And now we get to one of the most misunderstood Vulcain/Presidential connections.
Joe Biden was gifted a Vulcain Cricket from the Paajanen family, Keijo Paajanen specifically. It was presented to him while he was still Vice President in 2011. In fact, he received his even before the Vulcain Cricket that Keijo presented President Obama. It is also worth noting that President Biden is the one President in modern times who actually paid for and kept the gift that he received. And also interesting to relate, his was the “base” model – stainless steel. It is, in fact, just like this one –
As Keijo’s brother Rauno put it in his communication with Penelope Colston of the New York Times, in many ways it’s as if Keijo gave the Cricket to Joe Biden first as he maybe suspected what might be in the future for Amtrak Joe, and there is a slight hint of sadness when I think about this, because I also wonder (in my own way) whether Keijo somehow knew that his time was limited, and that he would not get a chance to present a Vulcain to Joe Biden himself when he actually became President. This is what Keijo’s brother Rauno shared with Ms. Colston
“As I said in the first reply, our family and many others in Finland see the US as a safeguard that Finland can stay as a part of the Western World. The Winter War experience in the family is passed to the future generations. Our family wanted to thank the Presidents for paying a visit to our country. I quote Joe Biden´s letter here:’Please know it is the kindness of people like you that continually renew my confidence about what we all can achieve together.’It is a mutual feeling.”
Rauno Paajanen
And this brings to a close the story of the Vulcain Cricket and the Presidents of the United States, at least for now.