Jill Biden said she watched her husband Joe “dig deep into his soul” to decide not to run for re-election in an emotional speech ahead of his farewell address at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night.
People close to the first lady said she was “appalled” by the betrayal by Democrats who publicly called for the 81-year-old president not to seek re-election.
But on Monday night, he put on a brave face and looked to the future as he endorsed Kamala Harris and lashed out at Donald Trump in front of his grandchildren and the roaring crowd at the United Center in Chicago.
As she left, she blew a kiss to Harris, who watched from his VIP box in the stands above the stage.
President Biden, in his remarks, paid tribute to his wife of nearly 50 years, calling her the “rock” of the family and prompting the crowd to applaud her even more. “I still hear that ‘boom boom boom,’” he said of her.
The 81-year-old wiped away a tear as his daughter Ashley greeted him on stage for a speech marking the upcoming end of his 53-year career in politics.
Jill Biden said she watched her husband Joe “dig deep into his soul” to decide not to run for re-election in an emotional speech ahead of his farewell address at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night.
Jill Biden spoke quickly but with a strong message. She spoke of President Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential race and described his love for his family and his country.
The first lady was present when Biden decided to drop out of the presidential race. She said she saw him “do a deep soul searching and decide not to seek reelection anymore and to support Kamala Harris.”
She also touched on her husband’s campaign theme of preserving democracy and suggested that Trump, the Republican candidate, would be her enemy.
“With faith and conviction, Joe knows that our nation’s strength does not come from intimidation or cruelty,” he said.
“It comes from the small acts of kindness that heal deep wounds, from service to the communities that make us who we are, from love for a country that shines with promise and renewal,” he said, adding: “Kamala Harris knows this, too.”
“With faith and conviction, Joe knows that our nation’s strength comes not from intimidation or cruelty,” Jill Biden said of her husband.
He received a warm standing ovation and cheers from the crowd at the United Arena.
Delegates waved green signs that read “Jill.”
The first lady still feels the pain of the “betrayal” by Democrats who privately offered support to her husband and then publicly called on him to drop out of the presidential race.
But she is looking ahead, those close to her say.
She was at the president’s side in Wilmington, Delaware, that fateful day when he decided to drop out of the presidential race after a relentless pressure campaign by his party colleagues.
In fact, when he called Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday, July 21, to inform her of his decision, he put the first lady on the phone.
“We love you,” she told Harris, according to a source familiar with the conversation. She also called Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, with whom she has a close relationship.
He will join Biden and other family members on their vacation in California after departing Chicago on Monday.
But much of her attention is focused on the fall, when she will return to her job as a professor at a community college in Northern Virginia. She also plans to campaign for Harris.
Naomi Biden and Peter Neal at the convention
Little Hunter, Natalie, Finnegan, Melissa Cohen and Maisy (crouching) at the convention
Maisy Biden (in pink suit) held baby Beau
It was a notable about-face from the 2020 race, when Jill Biden was reported to be angry with Harris over a line of attack in one of the early primary debates, targeting Joe Biden for his record on school busing in the 1960s as part of desegregation efforts.
Now, however, Jill is firmly in Harris’s camp.
After Biden endorsed his vice president to be the Democratic nominee, the first lady posted a handwritten note on social media supporting Harris.
“Thank you for the trust you placed in Joe. Now it’s time to place that trust in Kamala. Love, Jill,” it read.
He also plans to take that message to the election campaign.
“She will of course be running for Vice President Harris in the fall,” the source said.
But the famously resentful first lady has not forgotten those days after the first presidential debate, when many Democrats questioned her husband’s ability to campaign for a second term.
“The first lady was dismayed by people who privately supported her husband and then publicly did not support him while he was considering whether to remain in the presidential race,” a source familiar with the matter told DailyMail.com.
The source declined to give names.
Jill Biden takes a look at the scene ahead of her Monday speech
Jill Biden has been a constant presence at Joe Biden’s side, including upstairs when he spoke to the nation about his decision to drop out of the presidential race.
Jill Biden has always been one of Joe Biden’s most ardent supporters and wants to ensure his legacy is protected.
And she is a constant presence at his side.
On the night she delivered her address to the nation from the Oval Office, Jill Biden sat quietly on the sidelines with other family members.
When he finished speaking, she was the first at his side, running to the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office to take his hand.
Jill Biden will return to teaching and focus on her initiatives, including the Cancer Moonshot (above). She and President Biden visited Tulane University to discuss cancer research.
This fall, Jill will return to teaching English at Northern Virginia Community College, as she has for years.
She will also focus on initiatives she initiated as First Lady, including her work Joining Forces and Cancer Moonshot.