, D.C., the president and first lady didn’t even look in the direction of the second couple and refused to shake their hands, give them hugs or in any way acknowledge their presence.
Instead the two were all smiles as they waved and greeted a cheering crowd before taking their seats. They even looked toward the direction of Harris and Emhoff but gazed right past them.
The crowd gave a one-minute standing ovation for the president and Dr. Biden.
During this time, the Bidens did not acknowledge Harris or Emhoff, who were standing right beside them and joined the crowd in clapping and cheering for the outgoing president.
The awkward encounter comes as reports emerge that the relationship between the first and second couple continues to sour after the vice president first took over running for president in the 2024 election over the summer.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden completely ignored Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff when arriving at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. on Sunday
The first couple waved to the audience at the arts awards show as they received a standing ovations and refused to acknowledge Harris and Emhoff, who were seated right beside them
Social media erupted in speculation that the Bidens tried to sabotage Harris’ chances and others observed how Joe put on a ‘Make America Great Again’ ball cap and Jill wore an all red pantsuit to vote on November 5.
Biden, 82, only has 42 days left in his single term in office and is leaving on a bitter note.
Democrats accuse the president of being selfish by using his final days with presidential powers to pardon his son Hunter Biden, 54.
In late July, Biden succumbed to pressure from his party to end his reelection bid. Just moments after announcing the move, the president endorsed his No. 2 to take over his campaign.
Donald Trump handily defeated Harris by winning all seven key swing states and earning 312 of the 270 Electoral College votes needed for victory – the largest margin earned by a Republican candidate since the 1988 election.
Harris walked away from her presidential bid putting Democrats $20 million in debt after spending $1.5 billion in her short 15-week campaign.
Since then, the vice president has had scarce public events and has rarely been seen being friendly with the president and first lady.
But they were forced to sit side-by-side at the arts honors over the weekend and were seen on camera as Joe and Jill ignored Harris and Emhoff.
The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual tribute and awards show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
It is customary for the president and first lady to attend, along with the vice president and their spouse. The audience is otherwise filled with Democratic and Republican politicians and top donors to the arts.
President Joe Biden (right) makes remarks during a reception for the 47th Annual Kennedy Center Honorees in the East Room of the White House. Seated left to right: Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola; Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Bobby Weir of the Grateful Dead; blues rock singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt; jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval; and Michelle Ebanks, President and CEO, the Apollo, which received a special Honors as an iconic American institution
The Bidens then went over to the Kennedy Center in Northwest Washington, D.C. where they attended the Kennedy Center Honors alongside Vice President Harris, whom their relationship with has soured over the last year
This year, the honorees were filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola; Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and Bobby Weir of the Grateful Dead; blues rock singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt; jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval; and the Apollo President and CEO Michelle Ebanks, whose theater received a special Honors as an iconic American institution.
Biden hosted them for a reception at the White House before heading over to the rainbow-lighted Kennedy Center for the show.
‘We love you Joe’ and ‘Thank you Joe’ was shouted as Biden and his wife waved down from their balcony level seating.
The show on Sunday is the last time the Bidens are attending one of Washington D.C.’s biggest social events as the first couple.
The Marine Corps band came on stage and played the national anthem in Biden’s honor.
The first couple was joined by granddaughter Finnegan Biden – the second daughter of Hunter Biden.