EAST HAMPTON, NY – Jill Biden was by her husband’s side on Saturday as they stepped off Air Force One to head for a couple of campaign stops in luxury vacation homes on Long Island. And she got straight to the point when it was her turn to introduce the president at a Tony fundraiser.
“Joe is not just the right person for the job. He’s the only person for the job,” she said.
The first lady also told donors: “Anyone can say what they want to do, but Joe Biden can say what he has done with his judgment, his experience and his relationships with leaders around the world.”
The first lady is trying to drum up support for her husband after a dismal performance in Thursday’s presidential debate created new concerns about President Joe Biden’s age and his ability to compete in the November election and serve another four years.
The community college professor has been by her husband’s side since he left the debate stage as he faces what could be a defining challenge of his presidency — the president says democracy itself is at stake in his race against former -President Donald Trump.
It’s a reflection of the first lady’s influence, her love for her husband and the pressure facing an 81-year-old candidate who the concern of many voters is very old to serve another term as president. Although Trump’s wife has been noticeably absent from the campaign, Jill Biden has taken a leadership role, wearing a dress on Friday emblazoned with the word “Vote.”
Less than 24 hours after her husband’s disastrous debate, she stood before a crowd in Greenwich Village and spoke glowingly about her husband, without any nod to the growing controversy over whether he is ready for another term.
“Joe will never stop fighting for this country and for communities like this,” she said at an event at Stonewall National Monument, a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride. “That’s who Joe is. He wakes up every morning thinking about how he can improve the lives of Americans.”
She was more outspoken, though, later in the day at an LGBTQ fundraiser in the city, saying of her husband’s debate performance, “I know it’s on their minds.”
“As Joe said earlier today, he is not a young man,” she admitted. “And you know, after last night’s debate, he said, ‘You know, Jill, I don’t know what happened. I didn’t feel so good. And I said, ‘Look, Joe, we’re not going to let 90 minutes define the four years you’re president.'”
The first lady continued with a vigorous defense of the president’s capabilities, signaling that there was no backing down on her intention – indeed, their intention – for him to move forward with his campaign.
“What my husband knows how to do is tell the truth,” she said. “When Joe gets knocked down, Joe gets back up and that’s what we’re doing today.”
Jill Biden, 73, has long been her husband’s main confidant and public defender, but her role is growing this year and is drawing increasing scrutiny from Trump supporters, some of whom They question whether she is currently driving.
When the first lady grabbed the president’s hand as he left the debate stage Thursday night following his halting performance, Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas reposted the video on X with the question: “Who is the commander in chief?”
Jill Biden, who was reluctant to take on the role of political wife from the start, is all for it.
Earlier in the year, when voters were denying that Biden would actually seek another term, it was Jill Biden who suppressed the idea that he might not follow through.
“How many times does he have to say that for you to believe it?” the first lady told the Associated Press in a February interview during a trip to Africa. She added: “He says he’s not done yet. He didn’t finish what he started. And that’s what’s important.”
As a native of the Philadelphia area, her tone became increasingly aggressive as she told her supporters that Trump lifted up “my Philadelphia.” But the race with the former Republican is tight and she said at Friday’s fundraising meeting that “we have to work harder than ever.”
Not only does she talk about her husband’s best attributes, but she also regularly tells stories of their courtship and life together to supporters. During Friday’s events, she told LGBTQ+ gatherings that Trump is a “threat” to their rights and “we can’t let him win,” a sign that she won’t shy away from the brave issues in politics.
Last month, the first lady delivered a graduation speech to community college students in Arizona, where she talked about ignoring doubters and moving forward with your goals.
“The next time someone tells you that you ‘can’t,’ you’ll say, ‘Oh, yeah? Watch me,’” she said.
It was an echo of the words her husband used on several occasions when asked about her ability to do the job for another four years: “Watch me.”
