President Biden has a history of attempting to connect himself with various ethnic groups and cultures, as evidenced by his recent remarks at the White House events celebrating Greek Independence Day, Jewish New Year, and Puerto Rican community.
During the Greek Independence Day celebration, Biden recalled being affectionately called 'Biden-opoulos' by the Greek American community in Delaware, attributing his early political success to their support. He emphasized his close relationship with the Greek American community and the church, stating that he believed every Greek American in Delaware voted for him during his 1972 Senate campaign.
At the Jewish New Year reception, Biden humorously claimed to have attended more synagogue services than the Jewish Americans present, using the Yiddish word 'shul' to refer to the synagogue. He reiterated his statement, emphasizing that he was not joking about his attendance at services on both Saturday and Sunday.
Furthermore, during discussions about Hurricane Fiona response efforts in Puerto Rico, Biden asserted that he was 'sort of raised in the Puerto Rican community at home, politically,' highlighting the relative size of the Puerto Rican population in Delaware compared to the overall population.
In his efforts to connect with Black voters, Biden has made statements suggesting his ties to the Black community. He emphasized his support from the Black community during a presidential primary debate in 2019, clarifying that while he does not claim to be Black, he has spent his career working closely with the community.
Biden has also sought to align himself with Italian and Polish communities by emphasizing his Irish ancestry and Catholic faith. He mentioned growing up in Irish Catholic and Italian Polish communities in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, respectively.
His connection to Ireland is a recurring theme, with Biden quoting Irish sayings and expressing nostalgia for the future during meetings with Irish officials.
