Jill Biden Says She Wouldn’t Have Advised Second Term for Joe
Jill Biden admitted she would not have encouraged her husband to seek reelection given another chance, citing the emotional toll on their family and his struggles during the campaign.
In an interview with NBC ahead of her memoir release, Jill Biden revealed second thoughts about the 2024 presidential race, according to New York Post. She described the experience as deeply painful for the Biden family.
The former first lady acknowledged that while the decision ultimately belonged to her husband alone, the hurt inflicted during that period would make her reconsider her advice. She noted that medical professionals had cleared him as healthy enough to serve another term.
Jill Biden defended Joe Biden’s cognitive abilities throughout the campaign, attributing visible signs of decline to exhaustion rather than mental deterioration. She confirmed he showed signs of slowing down and increased stuttering, particularly when tired, but maintained he continued performing his presidential duties effectively.
Debate Performance Raised Alarm
The June 27, 2024 debate against former President Donald Trump proved catastrophic for the Biden campaign. At 81 years old, Joe Biden became the oldest president ever elected, and his age-related struggles were impossible to ignore during the CNN forum.
In her memoir “View from the East Wing,” Jill Biden wrote that she feared her husband might be suffering a stroke as he struggled to articulate responses during the debate, as New York Post reports.
Despite these private concerns, the former first lady publicly praised her husband immediately following the debate at an Atlanta Waffle House and subsequent campaign rally. She defended this apparent contradiction by explaining her role as a supportive spouse.
Jill Biden made clear she had no intention of criticizing her husband publicly in front of supporters, regardless of his performance. She emphasized that lifting him up was her duty as his wife.
Democratic Pressure and Campaign Exit
Following the debate disaster, Democratic Party members openly called for Biden to withdraw from the race. He ultimately exited on July 21, 2024, clearing the path for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee.
The former first lady expressed genuine shock at Harris’s loss to Trump, telling CBS she felt certain of a Democratic victory based on crowd enthusiasm and public support for Harris.
Hunter Biden Pardon Defense
Jill Biden also addressed the controversial presidential pardon of their son Hunter Biden, claiming the justice process had been politicized and unfair. She argued that Trump’s stated intention to imprison Hunter left them no alternative but to use presidential clemency powers.
The former first lady characterized the gun charge against their son as insufficient grounds for imprisonment, noting he possessed the weapon for only 11 days.
With information from New York Post
