The Surprising Treat Joe Biden Handed Out At The Congressional Baseball Game

It's no secret that President Joe Biden has a thing for ice cream, so much so that back in 2010, he was recorded on video as telling the owners of an ice cream shop that "I am a genuine lover of ice cream. I don't drink, I don't smoke, but I eat a lot of ice cream" (via YouTube). So it's no surprise that during the annual Bipartisan Congressional game at Nationals Park, Biden decided to work the skeptical crowd by showing up and handing out a special treat — Dove Vanilla Ice Cream Bars that were dipped in milk chocolate. The treats featured a special wrapper with The White House on the left side and the presidential seal on the right, per Twitter. 

Biden's effort left some people cold, "I think it is ridiculous....There is no bipartisanship at that game... Just work get the bills we need passed, passed and then call it a night. Presidential Seal Dove bars is [a clown emoji] show," one Twitter user raged. But it did leave others enjoying the sight of both sides of the political aisle calling time on an increasingly toxic feud over baseball and bars of ice cream. "I actually love this. Bipartisan, personal touch (we know he likes ice cream), and non controversial. Just 'one of the guys enjoying a game' and outside of the cut throat headspace of politics," tweeted another. 

The Bipartisan Congressional Baseball game is a tradition which began in 1909 and was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 (via Reuters). But nothing, including the toxic partisanship that has gripped the U.S. Congress in recent months, kept lawmakers from getting together for a therapeutic round of baseball this time around. As Republican Representative Kevin Brady said, the game played an important role because "[it] builds relationships, and creates a timeout from some of the harshest, I think, partisanship atmospheres I've seen in Congress. So I think in fact it's probably needed now more than ever." In the end, the Republicans beat the Democrats 13 to 12.

While it is estimated that the game could have raised well over one million dollars for charity, we're wondering whether organizers might have raised more if someone might have chosen to sell the limited edition ice cream to those that might have wanted a slice of history in their freezers. We're betting even the wrapper would have brought in some pretty cool cash, since they were such a hit on social media. "That's really pretty sweet," raved one Twitter user. "I genuinely love this. I appreciate his kindness."