[138] Indeed, at times she was the foremost spokesperson in the administration for the vaccination effort; she was sent to parts of the country known for anti-vaccine beliefs and antipathy towards her husband, under the belief that she had a better chance of communicating with people in those areas. Joe and Jill Biden had their first date in March of 1975, and they married in June of 1977.". [22][51], She was present at her husband's side in the Rose Garden on October 21, 2015, when he announced he would not run for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in the 2016 election. [94] The couple also substantially increased their charitable giving during this period. [153] Biden met Maria Cappello, wife of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi at Chigi Palace and Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron at Il Marchese restaurant. So, they immediately began shouting, 'Dr. And Winnie was the reason, Jill Biden said, that 30 years later she was standing at that White House lectern talking about new measures for the moonshot program that the president said in a . Joe Biden appears to confuse his wife and sister at the start of his Super Tuesday speech. ", She added, "Until that moment, I didn't realize how much I was struggling, or how much I needed their strength. Biden recalled being "scared to death" that her sister Bonny Jacobs, a United Airlines flight attendant, was on one of the four hijacked airplanes that were flown into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field, killing nearly 3,000 people. [19][16] Around this time she spent five months working in Biden's Senate office;[29] this included weekly trips with the senator's mobile outreach operation to the southern portions of the state. "[99] Biden did some book signings to help promote the work. "[31] things have changed. Throughout her time as first lady, Dr. Biden has dedicated time and effort to uplifting educators, especially through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, as he prepares to take on Donald Trump in this fall's presidential election, more and more people are trying to learn everything they can about the former second lady, including whether she has children. On the campaign trail, he adamantly referred to her as a best friend through various discussions where her contributions came up. Hunter shares kids Naomi, Finnegan, and Maisy with ex-wife Kathleen Buhle, a son with current wife Melissa, and a fifth child with ex Lunden Alexis Roberts with whom he's not in contact. [121] Outgoing First Lady Melania Trump did not invite incoming First Lady Jill Biden to the White House for tea and a tour, which previously had been a tradition in the presidential transition of power. President Joe Biden and Jill Biden return to Washington D.C. after spending the weekend at Camp David, March 21. CREDIT: AP. [175], First Lady of the United States and educator, "Jill Jacobs" redirects here. President Biden's sister, Valerie Biden Owens, tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, but her publishing company said she did not have close contact with the president or first lady Jill . In 2020 Joe announced his third presidential bid, and, for the first time, Jill took a leave of absence in order to assume a prominent role in the campaign. Biden was among staffers who went into Delaware's high schools to conduct lectures and demonstrations. You have been so strong. 1. Hunter Biden poses for a pic with his dad, President Joe Biden, at an event in Washington DC in April 2016 Credit: Getty - Contributor. Jill Biden Shares the Heartfelt Moment She Told Her Students Her Sister Had Cancer: 'I Needed Their Strength' Dr. Jill Biden said her students reacted to the news by lining up to give her. [143] She also criticized Republican opposition of an assault weapons ban and more spending on climate change. The book was inspired by the deployment of Joes son, Beau Biden, who later died from cancer (2015). [2][8] Biden received her second graduate degree, a Master of Arts in English from Villanova University, in 1987. [12], As a child, she and her family lived in Hatboro, Pennsylvania, and relocated when she was eight to Mahwah, New Jersey. In May 2015, Beau Biden, President Joe Biden's son with his late first wife, died of a rare and . [150] There, she met Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga with his wife Mariko Suga at Akasaka Palace and met Emperor Naruhito at Tokyo Imperial Palace. When the two were married in 1977, Joe was already a senator. Jill Biden . "[8] Meanwhile, she was going through turbulent divorce proceedings with Stevenson; the court case ended with her not getting the half-share in the Stone Balloon she had wanted. ', "In First White House Interview, Joe & Jill Biden Talk Marriage, Family, Prayer and the Challenges Ahead", "First professor: Jill Biden to make history as a first lady with a day job", "Jill Biden is hitting the ground running in all directions", "The First Lady Is Back in the Classroom", "Exclusive: First Lady Dr. Jill Biden on What It Means to Be a Working Mom", "The decider: Jill Biden's unparalleled influence and impact on the president", "In Tight Races, Some Calling for Biden. ", "Colleagues see a caring, giving Jill Biden", "Donald C. Jacobs, 72; Ran Savings And Loan In Phila", "Per Tua Informazione: Our 1st Italian American First Lady", "Jill Biden, dalla Sicilia alla Casa Bianca: chi la 'Philly girl' moglie del nuovo presidente", "Jill Biden Set to Become the First Italian American First Lady", "First lady Jill Biden is a South Jersey native but she also has roots in Mahwah", "Jill Biden Heads Toward Life in the Spotlight", "Upper Moreland grad Jill Biden in campaign limelight", "On the record: New Castle County: Civil", "Jill Biden is finally ready to be first lady. [142], Jill Biden is also more political than previous first ladies. We thought it was important to show the Ukrainian people that this war has to stop, and this war has been brutal, and that the people of the United States stand with the people of Ukraine. Over their more than 40 years together, Joe and Jill Biden have lived their lives in the spotlight. [116] She is the first spouse since Barbara Bush to hold the positions of both Second Lady and First Lady and is the first spouse since Pat Nixon to hold them non-consecutively. [21], She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts[27] in English[19] from the University of Delaware in 1975. Biden was among staffers who went into Delaware's high schools to conduct lectures and demonstrations. [161], During the first year and a half of being first lady, a CNN poll revealed that Biden's favorability ratings had declined, from 58 percent favorable to 28 percentage unfavorable at the time of her husband's inauguration, compared to 34 percent favorable to 29 percent unfavorable during JuneJuly 2022. [94], Jill Biden continued to teach full-time at NOVA after her husband left office,[91] with a salary of close to $100,000. [83][84], In May 2015, her stepson Beau Biden died from brain cancer. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Hunter Biden called his step-mom Jill Biden a. In a large pot over medium, heat 2 Tbsp oil. She also helped support the families of members of the military, and she wrote a childrens book, Dont Forget, God Bless Our Troops (2012), about the experiences of a child whose father was deployed. [106] She attracted notice during one campaign stop in New Hampshire when she emphasized the electability argument in favor of her husband, saying, "you know, your candidate might be better on, I don't know, health care, than Joe is, but you've got to look at who's going to win this election, and maybe you have to swallow a little bit and say, 'OK, I personally like so-and-so better,' but your bottom line has to be that we have to beat Trump. "I said it first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth." But he flunked on questions about what the longtime. ", "In Iowa, a Former Second Lady Campaigns to Be the First", "Biden s felesge 1977-ben a Balatonnl voltak nszton", "US election: What does Joe Biden's win mean for Brexit Britain and Europe? [8] She married Bill Stevenson, a former college football player, in February 1970[20] taking the name Jill Stevenson. [166] At her husband's victory speech in Wilmington, Biden wore an Oscar de la Renta dark-blue floral dress designed by Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim. Her mother, Bonny Jean Jacobs, and father, Donald Jacobs, died of cancer, in 2008 and 1999, respectively. Like the Obamas, the Bidens have a decades-long relationship that's allowed them to power through and withstand the pressures of Washington and their own personal tragedy. For the Jewish activist, see, Education and career, marriages and family, Second Lady of the United States (20092017), First Lady of the United States (2021present), Approval ratings, popularity and controversy, The family name of Giacoppo was subsequently misspelled as Giacoppa at the, In addition to local bands, musical artists who performed at the Stone Balloon during this period included a 1974, pre-, In August 2020, Stevenson stated to media outlets that this oft-told story about how Joe and Jill met was made up: that he and Jill had known Joe Biden and his first wife Neilia going back to 1972, that he had asked County Councilman Biden for help with a liquor license and had held a fund-raiser for his 1972 Senate campaign, and that Joe and Jill had begun an affair in 1974 before he and Jill had separated. [8] In the early 1990s, she taught English at Brandywine High School in Wilmington;[38] several of her students there later recalled her as genuinely caring about them. in educational leadership from the University of Delaware. Born on June 8, 1981 in Wilmington, Delaware, Ashley is the daughter of Joe Biden and his second wife, Jill Biden. [174] She became the first First Lady to cover in the magazine's 155-year history. "They bring diverse perspectives to our studies of travels and jobs and families and challenges they've had to overcome," she said. [27][2] There she taught English composition and remedial writing, with an emphasis on instilling confidence in students. Natalie, 16, is the older child of Biden's late son, Beau Biden, and his widow, Hallie. [41] She runs five miles, five times a week, and she has run in the Marine Corps Marathon as well as the Philadelphia Half Marathon. [143] In 2022, she organized seven fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee. President Joe Biden boards Marine One at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Wednesday, Jan 11, 2023, in Bethesda, Md., after first lady Jill Biden underwent a medical procedure. Natalie shared some details of her relationship with . [93] She was selected to give the keynote address at a commencement for Milwaukee Area Technical College in May 2017. [68] In August 2010, Biden appeared as herself in an episode of Lifetime's Army Wives, making it part of her campaign to raise awareness of military families. [103] A Town and Country magazine headline declared that "Jill Biden Might Just Be Joe Biden's Greatest Political Asset". WASHINGTON (AP) Jill Biden' s advocacy for curing cancer didn't start with her son's death in 2015 from brain cancer . After learning that her sister was safe at her Pennsylvania home, "I went straight to Bonny's house," Biden told The Associated Press in an interview Saturday as she and her sister remembered that. [16][19] They met on a blind date set up by Joe's brother Frank,[19] who had known her in college,[26] though Biden had seen her photograph in a local advertisement. And now it's time for us to be strong for you.". [75] She made her position there as normal as she could, sharing a cubicle with another teacher, holding regular office hours for students, and trying to persuade her accompanying Secret Service agents to dress as unobtrusively as possible. She taught English and reading in high schools for thirteen years and instructed adolescents with emotional disabilities at a psychiatric hospital. More than 150 volunteers from around the country decorated the White House with 25 wreaths, 77 Christmas trees and over 83,615 holiday lights. [11][40][57], Following the election of the ObamaBiden ticket, she and her husband moved into Number One Observatory Circle (in January 2009), the official vice presidential residence in Washington. They lined up and gave me a hug, one by one. Joe Biden's Wife Dr. Jill Biden . [8][31] They spent their honeymoon at Lake Balaton in the Hungarian People's Republic, behind the Iron Curtain. She wore a Blue Star Mothers Club pin in recognition of Beau Biden's deployment to Iraq. In response to Stevenson's statement, a spokesman for Jill Biden said in September 2020: "These claims are fictitious, seemingly to sell and promote a book. "[104] She also attracted attention by saying "it's time to move on" concerning her husband's role in 1991 regarding Anita Hill and the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination. Jill Tracy Biden (ne Jacobs)[1] (born June 3, 1951) is an American educator and the current first lady of the United States since 2021, as the wife of President Joe Biden. [8] She and Stevenson drifted apart[20] and they separated in 1974. 2 Finnegan Biden MANDEL NGANGetty Images Born: 2000 (age: 22) Parents: Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle Naomi's younger sister, and the second of Hunter Biden's daughters, Finnegan is. [99] The book has little political content, instead focusing on aspects of family. Jill and Joe Biden met on a blind date arranged by his brother. 1.2 Jill Biden 2 Children 2.1 Beau Biden 2.2 Hunter Biden 2.3 Naomi "Amy" Biden 2.4 Ashley Biden 3 Grandchildren 4 Pets 5 Tree of descendants 6 Parents 7 Siblings 8 Grandparents 8.1 Paternal 8.2 Maternal 9 See also 10 References 11 Further reading Wives Neilia Hunter Biden Neilia Hunter Biden, the first wife of Joe Biden, was born on July 28, 1942. [78], Her life with her husband at Number One Observatory Circle tended towards the informal and was centered around family and their nearby grandchildren. [122], She resumed teaching at NOVA, albeit at first on a remote basis over Zoom due to the pandemic. Meet his 6 grandchildren, whom he calls every day. [16][3], Biden later returned to school for her doctoral degree, studying under her birth name, Jill Jacobs. FILE - Jill Biden, center, accompanied by Venus Gines, left, and Joni Lownsdale, speaks during a breast cancer awareness event in the First Lady's Garden at the White House in Washington, Oct. 23 . Nine years Jill's senior, Joe Biden had lost his first wife, Neilia, and his one-year-old daughter, Naomi, in a car accident in 1972, shortly after he was elected to the Senate for the first. She married Bill Stevenson in 1970, but the couple separated in 1974 and divorced the following year. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The most prominent face of the Biden family (aside from Joe and Dr. Jill Biden) is undoubtedly Valerie Biden Owens, the former vice president's youngest sister and trusted confidante during his bid for election. [167] The dress she wore sold out quickly. In 1991 she earned a second masters degree, this one in English, from Villanova University in Pennsylvania. [36] In January 2007, at age 55, she received a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. [21][22] Within a couple of years he opened the Stone Balloon in Newark, Delaware, near the University of Delaware. During this time she attended the University of Delaware, earning a bachelors degree in 1975. Biden recalled being "scared to death . There was a time when women were afraid to speak out. Besides Biden himself, the person most involved in the president-elect's political career is his wife, Jill Biden, an educator and "military mom". But going forward, I think he's gonna have to judge be a better judge of when people approach him, how he's going to react. A cheekier version of the Bidens' German shepherd appears in the "Kindness and Gratitude" themed Vermeil Room, peeking out of a wrapped gift box while Willow rests nearby. Valerie Biden Owens Moved In & Helped to Raise Her Nephews, Beau & Hunter, After Her Brother's First Wife Died In a Car Crash In 1972. [40][41] She has said of teaching at a community college, "I feel like I can make a greater difference in their lives. [174], In January 2023, Biden underwent Mohs surgery to remove two basal-cell carcinoma lesions from above her right eye and the left side of her chest. In addition, she continued her studies, earning a doctorate in education from the University of Delaware in 2007. Biden was among staffers who went into Delaware's high schools to conduct lectures and demonstrations. [79] This reflected her continuing distaste both for politics and for public speaking, even though the Obama campaign considered her valuable in connecting to military families, teachers, and women. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. [55] She also said she would not seek inclusion in Cabinet meetings and that "I say that I'm apolitical if that's at all possible being married to Joe for 30 years. [70][71][72] In September 2011, Biden lent her support to USAID's FWD campaign, a push for awareness surrounding the deadly famine, war, and drought affecting more than 13 million people in the Horn of Africa. [125] In September 2021 she returned to in-person teaching at NOVA. Shhh don't tell Joe! [168] During her public appearances, Biden has been noted to favor jeans and cashmere sweaters[169] created by American designers with focus on sustainability. [8] She took a year off from college and did a little modeling for a local agency in Wilmington to supplement her income. Amid a massive security presence Joe was sworn in as president on January 20. [143] In any case, Biden's use in such roles was not diminished, as she became the most requested surrogate of anyone in the Biden administration (including her husband) during Fall 2022 campaigns and often was used in Republican-leaning areas. [109] In joint appearances, she sometimes spoke after he did, acting in the "closer" role. "Most people now call me first lady. Not if You Need an M.D. The couple married on June 17, 1977, and had a child of their own in 1981. With the visit, Biden became the first-ever sitting president to deliver a sermon at the historic place of worship. [144] She described the 2022 overruling of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling as "unjust and so devastating. [79] The same month, the Bidens' daughter Ashley, a social worker and former staffer at the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families, married Howard Krein. "[3], With her husband having become the presumptive Democratic nominee, in June 2020, she published the children's book Joey: The Story of Joe Biden, which portrayed him as having been "brave and adventurous" as a child despite having a stutter he was bullied for. [167] In March 2021, her spokesperson stated that the first lady's press team would not comment on her clothes. Jill Biden, ne Jill Tracy Jacobs, (born June 3, 1951, Hammonton, New Jersey, U.S.), American first lady (2021 ), wife of Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States. The . Dr. Biden earned her Doctorate in Education from the University of Delaware in January of 2007. [3][8][16] She attended Upper Moreland High School, where by her own later description, she was somewhat rebellious and enjoyed her social life and being a prankster. In the meantime, Jill worked as an English teacher at St. Marks High School in Wilmington, Delaware. Her mother, Bonny Jean Jacobs, and father, Donald Jacobs, died of cancer, in 2008 and. FILE - Jill Biden, left, wife of Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden, right, arrives at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum on Sept. 11, 2020, in New . [22] On the second night of the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention, Biden spoke from the classroom at Brandywine High School, where she had once taught English. But to some she is Dr. B, the compassionate and challenging educator who went the extra mile", "Jill Biden, Hilda Solis visit Cincinnati State during bus tour", "Dr. Biden Thanks Wounded Troops, Caregivers in San Antonio", "Jill Biden tries to fire up Democrats for Udall", "Jill Biden to raise money for, campaign with Michelle Nunn", "Biden says he will not seek 2016 Democratic nomination", "Jill Biden Says She Was Disappointed That Joe Didn't Run", "Jill Biden Is Planning a Full Teaching Load for the Fall", "Joe Biden, wife hold cancer roundtable at UCSF", "Jill Biden gifts Scott Kelly with beer, apple pie on return to U.S.", "Joe, Jill Biden launch The Biden Foundation", "Jill Biden to Be Named Board Chair of Save the Children", "Joe Biden buys Rehoboth Beach vacation home on Delaware waterfront", "Joe and Jill Biden reported earning more than $15 million in income since leaving the White House in 2017", "Jill Biden to deliver keynote address at MATC's spring commencement ceremony", "Educators gathered at CSU Channel Islands get some lessons from Jill Biden", "Jill Biden tells Apprentice School graduates, 'You are a master of a craft, a shipbuilder and a leader. Not That Biden", "First lady Jill Biden visits Washington military bases in support of families", "Strengthening America's Military Families: White House Report on Administration Commitments to Support the Families of Service Members and Veterans, their Caregivers and Survivors", "Jill Biden leading the way on community college tuition coverage, Biden says", "Jill Biden says free community college won't be included in social spending bill", "House Democrats Rally to Preserve Biden Plan's Free Community College Provision", "Health Care, Climate and Taxes: Here's What's in the Inflation Reduction Act", "Jill Biden Teams up With NFL Great to Push Vaccinations", "Jill Biden has become the premier vaccine ambassador from a worried White House", "First on CNN: Jill Biden tests positive for rebound case of Covid-19", "First lady Jill Biden includes Ukraine ambassador on her list of State of the Union guests", "Jill Biden raises money for Democrats amid gaffes and popularity drop", "Jill Biden carries out new mission in 2nd year as first lady", "Dr. Jill Biden on Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade: "This decision was so unjust", "Jill Biden talks frustrations at DNC fundraiser: I had to be 'the first lady of the moment', "Are you supposed to be enjoying yourselves? From 1993 to 2008, Biden was an English and writing instructor at Delaware Technical & Community College. [171][161] Of the attention the scrunchie photo got, Biden said on The Kelly Clarkson Show, "I still don't understand it. "In this pandemic, educators have shown a heroic commitment to their students. [173] She was photographed by Annie Leibovitz and wore an Oscar de la Renta floral dress with earrings by Tiffany & Co.[173] Biden became the cover of Harper's Bazaar for June/July 2022 issue. Bill to attend business school and then worked his way up in the banking field. [82] During the 2014 U.S. midterm Congressional elections, she campaigned for a number of Democrats, including some in high-profile contests such as Mark Udall in Colorado and Michelle Nunn in Georgia. Take note @Wikipedia! Jill Biden was born Jill Tracy Jacobs in Hammonton, New Jersey in 1951, but spent the majority of her childhood in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, with her parents and four younger sisters. [48][49][50] Whether she has ever formally converted to Catholicism, or explicitly identifies as a Catholic, has not been made public. Biden had his three eldest children (Hunter, Beau, and Naomi) with his late wife, Neilia Hunter. Jill Biden separated from her first husband irreconcilably in the fall of 1974 and moved out of their marital home. Nov. 28 (UPI) -- First lady Jill Biden on Monday unveiled holiday decorations at the White House based around the theme "We the People." Places Where $150K Is . There, the couple met Pope Francis at the Apostolic Palace to discuss world poverty and climate change. [79] She did not cut back on her teaching schedule and made few solo campaign appearances. Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice . [133][1], During her husband's first year in office, Biden was put in charge of the public push for legislation that, as part of the American Families Plan, would provide free tuition to students attending community colleges. [128] In any case, she maintained her reputation as a tough grader who gave a lot of homework. "[114] During the final stretch of the general election, she campaigned in the Delaware Valley region of Pennsylvania, near her home town, emphasizing the importance of the swing state and of women voting, saying, "You will decide, you, the women, will decide the future of this state and this state may determine the entire election.