BOSTON (WHDH) - Joe Biden left Boston Tuesday night and headed back to the White House, capping off a day spent at a series of political fundraisers where he spoke on a variety of topics and was met with some protests.
Biden arrived aboard Air Force One at Logan Airport just before 12 p.m. Once the plane landed, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu were on the tarmac to greet the president.
News cameras from a distance spotted the group exchanging pleasantries for a few minutes before Biden, Healey and Wu got into their motorcades and went their separate ways.
Soon speaking at one of three campaign receptions, Biden made news, saying “If Trump wasn’t running, I’m not sure I’d be running.”
“We cannot let him win,” Biden said, as reported by the Associated Press.
While Biden continued to move through his slate of events, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protestors took to the street outside his third and final stop at the Shubert Theatre.
Amid chants of “Free Palestine,” demonstrators said the president is not welcome in Boston until he calls for a permanent ceasefire and stops sending tax dollars to Israel, which is in an ongoing war with Hamas.
“We do not support his policies that really result in the mass murder of Palestinians,” said Joe Tache, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
“The money needs to stay here,” said protestor Sussen Gazel. “We need to do things for people who live here and we need to leave Palestinians to have the right for their own state.”
Biden took on the topic during his first stop of the day, talking about the end of the recent multi-day ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
After earlier hostage releases, Biden said, “Hamas’ refusal to release the remaining young women is what broke this deal and ended the pause in the fighting.”
The Biden visit produced traffic headaches within Boston, with several blocks of Boylston Street in the Theater District blocked off even before protesters gathered in the area.
Security measures elsewhere led to additional problems for some commuters.
Previously speaking aboard Air Force One, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre assured reporters that the Biden campaign will reimburse taxpayers for the cost of Tuesday’s political events.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)