College basketball national champions make their celebratory White House trips

CNN
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The 2023 NCAA men’s and women’s basketball champions made their celebratory journeys to the White Home on Friday as President Joe Biden and first girl Dr. Jill Biden congratulated each groups on their seasons.

The ladies’s basketball champion Louisiana State College Tigers had been first to be honored, because the Bidens lauded their accomplishments and the instance they set.

“You didn’t simply play basketball, you didn’t simply make historical past, you confirmed us – women and boys, ladies and men – what it means to be a champion. You gave us hope and pleasure, a approach to discover that fireside in ourselves. And most of all, the prospect to see you soar. Thanks for giving us these presents,” the primary girl stated.

Vice President Kamala Harris additionally spoke in the course of the celebration ceremony, congratulating the Tigers on their first ever championship and applauding them for his or her inspiring instance.

“All through your record-breaking season, you confirmed the world who you might be. You might be leaders. You might be position fashions, and naturally you might be champions. Tigers, we all know via your grit, dedication, and brilliance you modified the sport. Once you take the court docket, you encourage so many individuals throughout our nation and as we talked about earlier, you might be inspiring individuals that you could be by no means meet,” Harris stated.

Throughout his remarks, President Biden celebrated the staff’s record-breaking accomplishments and referred to as on the nation to assist ladies’s athletics.

“Of us, we have to assist ladies’s sports activities not simply in the course of the championship runs however your entire 12 months and each season. Displaying up in particular person, watching on tv, creating extra programming and sponsor and scholarship, and sponsorships and alternatives for hundreds of thousands of girls and women to comprehend their goals and know they’ll do actually something in any respect,” Biden stated.

Afterward within the day, the Bidens welcomed the NCAA males’s basketball champions, the College of Connecticut Huskies, for their very own celebration.

“This staff is proof that there’s no stop in UConn, similar to there’s no stop in America – none. There’s nothing we are able to’t do after we imagine we are able to do it if we do it collectively. And that’s precisely what you all did. You stood up. And that’s what sports activities and this nation is all about: Potentialities,” Biden stated.

The president additionally joked a few one-on-one present down between LSU star Angel Reese and her cousin on the Huskies, Jordan Hawkins.

“So, I’ve arrange a basketball on the South Garden. There’s a court docket down there by the tennis courts and, Jordan, your uncle thinks he can take you as effectively. So, I simply need you to know that after this we’re all going to go all the way down to see that one-on-one sport,” Biden stated.

Through the LSU celebration, the primary girl and Reese hugged after the jersey presentation. There had been some public drama across the go to after the primary girl prompt that LSU’s championship opponents, the College of Iowa Hawkeyes, would even be invited. Reese took issue with the comments, which Biden walked again shortly after, and stated that she and her staff wouldn’t go to the White Home. Days later, Reese stated she would attend.

Throughout his remarks celebrating LSU, the president additionally welcomed a number of the administration officers and members of Congress attending the occasion, together with a number of of the varied negotiators from the White Home and Capitol Hill who’re engaged on an settlement to boost the nation’s debt ceiling.

Two from Louisiana – Shalanda Younger, the director of the Workplace of Administration and Funds, and Rep. Garrett Graves, considered one of Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s lead negotiators – had been readily available to have fun LSU.

Biden famous Graves’ presence alongside different lawmakers in attendance and gave a hearty shout-out to Younger, whom he stated is “placing collectively a deal, hopefully.”

“She’s reppin’ Baton Rouge and Clinton, Louisiana, and is now serving to lead the crucial funds talks we’re in the course of now,” Biden stated. “However she stated, I’m leaving the talks to be right here.”

Graves and Younger each hail from the Baton Rouge space and have beforehand labored collectively. Younger’s dad and mom are Graves’ constituents.

The proceedings had been delayed for a couple of minutes after a participant on the risers behind Biden appeared to cross out or faint throughout his remarks. After a couple of minutes she was capable of rise up and the individuals within the room clapped. She was then introduced out of the room in a wheelchair.

“Like I stated, this isn’t the primary time this has occurred, to not her however to a variety of people standing up on this stage,” Biden stated.

This story has been up to date with further developments.