Diwali at the White House: President Biden Lauds South Asian Community; Praises Vice President Harris for Smarts and Strength
- A diverse group of more than 600 Indian Americans including officials, elected lawmakers, actors, activists and representatives of various organizations attended the last event hosted by the outgoing president to celebrate the festival of lights.
President Joe Biden highlighted the contributions of the South Asian American community to the fabric of American life, and described the community as the “fastest-growing and most engaged community in the world.” He also praised the diversity of his administration, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Surgeon General Murthy. “I’m proud that I kept my commitment to having an administration that looks like America,” he said.
The remarks were made at a Diwali celebration he hated at the White House yesterday (Oct. 28), attended by a diverse group of more than 600 Indian Americans. Dressed in their festive best, officials, elected lawmakers, actors, activists and representatives of various organizations mingled with each other. The crowd cheered as they took out their cell phones to capture the historic moment as the outgoing president arrived on the podium. First Lady Jill Biden was traveling and was unable to attend, according to the Associated Press. Vice President Kamala Harris was also absent from the event, as she is busy campaigning in battleground states with the elections just a week away.
Biden told the guests that he selected Harris to be his running mate for many reasons. “She’s smart. She’s tough. She’s trusted. A district attorney, an attorney general of California, a United States senator, now vice president of the United States — there’s more experience that she has than the whole of that other guy she’s running against.,” he said, referencing Trump. “But most importantly — and I mean this sincerely from the bottom of my heart — she has character. She has character.”
Biden also spoke to the moment’s significance, noting that the country is facing an “inflection point” and reminding attendees not to take the ‘Idea of America’ for granted.
Reflecting on the challenges of American democracy, he acknowledged the ongoing debates and dissent inherent in a diverse society but stressed the importance of unity and historical awareness. “This is not my house; this is your house…Today we face an inflection point…Every once in a few generations we are reminded to not take the Idea of America for granted… American Democracy has never been easy. In a country as diverse as ours, we debate, we dissent… but the key is, we never lose sight of how we got here and why,” he said.
Reps. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi, (D-Ill.), as well as U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek H Murthy and Gita Gopinath, the First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, attended the event. Guests also heard a recorded video message from astronaut Sunita Williams, who is presently at the International Space Station, where she assumed command in September. “This year I have the unique opportunity to celebrate Diwali from 260 miles above the earth on the ISS,” she said. “My father kept and shared his cultural roots by teaching us about Diwali and other Indian festivals. Diwali is a time of joy as goodness in the world prevails.”
Several attendees posted photos of the event on social media and expressed their happiness and gratitude to be able to attend the event. “At this luminous celebration of Diwali at the White House last night, President @JoeBiden spoke movingly about the unending task of choosing light over darkness, and reminded us all that America is a country made of the world, smelted from sacrifices and dreams,” journalist Anand Girihardas wrote in a post on X.
Diwali events at the White House began with President George W Bush in 2003 and have included President Barack Obama lighting a diya in the Oval Office, as well as then-Vice President Biden hosting a reception in 2016. President Donald Trump continued the Diwali tradition in 2017 by lighting a diya alongside his daughter Ivanka and Indian American members of his administration. However, in 2018, the crucial midterm elections disrupted the 15-year-long tradition of celebrations.