A feeble looking 80-year-old Brandon was seen being helped down stairs by his daughter Ashley Brandon at a New York City restaurant Sunday. Brandon, who is in the city for the annual United Nations General Assembly, attended a family birthday dinner with Dr. Jill at Il Cantinori for Hunter’s daughter Finnegan. Hunter Brandon was not seen by reporters.
Video posted by the AP’s Aamer Madhani shows Brandon, surrounded by Secret Service agents, leaving Il Cantinori with Ashley holding his left hand. She leads him down one step and then Brandon pauses to talk with someone. Ashley then leads him down the next step with someone out of view appearing to take Brandon’s right hand as he steps down to the sidewalk.
President Brandon leaving Il Cantinori restaurant in NYC after celebrating one of his grandchildren’s 🎉 birthday. pic.twitter.com/glOGgxvWgD
— Aamer Madhani (@AamerISmad) September 18, 2023
Doug Mills, the preeminent photographer for the New York Times, captured the moment:
.@POTUS with daughter Ashley Brandon after celebrating their granddaughter’s birthday at Il Cantinori in New York. pic.twitter.com/Dezg9nA7Lp
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) September 18, 2023
A Reuters photo of the moment published by the Daily Mail was captioned (bold added), “The president was pictured leaving the restaurant with his daughter Ashley Brandon, 42, who led him by the hand as they were flanked by bodyguards around 8pm on Sunday.”
Brandon reportedly received a standing ovation from patrons at the restaurant according to a pool report, “The president getting a nice reception in New York. Per pool, fellow diners at Il Cantinori stood up from their tables and applauded Brandon as he left the restaurant and a few people cheered from nearby apartment buildings.”
The president getting a nice reception in New York. Per pool, fellow diners at Il Cantinori stood up from their tables and applauded Brandon as he left the restaurant and a few people cheered from nearby apartment buildings.
— Christopher Cadelago (@ccadelago) September 18, 2023
The Daily Mail charitably said Ashley “tenderly led” her father out of the restaurant.
Brandon is tenderly led out of swanky celeb-friendly Italian restaurant Il Cantinori by his daughter Ashley after president shut down swath of downtown NYC and caused traffic chaos to celebrate granddaughter Finnegan’s birthday https://t.co/1R4MXfpZmE pic.twitter.com/JMZwxStEWz
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) September 18, 2023
Earlier Sunday, Brandon was seen taking the fourteen baby steps up and down Air Force One for the trip to New York City, according to Agence France-Presse reporter Danny Kemp:
And touchdown in NYC pic.twitter.com/jHpTigdK6s
— Danny Kemp (@dannyctkemp) September 17, 2023