By DARLENE SUPERVILLE (Associated Press)
In Washington, the Easter egg roll at the White House was delayed by thunder and lightning for 90 minutes on Monday, but eventually started with a large crowd, including many kids wearing ponchos or colorful jackets in light rain.
More than 40,000 people—10,000 more than last year—were expected to come and participate in the event, trying to guide hard-boiled eggs across the lawn to a finish line. This year’s theme was “EGG-ucation,” and led by Jill Biden, a teacher for over 30 years.
President Joe Biden spoke from the White House balcony, flanked by two large Easter bunnies, one wearing sunglasses like him, reminding attendees about the meaning of Easter and the importance of love and grace towards one another.
Biden mentioned that this year’s egg roll was a time to appreciate the blessings and possibilities that Americans have.
“That’s what I see in our country. We’re a great nation because we’re a good people,” he said. “Our values are solid.”
The president then went to the lawn, helping some kids with their eggs and officially starting the roll with a whistle—an annual tradition that began in 1878.
Egg roll guests included thousands of military and veteran families, their caregivers, and survivors. Members of the general public got tickets through an online lottery and were being admitted in nine waves until the evening.
Harry Dunn, a former police officer who defended the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, and Texas Democratic Rep. Colin Allred participated with the children.
A large schoolhouse on the South Lawn offered kids activities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including making circuit-breakers or simulating a fossil dig, as well as writing notes to U.S. troops and first responders with Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit organization.
The first lady expressed her excitement about turning the White House into a classroom and how the South Lawn was transforming into a learning playground and school community.
She mentioned that this year’s setup included a reading nook and exhibits on space travel and dinosaur fossils.
The first couple also sat for an interview with NBC’s “Today” and mentioned celebrating Easter by putting dollar bills in plastic Easter eggs and holding a hunt with their grandchildren.
The president faced criticism from top conservatives and the campaign of former President Donald Trump for proclaiming March 31 as “Transgender Day of Visibility” in a year when Easter also fell on the same day.
But Biden emphasized unity on Monday, saying the egg roll was taking place at “the people’s house.”
"We just like to open it up," he said to NBC about the White House. "It always makes me feel good to look out there and see, just average Americans, walking around and looking at what's going around 'cause they own it."
Biden was asked about his final campaign as he seeks his second term and said, "I just think people are so tired of the negativity that is propagated that they just want to get engaged."
"They want to change things," he said.
The first lady added that she'd been traveling the country campaigning and that "people are ready to go, and we're going to win this."
The first lady still teaches English and writing at a northern Virginia community college. She and President Biden did not host the egg roll during the first year of his administration in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it resumed the last two years.
The event dates to the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes, who opened the White House lawn to children after they were kicked off the grounds of the U.S. Capitol.
