On Tuesday, First Lady Jill Biden's office attempted to address the backlash she received on social media following her idea of inviting the University of Iowa women's basketball team to the White House, despite losing to Louisiana State University in the national championship game.
The First Lady's idea provoked thousands of quote tweets, with some accusing her of racism. Bishop Talbert Swan, for instance, insinuated that the first lady's implication to inviting the Iowa team was because she was white. Furthermore, journalist Tour argued that Jill's suggestion angered black people as the winning team consisted of black women. Additionally, Keith Boykin, a former aide to President Bill Clinton, expressed his opposition to the first lady's invitation by tweeting that black women champions should not be forced to share the White House stage with their losing opponents.
Other criticisms came from Squad Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who pointed out that LSU, the winning team, should have been prioritized over Iowa. Meanwhile, Vanessa Valdivia, Biden's spokesperson, attempted to walk back the first lady's comments, explaining that the comments she made in Colorado were intended to applaud the historic game and women athletes in general. The matter drew various rebukes from people of all walks, including LSU's Angel Reese, who called the first lady's remarks a joke.
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