The Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning Super Bowl champions, and President Joe Biden, the incumbent leader of the United States, have both been making headlines recently for a variety of reasons.
However, on Friday, their paths converged at a White House ceremony held to honor the Chiefs' thrilling 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl last February.
During the ceremony, President Biden, much like in their 2023 meeting, exhibited a jovial demeanor, even attempting to don a team helmet at the behest of several players, including Travis Kelce. The President initially struggled to fit the helmet over his head while wearing his aviator sunglasses, but eventually managed to do so after removing them. He then playfully mimed catching a football pass.
The sight of the President wearing the helmet sparked memories of the infamous 1988 photograph of Mike Dukakis in a tank, an image that is widely believed to have contributed to the downfall of his presidential campaign against then-Vice President George H.W. Bush. Coincidentally, Biden's first presidential campaign was also in 1988, a race he withdrew from following allegations of widespread plagiarism and misrepresentations of his academic record.
Among those present at the ceremony was Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, who had previously criticized President Biden for his stance on abortion during a commencement speech at Benedictine College on May 11th. Butker, a devout Catholic like Biden, had made headlines during the 2023 White House ceremony with the Chiefs for wearing a pro-life tie and pin, as reported by RedState's Brittany Sheehan. The tie bore the Latin phrase "Vulnerari Praesidio," which translates to "Protect the most vulnerable," and the pin depicted the size of a baby's feet at ten weeks gestation.
In the wake of the controversy stirred by Butker's unapologetically pro-life speech to the college graduates, Chiefs coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes defended him as a man of strong character and faith, effectively quelling rumors that his comments would cause discord within the team. As of yet, there has been no confirmation as to whether Biden and Butker interacted during Friday's ceremony.
This event comes in the wake of a column by a progressive journalist who suggested that Butker should be replaced with a female kicker, a suggestion that was met with widespread criticism.
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