Biden attends Congressional Baseball Game amid push to save his economic agenda

by Alex Gangitano and Zach Schonfeld - 09/29/21 8:35 PM ET

President Biden made a surprise visit to the Congressional Baseball Game for charity on Wednesday evening, following a day of engaging lawmakers in an effort to save his economic agenda.

Biden was escorted to the field by White House senior adviser Cedric Richmond, a former staple of the game, to cheers from the stands at the top of the second inning. He hugged Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.) in the stands and went onto the field to huddle with the Democratic team in their dugout.

Republicans were up 5-4 when the president arrived at the stadium. They paused play for a few minutes and resumed while Biden shook hands, took selfies, and signed baseballs with other Democrats. Biden, who was wearing a Beau Biden Foundation hat, also dropped off ice cream bars for the team.

He spoke to second gentleman Doug Emhoff — Vice President Harris was not at the game — and Pelosi and his granddaughter, Naomi, joined him in the dugout. Biden was inducted into the Congressional Baseball Hall of Fame earlier in the game, and Naomi accepted on his behalf.

Biden and Richmond moved over to the Republicans’ dugout in the middle of the third inning, as Democrats were winning 8-5, and spoke with members on the other side of the aisle. The Republican team scored a home run a few moments after the president walked over.

Earlier in the day, the president met in person with Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to find a way forward for his $1.1 trillion infrastructure bill and a separate $3.5 trillion social spending package being crafted in both chambers.

He had scrapped a planned trip to Chicago to promote vaccine mandates on Wednesday, remaining in Washington to meet with lawmakers.

The surprise visit had echoes of former President Obama’s appearance at the game in 2015, which was the day before a major vote in the House on the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) that he was pushing. The House overwhelmingly defeated it and Pelosi voted against.

Former President Trump never attended the game but his daughter, Ivanka Trump, did in 2017.