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jill biden

Democracy

Jill Biden explains why she wore a 'LOVE' jacket during first European visit as First Lady

via CSPAN / Twitter

Joe Biden arrived in the UK on Wednesday, marking his first overseas trip as president. One of the main goals of his trip is to let European leaders know that America is back after Donald Trump mocked our closest allies and promoted an "America First" agenda during his presidency.

The White House says this trip will focus on America's commitment to rallying world democracies and defending shared values.

He'll participate in the G7 and NATO summits and meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his trip.

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden backed up the president's message of unity on Thursday by wearing a black jacket with the word "LOVE" emblazoned on the back when the couple met with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife, Carrie.

When asked about the meaning of the jacket, Dr. Biden didn't mince words.

"I think that we're bringing love from America," she told reporters. "This is a global conference, and we're trying to bring unity across the globe. And I think that's important right now that people feel a sense of unity for all the countries and feel a sense of hope after this year of the pandemic."

If the jacket looks familiar, it's the same one she wore two years ago to kick off her husband's presidential campaign.

This isn't the first time Dr. Biden has sent a direct message through her clothing. Last year, during a campaign trip to Iowa she wore black skinny jeans with the word "VOTE" written on each calf.

It's hard not to juxtapose Dr. Jill Biden's message of "LOVE" with a notorious jacket worn by former First Lady Melania Trump in 2018 that read: "I really don't care, do u?"

Trump wore the jacket while visiting children separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. The message appeared to be incredibly callous given the Trump administration's cruel treatment of migrant children.

A spokesperson for the former First Lady said that she hadn't intended to send a secret message through her jacket. Her husband later tweeted that the message was directed at the press.

President Biden shared his message of unity during a speech at the Royal Air Force Mildenhall on Wednesday.

"We're going to make it clear that the United States is back and democracies of the world are standing together to tackle the toughest challenges and the issues that matter most to our future," the president said. "Our alliances weren't built by coercion or maintained by threats. They're grounded in democratic ideals, a shared vision of the future, where every voice matters."

Before his speech, Dr. Biden made some remarks about supporting the U.S. military and their families. She got a big laugh from the crowd when she demanded her distracted husband "pay attention" to her speech.

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Heroes

Jill Biden successfully fooled the media and her own staff on an April Fool's Day flight

Lawrence Jackson (Public Domain), Emily Goodin/Katie Rogers/Twitter

Apparently, we have an avid—and able—prankster in the White House.

First Lady Jill Biden visited California this week, meeting with farmworkers and support COVID vaccination efforts.

On the flight back to Washington, DC, members of the press and Jill Biden's staff were treated to Dove ice cream bars during the meal service. A flight attendant who was dressed in black with short black hair and a black mask handed out the bars. Her name tag read "Jasmine."

Little did passengers know that the hair was a wig, the name was a ruse, and they didn't recognize the fact that Jill Biden herself had handed them their frozen treats.

A few minutes after handing out the bars, Biden took off the wig, laughed, and said, "April Fool's!"

The First Lady loves a good prank. Once, during her husband's first term as Obama's vice president, she stuffed herself into an overhead before a flight on Air Force Two, surprising the first person to open the bin to stow their luggage.

Biden wrote about that prank in her 2019 memoir, "Where the Light Enters."

"I had arrived at Joint Base Andrews early, coming straight from teaching my classes, and was the first one there," she wrote, "As I boarded Air Force Two, I looked around and had an idea. The overhead bins were small, but I knew if I scrunched up enough, I could cram myself into one."

With the help of a chair, a table, and a Naval aide—as well as some ballet barre classes—she did just that.

"When the first person opened the bin to stow his roller bag, I popped halfway out and screamed, 'Boo!' — though it was hard to get it out through my laughter," Biden wrote.

"Still, my surprise had the intended effect: this poor soul let out a high-pitched shriek and stumbled backward into his seat, a look of utter shock on his face."

Biden grew up in a family of pranksters who reveled in April Fool's Day, so she comes by it naturally. Joe Biden himself has remarked on his wife's traditional celebration of the holiday. In a 2014 interview with Rachel Ray, Biden confessed, "What I worry about when I wake up on April Fool's Day is: 'What in the hell is Jill gonna do this time?' You think I'm joking. I am not joking."

Now she's brought some of that lighthearted fun into the White House as First Lady.

She wrote in her memoir that the White House is "a serious place, with serious people, doing serious work," and that if you aren't careful, all that seriousness can grind you down.

"I've always believed you've got to steal the joyful moments when you can," Biden wrote. "Life is difficult, and if you sit around waiting for fun to show up, you'll find yourself going without it more often than not."

Jill Biden seems determined to bring a special touch to various holidays in her new role, which seems quite befitting her identity as a teacher. On Valentine's Day, her White House lawn decor—oversized conversation hearts with inspiring words like KINDNESS, COURAGE, COMPASSION, and HEALING—and chat with reporters made headlines.

Laughter is healing, and after a year of tragedy and struggle for the nation and the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, we could all use some extra fun and laughter. Thank you, Dr. Biden, for reminding us that serious work doesn't mean we can't enjoy simple, silly joys with our friends and colleagues.

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Heroes

A casual, candid chat with the Bidens on their morning walk is moving people to tears

C-SPAN/Twitter

This morning, Joe and Jill Biden went out for a walk with their dogs, Champ and Major, to check out the surprise the first lady had installed overnight for Valentine's Day weekend. The White House lawn has been decorated with oversized hearts that have positive words like LOVE, GRATITUDE, COMPASSION, and FAMILY on them. The one that says HEALING is signed "Love, Jill."

As they walked along with coffee cups in hand, the first couple was met by a few members of the press. The conversation that they had has gone viral—not so much because of how extraordinary it was, but rather the opposite. It was delightfully ordinary, filled with normalcy, decency, and even a random act of kindness for good measure. And the simple goodness of it all is moving people to tears.

First, a reporter asked Dr. Biden what inspired her to have the display made, and she said, "I just wanted some joy. With the pandemic, just, everybody's feeling a little down. So it's just a little joy. A little hope. That's all."

President Biden told reporters that Valentine's Day is Jill's favorite holiday and shared how she painted "Joe loves Jill" on his White House office windows when he was vice president. Then he talked about an interview he'd done with journalist Juju Chang in which she asked about Jill and Joe's "great love affair," and how he said that he loved Jill more than she loved him.

Asked how he would extend that love story to the American people who are feeling so down, Biden replied, "Tell them there is hope," he said. "There's hope. They just have to stay strong. A lot of people have gone through unbearable suffering. They've lost their families—lost their children, lost their husbands, wives, moms, dads—and it's almost unbearable. The one thing I can say to them is they're still in your heart...they really are."

The president speaks from personal experience, having lost his first wife and baby daughter in a car accident shortly after he was first elected to the Senate, and then losing his oldest son to brain cancer in 2015.

Following that serious moment, the first couple and the reporter chatted a bit more, with the reporter joking about bringing coffee for everyone. After talking about the couple's German Shepherds—Champ, who is 14 years old, and Major, who is a young rescue dog—President Biden walked over and handed his cup of coffee to the reporter, promising that he hadn't drunk out of it yet.

Looking through comments on the video, that act of kindness moved many people to tears. In fact, the whole video had people way up in their feelings, with some people saying that the decency and normalcy were "overwhelming" after the past four years.

It shouldn't be overwhelming to see a loving first couple out for a walk with their dogs, sharing coffee and chatting with people, but it is. Some people commented that they feel like they've just gotten out of an abusive relationship (and indeed, there are many analyses that point out the similarities between what America experienced the past four years with the dynamics of an abusive relationship), so this normalcy and decency is refreshing, if perhaps a bit jarring. It's going to take time to adjust to not feeling traumatized every time the president talks to a reporter.

The word HEALING on the heart behind Biden as he chats with a reporter feels rather fitting, considering the reactions to this clip. Who knew how truly healing a pair of jeans, a pair of dogs, and a simple gift of a cup of coffee could feel?

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Democracy

First Doggos Champ and Major have officially moved into the White House

The Oval Pawffice/Twitter

President Trump has exited the White House as the first president in 100 years to not have a pet. President Biden is bringing the presidential pets tradition back, but with a special "first" of his own.

Champ and Major, the Bidens' German shepherds have officially moved into the White House, with Major being the first rescue dog to live there. The Bidens adopted the now 3-year-old good boy from the Delaware Humane Association in 2018.

Anyone who's ever moved with a pet knows that transitions can be tenuous. New sights, smells, and sounds, in addition to the change in routine, can be stressful for animals. And when you're a human who is not only moving into a new home, but also starting a new job as the president of the Untied States, you might need a little time to adjust right along with your pets.

That's why the Biden family took some time to fully transition their two dogs into the White House this week. Though the president and first lady moved in on January 20, the first doggos didn't officially move in until five days later, after a gradual introduction to the building and grounds to get them used to their new home.

They sure do look happy to be with their people in The People's House now, though.

There are even social media accounts dedicated to the DOTUS on Twitter and Instagram, including The First Dogs of the United States and the oh-so-punny The Oval Pawffice.

(The COTUS reference here refers to Winston, the Bidens' granddaughter Naomi's cat. Winston will serve as First Cat until the Bidens bring in a kitty of their own, which they've talked about doing.)

Much has been made of First Doggos during the presidential transition. Major had an honorary "Indoguration" that raised more than $200,000 for the Delaware Humane Association. And The Oval Pawffice even shared a "Pawnstitution" that reads:

"We the Pets of the United States, in order to form a more purrfect Union, establish mixed breed equity and fur color Justice, ensure domestic and wild Treatquility, provide for the common pawtection, pawmote the animal Welfare, rescue and adoption, and secure the Blessings of Liberty of Nom Noms to ourselves and our pawgenies, do pawrdain and establish this Pawnstitution for the United Pets and Wildlife of America."

Not only that, they even shared their oath: "We do solemnly woof / meow that we will faithfully execute the pawffice of President of the United Pets, and will to the best of our pawbility, preserve, pawtect and defend the Pawnstitution of the United Pets and Wildlife of America."

Goodness.

The last president to not have a pet in the White House was William McKinley, who was assassinated in 1901. When President Trump was asked about not having a dog, he replied that he didn't have time.

Too-busy-for-a-dog seems like odd reasoning from someone who played 261 rounds of golf while president and who theoretically could afford to hire someone to take care of a pet's every need while still enjoying the companionship and happiness that pets bring, but okay.

People are going gaga over the return of first pets to the White House, for both the light-hearted fun of it as well as the care and compassion that they represent. There's just something comforting in seeing people's bonds with their animals, and it's clear that Champ and Major are attached to their humans. Science has also shown that dogs can sense when a person is untrustworthy, so seeing the leader of the country happily hanging out with dogs is a good sign.

Welcome to the White House, Champ and Major. Glad to see such good boys at our president's side.

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Heroes

Jill Biden brought cookies to National Guard troops to thank them for keeping her family safe

Amy Siskind/Twitter

Even as millions of Americans celebrated the inauguration of President Joe Biden this week, the nation also mourned the fact that, for the first time in modern history, the United States did not have a peaceful transition of power.

With the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, when pro-Trump insurrectionists attempted to stop the constitutional process of counting electoral votes and where terrorists threatened to kill lawmakers and the vice president for not keeping Trump in power, our long and proud tradition was broken. And although presidential power was ultimately transferred without incident on January 20, the presence of 20,000 National Guard troops around the Capitol reminded us of the threat that still lingers.

First Lady Jill Biden showed up today with cookies in hand for a group of National Guard troops at the Capitol to thank them for keeping her family safe. The homemade chocolate chip cookies were a small token of appreciation, but one that came from the heart of a mother whose son had served as well.

"I just wanted to come today to say thank you to all of you for keeping me and my family safe. I know that you've left your home states," she said. "The Bidens are a National Guard family. Our son Beau was Delaware Army National Guard. He served for a year in Iraq in 2008–2009. So, I'm a National Guard mom and when I saw … all that you've done and you left your home states and you've come here to protect us … I just wanted to say thanks from President Biden and my entire family."

Dr. Biden explained that she didn't make the cookies herself—the White House made them—but she wanted to deliver them personally.

"I wanted to give everybody a cookie just as a small thank you for your service and your families' service and all that you've done for our nation … I truly appreciate all that you do. The National Guard will always hold a special place in the hearts of all the Bidens. So thank you. Thank you very much."

The National Guard troops who have been protecting the U.S. Capitol received some help from members of Congress and the media last night when a news report shared that some of them had been ordered to vacate the building to take rest breaks in a nearby parking garage. It was unclear who gave the order or why, but it caused bipartisan outrage and multiple angry tweets from CNN's Jake Tapper who called it "just hideous" and "completely unacceptable" before tagging every federal government leader saying "WTF – Fix this ASAP."

Many members of Congress also expressed outrage on Twitter, but Tammy Duckworth, who served in the armed forces herself, got on the horn to figure out what had happened and fix it. "I am demanding answers ASAP. They can use my office," she wrote.

After she was informed that the Capitol Police had apologized to the troops and that they were being allowed back in the complex, she kept checking to make sure that it happened.

An hour and a half later, she tweeted, "Troops are all out of the garage. Now I can go to bed."

When our National Guard troops are sleeping on hard, marble floors already to protect our lawmakers from our own citizens, the last thing we should do is make things any more uncomfortable for them. They're taking good care of our government representatives, so we should make sure they're being taken care of as well.

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Democracy

Biggest Super Tuesday takeaway: Do not mess with Jill Biden or Symone Sanders

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In the midst of all the exit polling and ballot counting during the Super Tuesday primary race, an unlikely set of heroes (or sheroes, if you will) has emerged.

As Joe Biden delivered his victory speech at a rally in Los Angeles, two vegan protesters stormed the stage, one right after the other. Holding signs and shouting "Let dairy die!" they got frighteningly close to the former vice president, who at this point in the race does not have a Secret Service detail.

Security immediately took the first protester away. But as the second one jumped up on stage, Biden's wife Jill, who was standing by his side, leapt into action. Before anyone even knew what was happening, she'd physically blocked the second protester from her husband.

Photojournalist Patrick Fallon managed to capture her badass bodyguard move:

As if that wasn't impressive enough, as the photo was being taken, Symone Sanders, senior advisor to Joe Biden, sprung up out of nowhere to tackle the protester and drag her off stage. In the video, she looks like a lineman just after the ball was snapped—no hesitation, no fear, just pure, instinctual "NOPE, NOT TONIGHT, LADY," as she hurdled up to the stage.

No matter who your preferred candidate or what your political affiliation is, you've got to hand it to these women for their immediate fearlessness. They didn't know if those protesters was armed. They didn't know if they themselves would be harmed, and it didn't even appear to cross their minds. They didn't wait for security (which was where, by the way?) to act. They saw danger and pounced. This is what heroes do.

And neither has made a big deal out of it. Dr. Biden hasn't mentioned the incident on social media at all. And Sanders simply shared what might be the most perfect tweet for a civilian woman springing up to do the job of a Secret Service agent. So understated. So fierce.

If we're going to continue the trend of choosing old white dudes as presidential candidate, we should at least make sure they're surrounded by strong, courageous women. Well done, ladies.

Watch the whole scene here, including Dr. Biden going back to clapping for her husband like nothing even happened:

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jill biden

Jill Biden explains why she wore a 'LOVE' jacket during first European visit as First Lady

Jill Biden successfully fooled the media and her own staff on an April Fool's Day flight

A casual, candid chat with the Bidens on their morning walk is moving people to tears

First Doggos Champ and Major have officially moved into the White House

Jill Biden brought cookies to National Guard troops to thank them for keeping her family safe

Biggest Super Tuesday takeaway: Do not mess with Jill Biden or Symone Sanders

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