A LIVE LOOK AT THE WHITE HOUSE. PRESIDENT BIDEN RIGHT NOW GREETING THE CELTICS AS THEY’RE CELEBRATING. BANNER 18. HE JUST WALKED OUT WITH WHIT GROESBECK. LET’S LISTEN IN. I DIDN’T KNOW ANY OF THESE GUYS BEHIND ME, BUT THEY JUST SHOWED UP. I DON’T KNOW WHERE THE HELL THEY CAME FROM. 2024 NBA CHAMPIONS. THE BALL. YOUR CELTICS RIGHT. THE BOSTON CELTICS. NOT JUST ANY CHAMPION, BUT THE WINNINGEST FRANCHISE IN LEAGUE HISTORY. AND NOW WITH A RECORD. 18 TITLES. PLEASE HAVE A SEAT. IF YOU HAVE ONE, YOU DON’T HAVE TO KEEP STANDING. YOU MAY STAND TO STAY WARM, BUT LET ME JUST SAY, ALL OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT MY SECRET SERVICE NAME IS CELTIC. FOR REAL, BECAUSE I’M IRISH. EVERYBODY BEHIND ME IS IRISH IN THEIR HEART. I FEEL A SPECIAL PRIDE IN THIS TROPHY FOR THIS OLD IRISH CELTIC. TO ALL YOU CELTICS. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM OWNERSHIP, PLAYERS, COACHES, STAFF AND FAMILY MEMBERS ALONG WITH DIE HARD FANS LIKE THE GOVERNOR GOV STAND. WHERE ARE YOU? GOV. WHERE IS THE GOVERNOR? THAT’S IT. THERE YOU GO GOV. THE MAYOR. MADAM MAYOR STAND UP. WHERE ARE YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS STAND UP ALL THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM NOT JUST MASSACHUSETTS BUT ALL OF. YOU GOT HALF THE -- CONGRESS HERE. YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THE GREAT RED AUERBACH SAID. HE SAID CELTICS AREN’T JUST A BASKETBALL TEAM. THEY’RE A WAY OF LIFE. PASSION, LOYALTY. FIRST TEAM, MENTALLY FULL OF HEART, GUTS AND FAITH. WE SEE IT FROM YOU, THE OWNERSHIP GROUP, THE EXECUTIVES, THE COACHES, ESPECIALLY COACH JOE. I USED TO LIKE JOE. JOE IS THE YOUNGEST HEAD COACH TO WIN A TITLE SINCE THE GREAT BILL RUSSELL. I TOLD HIM I USED TO BE THE YOUNGEST. NOW I’M THE OLDEST. I LIKE BEING THE YOUNGEST BETTER. TOGETHER. YOU GUYS BUILT ONE OF THE DEEPEST TEAMS OF ALL TIME. INCREDIBLE PLAYERS, LED BY JASON AND JALEN AND DERRICK AND DREW BIG AL. I KNOW IT WASN’T EASY. YOU CAME CLOSE MORE THAN ONCE, BUT YOU PUT IN THE WORK. YOU CLOCKED ONE OF THE GREATEST SEASONS EVER. 64 WINS, THE BEST RECORD IN THE LEAGUE. LAST YEAR. MORE POINTS PER POSSESSION THAN ANY TEAM IN NBA HISTORY. ROLL THE PLAYOFFS, BEATING THE HEAT IN FIVE. THE CAVS IN FIVE, AND THE PACERS IN FOUR. THEN YOU DOMINATED DALLAS ON BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR. AND NOW THAT 18TH CHAMPIONSHIP BANNER HANGS IN THE RAFTERS WITH THE START OF THE NEW SEASON, YOU’RE HUNGRY FOR MORE TOTAL TEAM EFFORT THAT YOU SHOW OFF THE COURT AS WELL. WORKING ACROSS BOSTON THROUGH YOUR FOUNDATIONS TO FIGHT INJUSTICE, TO EXPAND EDUCATION, TO REGISTER VOTERS, DELIVER HEALTH CARE TO INFANTS AND MOMS, AND SO MUCH MORE. IT MATTERS WHAT YOU DO. IT REALLY, GENUINELY MATTERS. SO LET ME CLOSE WITH THIS. SOMETHING I THOUGHT I KNEW A LOT ABOUT THIS, BUT I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THIS TODAY. I DIDN’T REALIZE THAT IN 1963, PRESIDENT JOHN F KENNEDY WELCOMED THE BOSTON CELTICS AS THE FIRST NBA CHAMPIONS TO VISIT THE WHITE HOUSE EVER. FIRST TIME IT’S PART OF THAT WONDERFUL TRADITION CELEBRATING THE POWER OF SPORTS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. IT’S A TRADITION THAT I’VE HONORED. I’VE HAD THE HONOR TO CONTINUE, NO MATTER THE SPORT, WHAT THESE CHAMPIONS ALL HAVE IN COMMON ARE CORE VALUES. AND I MEAN THIS SINCERELY. HARD WORK, TEAMWORK, RESPECT THE KNOWLEDGE THAT NO ONE OF US IS EVER AS GOOD AS ALL OF US CAN BE WHEN WE’RE TOGETHER. THAT WHEN WE GET. WHEN WE GET KNOCKED DOWN, WE GET BACK UP. AS MY DAD WOULD SAY, JUST GET UP, JOE. GET UP. CHARACTER TO KEEP GOING AND KEEP THE FAITH. THAT’S THE CELTIC WAY OF LIFE THAT SPORTS. AND THAT’S AMERICA. AS WE CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING NEXT WEEK, THAT VALUE SAID IS SOMETHING TRULY TO BE GRATEFUL FOR IN AMERICA. WE JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER WHO WE ARE. WE ARE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THERE’S NOTHING, NOTHING BEYOND OUR CAPACITY WHEN WE DO IT TOGETHER. AND I MEAN THAT FOR CERTAIN. SO GOD BLESS YOU ALL. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. AND MAY GOD PROTECT OUR TROOPS. NOW, I’M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO WICK. HE HAS A 40 MINUTE SPEECH FOR YOU. BUT REALLY, THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS, MAN. GOT A HELL OF A BALL CLUB. THANK YOU SIR, THANK YOU, THANK