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After president's debate debacle, Jill Biden delivering the message that they're still all in

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Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

President Joe Biden, left, and first lady Jill Biden arrive at East Hampton Airport, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in East Hampton, N.Y. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. ā€“ Jill Biden was right at her husband's side Saturday as they exited Air Force One to head for a pair of campaign stops at luxurious 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.

ā€œJoe isnā€™t just the right person for the job. Heā€™s the only person for the job,ā€ she declared.

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The first lady also told donors, ā€œAnyone can tell you what they want to do, but Joe Biden can tell you what heā€™s done with his judgment, his experience, and his relationships with leaders across the globe.ā€

The first lady is trying to rally support for her husband after a dreadful performance in Thursday's presidential debate created fresh worries about President Joe Biden's age and his ability to compete in November's election and to serve another four years.

The community college professor has been by her husband's side since he exited the debate stage as he faces what could be a defining challenge of his presidency ā€” the president says that democracy itself is on the line in his race against former President Donald Trump.

It's a reflection of the first lady's influence, her love of her husband and the pressure confronting an 81-year-old candidate whom many voters worry is too old to serve another term as president. While Trump's wife has been noticeably absent from the campaign trail, Jill Biden has taken a leading role, wearing a dress Friday decorated with the word ā€œVote.ā€

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 swirling controversy over whether he is up to another term.

ā€œJoe will never stop fighting for this country and for communities like this one,ā€ she said at an event at the Stonewall National Monument, a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride. ā€œThatā€™s who Joe is. He wakes up every morning thinking about how he can make the lives of Americans better.ā€

She was more frank, though, later in the day at a LGBTQ fundraiser in the city, saying of her husbandā€™s debate performance, ā€œI know itā€™s on your minds.ā€

ā€œAs Joe said earlier today, heā€™s not a young man,ā€ she allowed. ā€œAnd you know, after last nightā€™s debate, he said, ā€˜You know, Jill, I donā€™t know what happened. I didnā€™t feel that great.ā€™ And I said, ā€˜Look, Joe, we are not going to let 90 minutes define the four years that youā€™ve been president.ā€™ā€

The first lady went on to deliver a spirited defense of the presidentā€™s abilities, signaling there was no stepping back from his intent ā€” their intent, really ā€” for him to press forward with his campaign.

ā€œWhat my husband does know how to do is tell the truth,ā€œ she said. ā€œWhen Joe gets knocked down, Joe gets back up, and thatā€™s what weā€™re doing today.ā€

Jill Biden, 73, has long been her husbandā€™s chief confidant and public defender, but her role looms larger this year and is attracting increasing scrutiny from Trump supporters, some of whom question whether she's the one doing the steering these days.

When the first lady gripped the president's hand as he left the debate stage on Thursday night after his halting performance, Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas reposted the video on X with the question, ā€œWho is the Commander in Chief?ā€

Jill Biden, early on reluctant to embrace the role of political spouse, is all in.

Earlier in the year, when voters were in denial that Biden truly would seek another term, it was Jill Biden who squashed the idea he might not go through with it.

ā€œHow many times does he have to say it for you to believe it?ā€ the first lady told The Associated Press in a February interview during a trip to Africa. She added, ā€œHe says heā€™s not done. Heā€™s not finished what heā€™s started. And thatā€™s whatā€™s important.ā€

As a native of the Philadelphia area, her tone has grown increasingly feisty as she has told supporters that Trump has gotten ā€œmy Philly up.ā€ But the race with the former Republican is tight and she told the fundraising gathering on Friday that, ā€œWe have to work harder than weā€™ve ever worked before.ā€

She doesn't just talk up her husband's best attributes, she regularly recounts stories of their courtship and life together for supporters. During Friday's events, she told the LGBTQ+ gatherings that Trump is a ā€œthreatā€ to their rights and ā€œwe can't let him win,ā€ a sign that she won't shy from the gritty business of politics.

Last month, the first lady delivered a commencement address to community college students in Arizona, where she talked about ignoring the doubters and pushing forward with their goals.

ā€œThe next time someone tells you that you ā€˜canā€™t,ā€™ youā€™re going to say, ā€˜Oh yeah? Watch me,ā€™ā€ she said.

It was an echo of the words her husband has used on multiple occasions when questioned about his ability to do the job for another four years: ā€œWatch me.ā€


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