Biden wishes Americans happy, closer-to-normal Thanksgiving

NANTUCKET, Mass. – President Joe Biden connected Thursday wished Americans a blessed and closer-to-normal Thanksgiving, the 2nd celebrated successful the shadiness of the coronavirus pandemic, successful remarks welcoming the resumption of vacation traditions by millions of families — including his own.

“As we springiness acknowledgment for what we have, we besides support successful our hearts those who person been mislaid and those who person mislaid truthful much,” the president said successful a videotaped greeting recorded with archetypal woman Jill Biden astatine the White House earlier their travel to Nantucket, Massachusetts, for the holiday.

On the island, the Bidens visited the Coast Guard presumption astatine Brant Point to conscionable virtually with U.S. servicemembers from astir the satellite and unit astatine the station. "I’m not joking erstwhile I accidental I’m thankful for these guys," the president said erstwhile asked what helium was thankful for, referring to the Coast Guard members lasting ramrod consecutive earlier him connected the grounds arsenic helium departed.

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Reporters were kept retired of the country for Biden's virtual remarks, seemingly due to the fact that of choky abstraction successful the building. Well-wishers waved and cheered arsenic Biden's motorcade navigated the island's constrictive paved and cobblestone streets to and from the Coast Guard compound.

Biden, whose precocious lad Beau was a large successful the Delaware Army National Guard, said helium has watched U.S. work members successful enactment astir the world, from the South China Sea and Iraq and Afghanistan to South America. He said erstwhile foreigners wonderment what America is, “they don't spot america here,” meaning civilians. “They spot them,” helium said of members of the Coast Guard and the different branches of the U.S. military. “It makes maine proud.”

From Nantucket, the Bidens besides called successful to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, concisely bantering connected aerial with NBC broadcaster Al Roker. Shut retired a twelvemonth ago, spectators again lined the way successful Manhattan arsenic immoderate 8,000 participants joined the parade. Parade employees and volunteers had to beryllium vaccinated against COVID-19 and deterioration masks.

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Biden and his woman started spending Thanksgiving successful Nantucket since earlier they were joined successful 1977 due to the fact that they were looking for a mode retired of choosing whose household to walk it with. They did not sojourn successful 2015 pursuing Beau's decease earlier that twelvemonth from encephalon crab astatine property 46, oregon successful 2020, erstwhile the COVID-19 pandemic enactment the kibosh connected ample household gatherings.

Biden alternatively dined astatine location successful Delaware past twelvemonth with conscionable his wife, girl Ashley and her husband.

But this year, the president joined the millions of Americans who are celebrating the vacation with large groups of loved ones. Biden's full household flew up with him Tuesday nighttime connected Air Force One to resume the Thanksgiving tradition: his wife; lad Hunter and his wife, Melissa and their toddler lad Beau; girl Ashley; and grandchildren Naomi, Finnegan, Maisy, Natalie and young Hunter, arsenic good arsenic Naomi's fiance, Peter Neal.

Naomi Biden and her fiance rode bicycles on connected a section way conscionable earlier her grandfather's SUV departed the secluded location wherever the household is staying. The location belongs to David Rubenstein, a billionaire philanthropist and co-founder of the Carlyle Group backstage equity firm.

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Biden's visit, his archetypal arsenic president, is markedly antithetic from his erstwhile holidays present erstwhile helium was a U.S. legislator and aboriginal vice president. Then, helium mightiness person been seen walking astir downtown.

Biden mislaid overmuch of his state to determination astir connected his ain erstwhile helium became president and present travels with a ample radical of information personnel, White House and different officials, and journalists. His each nationalist determination is intimately watched by the U.S. Secret Service and different instrumentality enforcement.

Jill Biden was heard telling the Coast Guard members she would spot them again Friday nighttime astatine Nantucket's yearly Christmas histrion lighting, different Biden tradition.

“We're each going together,” she said of her family. The histrion lighting ceremonial is wherever Beau Biden projected to his wife, Hallie, successful 2001. They were wed connected the land the pursuing year.

Biden is expected to instrumentality to the White House connected Sunday.

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Associated Press writer Calvin Woodward successful Washington contributed to this report.

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