Despite missing out on ice cream, Mayor Reynolds “thrilled” to meet President Biden on behalf of La Crosse

Elated is as good a word as any to describe how Mitch Reynolds was feeling a few hours after he got to meet President Joe Biden coming off Air Force One on Tuesday in La Crosse.

The city’s mayor had just a couple of messages inquiring about the meet.

“I mean, millions (of messages),” Reynolds said with a laugh. “Friends and family, they were like, ‘Wait a minute, did you get to meet the president today?’

“I’m not going to play this off like it’s no big deal. It’s a thrill. Air Force One on the tarmac to greet the president? It’s a thrill. It really is. I felt composed in the moment, but leading up to it, I’m thinking, ‘This is amazing.’ Just an honor to represent the city in that position and that role.”

Reynolds, along with Congressman Ron Kind and Sen. Tammy Baldwin were there to meet Biden, and spoke with the president for a couple minutes.

“We talked about infrastructure — the things you would normally talk about,” Reynolds said. “There was some quick discussion about why he was there. We talked about the Packers, because you have to.”

Reynolds also joked about the trip from the airport to Isle La Plume and how he was left out after Biden’s speech, as well.

“I wasn’t even in Guest Car No. 1, I was in Guest Car No. 2 for the motorcade,” Reynolds joked.

After the speech, Biden’s motorcade stopped downtown at The Pearl to get ice cream. But not Reynolds.

“No, I missed the ice cream,” he said, dejected. “I didn’t get to go on the ice cream trip.”