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President Biden Calls NORAD Santa Tracker
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 24: U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden participate in an event to call NORAD and track the path of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Building on December 24, 2021 in Washington, DC. The president and first lady also called to speak to Americans and thank military families.
Jared Schmeck, an Oregon caller who said "Let's go, Brandon" as he hung up on President Joe Biden on Christmas Eve last week, now claims he's being "attacked" for what he claims was a "joke."
Schmeck said he's been receiving vague, but threatening phone calls since his call to Biden on Friday was live-streamed and reported in the media. The live-streamed call gained media attention in part because Biden said, "'Let's go, Brandon,' I agree," although the president's detractors have mocked the phrase.
Oregon man received threats after pranking Joe Biden
The father of four insisted on Saturday that he had no grudges toward the president, even if he feels Biden "could be doing a better job." Schmeck said he and his family were phoning into the NORAD Santa Tracker on Christmas Eve, as is their habit, and had no idea the call would be live-streamed.
According to The Oregonian, a person on the other end claimed first lady Jill Biden would be receiving calls, but Schmeck thought it was a tape of the first lady, not a real phone conversation.
Biden was intrigued to learn that one of Schmeck's children had the same name as the president's son, Hunter, when the president and the first lady began engaging with Schmeck's family.
Per Fox News, the Bidens and Schmecks then talked about what the Schmeck kids wanted for Christmas, with Schmeck expressing his wish for "a quiet night."
The White House has not replied to calls for comment on the event, but the interaction sparked an outpouring of outrage on social media almost immediately. Conservative commentators were divided on the episode, with some finding Biden's repeating of the remark amusing, while others claiming the prank was in terrible taste.
The slogan had gained traction among followers of former President Donald Trump, who sparked outrage on social media in 2018 when he made a Christmas Eve phone call to children.
The Bidens scaled back Christmas tradition
Collman Lloyd, a seven-year-old from South Carolina, was asked by Donald Trump if she still believed in Santa "because at seven it's marginal, right?" Lloyd later informed the press that she did believe in Santa Claus and had no clue what the term "marginal" meant.
Brandon Brown has voiced his concern about his name being used in an anti-Biden campaign. Biden and his wife, unusually, spent their first Christmas at the White House this year.
Biden has been chastised in the past for spending most weekends at his Delaware residence, piling up a sizable Secret Service expense. However, staying at the White House may have been a gesture to the country's increasing COVID-19 rates to prevent promoting tourism.
The Bidens have already scaled back their traditional Christmas celebrations. Presidents and first ladies used to throw roughly two dozen holiday parties and receptions every day, often two per day, with plenty of eggnog and wine.
This year, all of it was scrapped. Instead, groups of up to 100 individuals were invited to see the White House's décor on the ground and state floors. There was no food or drink available. There was no photo opportunity with the Bidens, who were unable to attend, as per The Daily Telegraph via MSN.
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