WASHINGTON — First lady Jill Biden will play a role at the Democratic National Convention on Monday as part of a larger tribute to her husband, President Joe Biden, as both appear in different capacities than planned just weeks ago. the party’s presidential candidate.
It is expected to be a particularly poignant moment, marking a public transition for the couple after navigating the most difficult political chapter of their lives for the first lady, who has often been his fiercest defender.
The first lady has expressed particular concern about some Democrats, who have been tacitly supportive but not standing by her husband as he ponders whether to stay in the presidential race, according to two people familiar with his thinking.
He now wants to ensure his decades-long legacy of public service is preserved, these people said.
“She’s tough and certainly stands up for her family,” said Elizabeth Alexander, the first lady’s communications director, who has worked with the Bidens since Joe Biden was in the Senate. “Always has been, always will be.”
The Bidens will spend Monday night at the convention and do not plan to stay in Chicago for the rest of the term, two people familiar with the planning said — a move likely to be explained by a desire not to host. drew the attention of Vice President Kamala Harris, whom he supports. In the fall, the first couple is expected to campaign for Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walsh, although it’s unclear how often they will head for the new ticket.
The first lady plans to continue teaching English and writing at a community college this fall, and she was finalizing lesson plans this week in preparation for the convention, according to her office.
She has often told people that her husband doesn’t need a political adviser because he has plenty of advisers in his life, people close to both Bidens say. But he was a key supporter in the days when he decided to end his re-election bid, these people said.
As Biden faced growing drumbeat within his party to step aside and abandon his campaign, the first lady told him the choice was his alone and that she would support the path he chose.
A few days after her bow, the first lady posted a photo of her handwritten note on social media and wrote: “To those who never waver, who never doubt, who always believe, my heart is full of gratitude. . Thank you for your trust in Joe – now it’s time to extend that trust to Kamal. Love, Jill.”
According to a source close to the first lady, the decision to physically write it down and release it that way was “all hers.” She especially wanted everyone to know that it “came directly from her,” the person said, adding that Jill Biden wanted to show her gratitude to the people who supported her husband from the start. He also wanted to “acknowledge what they might be feeling” at that moment and then rally those supporters around Harris.
During her husband’s final months in office, the first lady will continue to work on the Joining Forces initiative to remove barriers to her military spouse’s employment, her office said. It will also continue to highlight the administration’s commitment to improving research on women’s health, as well as Biden’s work on Cancer Month, from families’ experiences with the disease.
As first lady, Biden has traveled to 19 countries and will try to strengthen ties with allies when she hosts a spousal program at the UN General Assembly next month, her office said.
Over the past 3½ years, the first lady has traveled to more than 40 states, visiting 200 towns and cities while continuing her teaching career.
“She sees being first lady as an act of service,” Alexander said.
When he came to the White House, his main focus was to vaccinate the country and help reopen schools during the Covid-19 pandemic. Biden, a longtime educator, made history as the first spouse to hold a paid job outside of an administration role.
Biden often says about his profession, “Teaching is not just what I do; that’s who I am.”