First lady Jill Biden
Jill BidenWe knew the media would spoil Biden – that’s why it’s so much worse The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Mars rover prepares to land Jill Biden to give Kelly Clarkson’s first first lady interview MORE is resuming where it left off four years ago.
The former second lady facilitated her new role as first lady by reviving the Obama-era military family program, Joining Forces, bringing bread products to the National Guard troops that protected the US Capitol, appearing in a service ad Super Bowl audience with family dogs encouraging people to wear stage masks and hearts on the north lawn of the White House on Valentine’s Day.
She made several virtual appointments to showcase her defense of military families, students and community colleges and will appear in her first individual interview later this month.
Biden, 69, also continues her teaching workload, making her the first to occupy the role of first lady and hold a paid position outside the White House, something that historians say shows how the role evolved to reflect more on modernity. women’s Day.
The new first lady is no stranger to the public role, given her husband’s long political career and her stint as second lady during the Obama administration. But she takes office at a dangerous time in the history of the United States, as the country is almost a year in the twin crises of the coronavirus pandemic and in an economic crisis.
“The country is facing a series of crises simultaneously,” said Jennifer Lawless, a professor of politics at the University of Virginia. “In many ways, she has to be the first lady twice, just because the environment is so much more difficult than it has been in the last 100 years.”
Those who have spent time with Biden, known as “Dr. B ”for students at the community college, they say it is up to the task of helping to lead the nation through a brutal pandemic and the resulting economic difficulties.
“Both [Joe and Jill Biden] she became president and first lady at a tipping point in American history where we have an unprecedented confluence of circumstances, ”said Moe Vela, a former vice president’s assistant during the Obama administration. “I think it would be a challenge for anyone, but she is up to the challenge.”
“She doesn’t need any training. She knows how to play the role. She knows how to do the job, ”added Vela.
After her husband took office on January 20, Biden quickly started working on the three areas of focus she had during the Obama administration: cancer, military families and education. She met the nominee of the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona
Miguel CardonaSenate’s panel advances Biden’s education and work secretary chooses Schumer promises Democrats to follow coronavirus bill with impeachment trial Warren runs to Capitol to continue hearing questions after technical difficulties with remote work MORE on January 21 and the next day she delivered cookies to the National Guards on a surprise visit to the Capitol after a tour of the local Whitman-Walker Health clinic in Washington, DC
But the pandemic forced Biden to adjust what would normally be face-to-face events. She conducted virtual audition sessions with connected military students, made a virtual visit to the National Cancer Institute to thank the staff, and made pre-recorded comments at a legislative summit organized by the Association of Community College Trustees and the American Association of Community Colleges, where she pressed for free access to community college.
She also visited local businesses, which can be difficult given the level of security required for the first family. She stopped at Sweet Lobby, a bakery on Capitol Hill, to buy treats on Valentine’s Day, before the family went to Camp David.
Experts say this type of measure – reaching out to local businesses and drawing attention to social issues such as education – reflects an effort to attract a broader group of Americans outside Beltway.
“What she is really doing is involving people who would otherwise not be listening, and can also try to explain things to a wider audience in ways that are less affected by politics and politics,” said Kelly Dittmar, professor research assistant at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.
“When you have Jill Biden doing the mask commercial with Champ and Major, it is a way for her to be a messenger who is not the Democratic president of the United States on an issue that is hyperpartisan for no health reason,” she added, referring to to the public service announcement with the two dogs from the first family.
However, Biden has his critics. Essayist Joseph Epstein wrote an article in The Wall Street Journal in December, suggesting that Biden “drop the ‘Dr.’” before his name. Epstein’s play conquered generalized reaction, with many calling him “misogynist”.
Most recently, the Fox News host Tucker Carlson
Tucker Carlson Tucker Carlson will produce video podcasts for Fox Nation Fox News and will go with full coverage of Limbaugh’s death. Republican Party consultant calls Haley the party’s favorite in 2024 MORE he criticized the first couple for having public displays of affection, calling the wedding a “skillful public relations campaign.”
“Both Bidens and everyone in his administration are trying to be anti-Trump,” said Katherine Jellison, a professor of history at Ohio University and an expert on first ladies in the United States. “If Melania Trump
12:30 Report by Melania TrumpThe Hill: Biden Overcomes Dems’ Pressures Former First Lady Launches’ Melania Trump Office ’12:30 Report by The Hill: Trump’s lawyers start oral arguments, waiting for a reset MORE a discreet first lady, who was not even in the White House during the first months of her husband’s presidency, Jill Biden will be omnipresent. “
Biden’s approach to the east wing marks a major departure from that of his predecessor, Trump.
The former first lady did not move to the White House until six months after her husband took office, after which she took a discreet approach to her role.
Trump rarely gave interviews and launched his “Be the best” campaign, an effort to combat bullying, almost a year after she moved to the White House. Critics were quick to point out what they called the campaign’s irony, given her husband’s tendency to criticize political opponents and others on social media.
Teri Finneman, a professor at the University of Kansas who studies news coverage of first ladies and women’s policies, compared Trump’s approach to that of previous first ladies, who maintained lower profiles compared to their modern counterparts.
“In the past 50 years, we have become more accustomed to having an active first lady, but historically first ladies were not so active,” she said.
Some experts say President biden
Joe BidenREAD: Gigantic COVID-19 relief bill from House Democrats House panel reveals relief package .9T Nunes lawsuit against CNN filed MOREThe image of can be reinforced by his wife and Vice President Harris, 56.
“Maybe he needs it especially, some younger, more energetic women, especially since he’s the elect eldest [president]. I think it helps to make you a more energetic presence, ”said Jellison.
The president turned 78 on November 20.
As first lady, Biden maintained her teaching position at Northern Virginia Community College, which met for her spring semester remotely last month, before Inauguration Day. Similar to his time as second lady, Biden is keeping his teaching work separate from his public role in the White House “out of respect for the privacy of his students and to preserve the integrity of his classroom,” said Michael LaRosa, a spokesman. voice of the first lady.
Historians have already made comparisons between Biden and Eleanor Roosevelt, who wrote the column for the newspaper “Meu dia” during his tenure as first lady. Finneman also drew parallels between Biden and Grace Coolidge, noting that the two were educators and second ladies before the first ladies, taking on their roles in times of crisis.
Biden’s schedule showed no signs of slowing down, and the first lady is scheduled to air her first interview in her new role with talk show host Kelly Clarkson on February 25.
Still, the biggest test for Jill and Joe Biden will be how they are viewed by the public during what is considered the final stretch of the pandemic.
“The phrase comforting chief has certainly been used before with the first ladies … but I’m not sure how seriously the concept of this role was taken by the public,” said Finneman. “I think we will see in the coming months how important it is to have someone embody this role.”