As soon as Joe Biden was sworn in as POTUS, a story went viral that the new President had removed the now famous ‘Diet Coke button’ from the Oval Office. This was the button that POTUS Trump pushed to alert the WH staff that he wanted a Diet Coke. Once the story of the button’s removal broke, it was quickly used as a way of showing: Biden-good, Trump-child.
“Trump’s Diet Coke button is a reminder of the most laughable, hypocritical parts of his presidency” – Salon
“President Biden has reportedly done away with a so-called ‘Diet Coke button’ on the desk, which was integral to the needs of former President Donald Trump.” – DNA India
“Biden removed Trump’s Diet Coke Button: the red button was not some emergency nuclear launch button, but a call for room service.” -Glamour
An aide to Kirsten Gillibrand who once worked in the Obama administration even tweeted:
All of this is of course is meant to show that while Joe Biden will be focusing on COVID and Russia while in the Oval Office, Trump’s primary focus was getting his favorite beverage when he wanted it.
There’s an interesting update to the story however, courtesy of Yahoo! “Biden did not, in fact, remove Trump’s ‘Diet Coke button’ from the Oval Office.” In fact, there are TWO such buttons for POTUS Biden (as there has been going back to LBJ.) One button is on the desk, the other is near the fireplace.
Let me say two things. First, I’m comforted by the fact that the button is still there. Who in their right mind would remove that? If I could have someone bring me a Dr. Pepper any time I pushed a button, you can damned well rest assured I would have such a button on my desk. I’m pleased to know my POTUS has such an ability.
That said, I do have a second thought on the matter. If the button was a reminder of the most laughable, hypocritical parts” of the Trump presidency, as Salon wrote, does the same hold true for Biden? I’m sure Emmy Bengston (the Gillibrand aide) is crafting another Oval Office convo tweet between Biden and the staffer following up on the button’s return. I can’t wait to see it, I’m sure it’ll be so fun and snarky, just like her first one was. -Doug