The Bidens, in a rare gesture, immediately greeted the White House residence staff upon entering the

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

building on Inauguration Day, staffer says

Whenever the presidency changes hands, the White House residence staff undertakes a herculean task on Inauguration Day - transforming the private quarters of the historic building for its newest occupants within the span of a few hours.

For "lifers," the staff members who have served multiple US Presidents, the traditions and protocols inside the White House have been an enduring facet of their lives for decades.

However, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden upended a traditional interaction with the residence staff on their first day in the White House, according to The New Yorker.

After entering the North Portico of the building, the residence staff was assembled on the grand State Floor to welcome the Bidens.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/bidens-rare-gesture-immediately-greeted-170428772.html

I'm sure the Biden's are refreshing to work for after the orange pustule and his family.

[SoonerPride]

1. This quote...

“The Bidens came in and the first thing they did was make a loop of the State Floor and greet the staff,” the worker said, pausing, and then beginning to cry. “We were all very flattered. Usually we meet them in the first days or first weeks, but never in the first minutes.” The Bidens went down the line, greeting the staff, some of whom spoke brief, deferential words of welcome and said that they were glad they were there. To one of the well-wishers, Biden was heard to respond, “We’re glad we’re here, too.”

[SunSeeker]

7. That is so Joe and Jill. So caring.

[elleng]

2. '"The Bidens came in and the first thing they did was make a loop of the State Floor

and greet the staff," a residence staffer said.

The gesture elicited tears from the staffer, who is unnamed due to their current employment at the White House.

"We were all very flattered," the residence staffer added. "Usually we meet them in the first days or first weeks, but never in the first minutes."

The Bidens reportedly approached each staffer member and greeted them with well wishes.

In response to a comment, President Biden reportedly expressed to one of the staffers that he and his wife were "glad we're here, too."

Due to social distancing measures, employees were spread out throughout the floor.

The residence staffer remarked at the difference between how Biden approached the COVID-19 pandemic and that of Trump, where staffers were all assembled in one room before the former president's departure.'

[Cha]

3. Grace & Humanity are Back in the WH!

[a kennedy]

4. Exactly......and makes ya proud they are there.

[SunSeeker]

9. Yes, I'm thankful every day for it!

[crickets]

12. Yes indeed.

It's all about good manners, good intentions, and a return to normalcy. What a relief to have Joe and Jill in the White House now.

[movingviolation]

13. I know it sounds hokey, but Love is Back in the WH!

He actually represents the best of the common man. Boggles my mind how the con-serve party can't see that.

[Irish_Dem]

5. I'm like Biden. I dined at a 5 star restaurant once and hated it.

Ok, the food was superb, no doubt at all about that.

But there were waiters all around our table. They put the napkin on my lap. Every time I took a drink of water, a waiter rushed over and refilled my glass. It was like this the whole meal. Drove me crazy.
It felt like an invasion of my privacy and I am too independent for this kind of nonsense. I was raised to take care of myself.

[AKwannabe]

10. Fancy!

I love to camp cook so I get you !
Would not be down with that.

[Irish_Dem]

11. Yes it was one of the New Orlean's 5 star well known restaurants.

They are booked many months in advance.
If you call them, they tell you when you can eat at their restaurant.
Geez.

The food was excellent, but to tell the truth I am happier in one of those hole in the wall restaurants with great food. Gems in the rough.

And now that I have an instant pot, I like cooking at home.

[Lucky Luciano]

20. I can do well with fine dining or hole in the wall!

[lame54]

21. Commanders palace?

[Irish_Dem]

29. YEP. Bingo. That was the place.

[lame54]

32. Made reservations 2and a half months early...

Al we could get was lunch

It was really good but more casual than you described

[Irish_Dem]

33. I had to call 4 months early to get dinner.

It was very formal.

I would have liked the more causal lunch.

And this was about 25 yrs ago, so maybe things were more formal back then.

[Tree Lady]

35. I ate at French Laundry in Yountville

For our first anniversary 20 yrs ago, had to make res 6 months in advance.

Like you said, food was great service excellent, but its too much for me. I like to relax when I am out to dinner and the constant fussing isn't relaxing to me.

[zipplewrath]

14. You can tell them to stop

I don't like them pouring more wine until I've finished my glass. Kinda funny story, I was at one of those restaurants like you describe. I told the waiter about the wine preference and he understood. So another waiter walks by and starts to reach for the wine bottle. My waiter practically flew across the room to stop him. That guy could move FAST

[Irish_Dem]

15. I told them to stop with placing the napkin and refilling water.

And I got tired of telling them to stop each specific thing.

I know, they practically run to the table to do something, really annoying.
They can walk, I won't die of thirst before they get to the table.
Way too much drama and action.

To my humiliation, when I was cutting some meat, I accidentally hit one of the peas on my plate and it went flying. Two of the waiters went running after the single pea. I wished my chair would sink into the floor.

I thought if I ever got rich and could afford to eat at 5 star restaurants all the time, I would just get carry out, take it home and eat in peace.

[BobTheSubgenius]

22. OTOH, truly great service - efficient and unobtrusive adds a lot to the dining experience.

A restaurant that used to be on W Broadway in Vancouver was a perfect example. There was no one at the greeter's station when we walked in the door. Not a big deal, and rectified in about 2 minutes.

Seated at the fireplace to have a drink before dinner, we got "We understand you had to wait at the door. Please accept our apologies and a bottle of chilled Italian white."

Once dinner started, it was like magic. A finished plate would just disappear and soon after, a fresh plate with more of their delicious Provencal food would appear just as magically. Because we almost never had to actually even NOTICE the wait staff, let alone be interrupted by them, or even talk to them, it was one of the most relaxing meals I ever had in a restaurant.

We used to go there several times a year, and it's not hard to imagine why. I developed quite a fondness for their en papillote, which is a great tool to have in your kit for dinner guests.

[OneBlueDotS-Carolina]

26. The fine line...

between great service, wait staff that are aware of their surroundings & the needs of their guests, almost a lost art. Now it's like a factory, wait staff trying to be your next bast friend, sell you everything on the menu, then get you out for some new best friends can sit at your seat.

George Tidball's Keg in Langley that overlooked Diane Tidball's Thunderbird equestrian center, had service that was awesome, food was great....

[Irish_Dem]

30. I actually like going to Steak and Shake for a great hamburger and fries.

The waitresses are down home types, they know how to serve food, take care of the customers.
And don't make a fuss or try to oversell products.

I am fussy and have food allergies, food has to be prepared a certain way.
They don't argue or bat an eye. Just make it happen.

They keep an eye on you, but don't make a nuisance of themselves.

I can have a leisurely hamburger, they keep refilling my glass of ice cold fountain coke, my favorite.

I love ethnic ethnic restaurants for the same reason, they bring great food and don't fuss or talk constantly.

[Irish_Dem]

28. I would have been happier with this kind of service. Instead of being surrounded by tuxedo wearing

males dashing about every time I moved a muscle. It was creepy.

I will have to try making en papillote, I have heard of it, but never tried it.

Now that I am retired and been in quarantine, I have been trying new things.

[Sentath]

36. Slightly off-topic, French Ninja dining at it's finest

http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1100/fv01093.htm

(sequence starts here: http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1100/fv01079.htm)

[jayschool2013]

25. The really good places

will massage your jaws and pre-chew your food for you.

[Irish_Dem]

31. That is exactly how it felt. One waiter actually started to cut my meat.

It was all so creepy and intrusive. I wanted to do a runner.
But the food was so good I stayed.

[MustLoveBeagles]

6. K&R

[steampunk]

8. Melania couldn't be bothered with staff goodbyes

[link:https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/melania-trump-thank-you-notes/index.html|

[LetMyPeopleVote]

17. Who is surprised by this?

The trumps have no class

[Grasswire2]

37. Is it wrong for me to deeply desire an ignominious retirement for Melania?

I want her to be broke -- flat busted broke and live in squalor.

Such hubris. Such self-indulgence. So nasty.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

16. Thank you for posting this article

[BobTheSubgenius]

18. I KNEW IT!

President Biden is somewhat discomfited by being waited on. How would you think otherwise?

[Ford_Prefect]

19. This is the difference between having a human being as president and one who thinks he is a demigod.

[OMGWTF]

24. There's no demi about it.

[OMGWTF]

23. Traitor Tot and Melon fired the person who would normally have greeted the Bidens at the door,

which resulted in a very awkward moment of them being locked out of the WH. Traitor Tot is and has always been a world-class champion assh0le.

[Ilsa]

27. It's not "Melon,"

it's "Melons."

[Blue Owl]

34. K&R

[DENVERPOPS]

38. they were probably all getting ready

to walk out at the same time if Trump won.........

I could not imagine any worse job than taking care of Trump, his spawn and white house visiting trash............

[No Vested Interest]

39. Just wondering about the size of the staff at the Vice President's residence.

Obviously much smaller, but there had to be a regular contingent.
It's not as though the Bidens never had household staff before.