Biden’s state dinner ignores the altercation just beyond the gates
State dinners are useful tools for celebrating the visiting leader’s culture, so on Thursday night, President Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, hosted a 400-person soiree full of sequins, saris and saffron flowers in honor of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Meatless delicacies and sweet treats, such as rose-cardamom-strawberry shortcake, were on offer to please the vegetarian guest of honor. The two leaders soberly – literally – joked about their relationship.
The good news, Mr Biden said, was that “neither of us drink”.
Biden held a glass of ginger ale and proceeded to toast “two great nations, two great friends and two great powers”.
Yet the bitterness of political discord, both global and domestic, was palpable just outside the gates of the White House. Outside, protesters stood in the rain hoisting placards criticizing Modi’s treatment of religious groups. On Capitol Hill, House Republicans had just voted to begin exploring the possibility of removing Mr. Biden from office over his immigration policies. The guest list included at least one other impeachment target: Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security.
The mix of political opponents and Biden family members created a dinner scene so discordant that no amount of clinking of glass could have drowned out the partisan undercurrents.
Yet two prominent Republicans showed up at the White House and signaled they wanted to put their boxing gloves away for a few hours to enjoy the state dinner, which may be the only social invitation left in Washington that everyone still wants, political beliefs are damn.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy of California and Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana really didn’t seem to want to talk about politics. Mr McCarthy, when asked about the political machinations that appeared to be off for the occasion, pointed out that he had brought his daughter-in-law to the event – “It was my turn,” she told a crowd of reporters lucidly – a tactic similar to the one he used when he took his mother to the state dinner honoring Emmanuel Macron of France last winter.
Senator Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Democratic majority, was also disinclined to discuss politics and sent reporters to his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth. Mr. Schumer ended up at the head table with the president and first lady, as did fashion designer Ralph Lauren, who wore Dr. Biden designed.
Senator Joe Manchin III, a centrist who is often the legislative thorn in the side of his party, came by with a smile on his wife’s arm.
Mr Scalise, who had previously scored an invitation to the Macron dinner, attended alone, saying only that he expected an “interesting dinner” given the hodgepodge of a guest list.
He referred to the presence of Attorney General Merrick Garland and Hunter Biden, the president’s son who announced two days earlier that he would plead guilty to two tax felonies and strike a deal to avoid prosecution for gun possession. The younger Mr. Biden avoided reporters altogether, arriving at the tent by cart just before the older Mr. Biden offered a toast. The president’s brother James, who has pursued foreign business deals and is another target of the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, also evaded the cameras.
Ashley Biden, the president’s daughter, whizzed past in sequins, refusing to answer questions about who designed her dress. The Justice Department is investigating the theft by conservative officers of a journal she kept while recovering from her addiction.
Attorney General Merrick Garland also avoided reporters. During dinner, Mr. Garland steered clear of the younger Mr. Biden, who mingled among the guests, stopping to laugh and chat with Bill Nelson, the former senator and current NASA administrator.
Perhaps no one illustrated the disconnect between a few innocent hours of partying and the partisan dissension brewing outside than Nancy Pelosi, the former House Speaker, who arrived with her husband, Paul. Pelosi, 83, was attacked with a hammer in their San Francisco home last fall by a man who espoused far-right conspiracy theories. Mr. Pelosi, who had been wearing hats in public for months, showed off his gray hair this time and said he felt “great.”
In this crowd, the pace of footsteps seemed to be directly related to each invitee’s relative interest in talking to reporters. Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat and one of the lawmakers who requested Mr Modi to address Congress earlier in the day, was hesitant to answer a question about whether he was satisfied with the prime minister’s comments on human rights : “I really liked that he talked about celebrating all religions,” Mr. Khanna said before going to the tent.
Unlike previous dinners, the event featured low celebrity wattage, but several influential Indian and Indian-American figures made the cut, including Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of Pepsi; Mukesh Ambani, the billionaire and philanthropist; and Vimal Kapur, the CEO of Honeywell.
Otherwise, the guest list appears to prioritize political allies, a few provocative opponents and backers as Biden’s re-election campaign gets underway. Apple’s Tim Cook was in attendance, as was John Morgan, a Florida-based donor. James Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch, was also present. The younger Mr. Murdoch organized one fundraiser for Mr. Biden last October.
Joshua Bell, the violinist who was to perform at the dinner, was asked what he thought of Mr Modi. “I try to stay away from politics, but I like Indian music,” he said before a military aide pulled him in.
By the end of the dinner, the prime minister was one of the few guests who had publicly ventured into politics.
“You are gentle,” Mr Modi told the president, “but when it comes to action, you are very strong”
Doug Mills reporting contributed.