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On a day that President Biden might have been ramping up for his second debate of the campaign, instead he found himself at the White House welcoming college basketball champions. NPR's Megan Lim was there and has this report.
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MEGAN LIM, BYLINE: President Biden walked hand-in-hand with legendary coach, Dawn Staley, into the East Room of the White House. The room was packed with lawmakers, fans and family members of the University of South Carolina's winning women's basketball team. And Biden zeroed in on how the team beat the odds to come out with an undefeated season.
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PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: You know, you had to replace five starters due to the WNBA draft and graduation. And there were doubts all over - doubts all over - about contending for the title this year. But for the record - and this is God's truth - I picked you to win.
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LIM: It was festive, but this isn't exactly where Biden planned to be today. Months ago, he had agreed to debate his Republican rival tonight, former President Donald Trump. But that was before he froze up in that first debate and decided to step down from his campaign. Staley offered this salute at the end of her speech.
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DAWN STALEY: I want to thank President Biden for your leadership. We appreciate your service, and we hope - we truly hope - that your legacy will continue in all of us.
LIM: Then, this afternoon, a second celebration - this one for the University of Connecticut's men's team. Coach Dan Hurley stressed the winning mentality of his team that got them their championship.
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DAN HURLEY: Triple doubles don't get you in the White House. You got to be a champion to get in here, and we're in here.
LIM: Hurley brought his team last year too, and he's hoping for a threepeat. But if they make it back, there will be someone new welcoming them to the White House, something that Biden acknowledged.
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BIDEN: I won't be here next year, but you may be.
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LIM: Biden now has passed the baton to his vice president. Tonight, he'll be in New York at a birthday party for one of his granddaughters, then watching as Kamala Harris takes on Trump, a critical debate for her campaign that Biden will be cheering on from the sidelines.
NPR News, Megan Lim, at the White House. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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