Biden reaches for checkbook instead of ice bucket in ALS challenge

Vice President Biden on Thursday appeared to decline an invitation to dump a bucket of ice water on his head.

Instead, Biden tweeted he had made a donation for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) after being nominated to do the popular ice bucket challenge by actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who plays the vice president on the HBO series “Veep.”

Hey @OfficialJLD –Thanks for the #ALSIceBucketChallenge nomination. A donation in honor of my late friend has been made. Let’s end ALS. -vp

— Vice President Biden (@VP) August 21, 2014

Thanks, @VP You are a stand-up guy!

— Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) August 21, 2014

President Obama also declined a challenge from Ethel Kennedy last week, with a spokesman saying his contribution would be “monetary.”

The challenge has gone viral on social media and has become popular with a number of politicians as well, including former President George W. Bush, who nominated Bill Clinton on Wednesday.

Those who are nominated are challenged to dump a bucket of ice water on their head or make a donation to ALS. In many cases, people do both.

Bush on Wednesday hinted at why Biden and Obama are resistant, joking that “I do not think it’s presidential for me to be splashed with ice water” — before being soaked by his wife.

Obama joked last year that it is politics 101 not to “put stuff on your head if you’re president.” That likely extends to dumping things on your head as well.