Being a first lady is not an elected position, you have to agree to it. Americans tend to put first ladies on a pedestal, Jackie Kennedy being the best example. She was sophisticated, classy, well-spoken, and as would be expected, stood right beside her husband. She was so popular that American women copied her hairstyle and the way she dressed. The media treats some first ladies very differently than others. Michelle Obama was beloved, Melania Trump, not so much. But for Jill Biden, history may be on the verge of being very unkind.
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As the calls get louder for President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race following his disastrous debate performance, Washington Post readers, especially women, are appealing to First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to urge Joe to bow out. The letters come from several states, including all important states like Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Georgia.
A group of women calling themselves “Democratic Women” from Jill Biden’s hometown of Philadelphia wrote,
“We turn to you, Ms. Biden, with our request to urge your husband to end his campaign for the presidency. It is time for the younger generation to take charge in a manner that will stop Mr. Trump in his tracks and build on your husband’s legacy rather than allow it to be destroyed.”
Chris and Carole Kearns from Washington appealed to Jill’s concern for Joe’s legacy and also concern for the nation writing, “If he stays in the race, his legacy will be irreparably tarnished and our future as a nation will be at risk.” Robin Marquis was a bit more blunt about the situation with Joe toward Mrs. Biden. She wrote,
“The president is not a toddler to pacify. He should not be protected nor surrounded by folks who are unwilling to tell him the truth. Ms. Biden needs to step up and have that tough conversation. I am sure she has the power to influence his decision. There is no shame in facing the truth. It just takes courage.”
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She added that she has “lost all respect for Jill Biden.”
But it wasn’t just women who tried to appeal to Jill Biden’s role as a caring and concerned wife. There were plenty of guys who apparently didn’t think that Dr. Jill’s behavior was that of a loving wife. Richard Young from Lexington, New York wrote,
“If it’s true that you have more influence on him than anyone, I implore you to coax him to drop out now, while he’s still able to do so with dignity. Encouraging him to ‘get back up’ after being ‘knocked down’ surely appeals to his impulses to ‘fight.’ But it is only going to prolong the abuse he will suffer.”
Young also brought up a recent CBS News/YouGov poll that showed that 72 percent of registered voters do not believe that Joe Biden has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president. That is up from 65 percent at the beginning of June. Even Democrats could appreciate Nancy Reagan’s protecting and shielding her husband, Ronald Reagan after his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Andrew Logan Lawrence of Savannah, Georgia pointed out how Nancy Reagan “who prided herself on the role she played as dutiful wife, took it upon herself to care for and shield her husband, ensuring his final years were spent in dignity and privacy.” Lawrence added that maybe “Jill Biden might want to take a lesson from Nancy Reagan.”
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Ken Derow from Swarthmore, Pennsylvania wrote simply,
“During a recent telephone interview, Jill Biden said her husband ‘will always do what’s best for the country.’ The real question is whether the Bidens’ perceptions match reality and the perceptions of the American people.”
But Joe Biden does not appear to be going anywhere. On Monday, a letter sent from Biden to House Democrats stated that he has no intention of dropping out of the race. But as countless Washington Post readers and many other loyal Democrats who might be pleading with Jill Biden to try to convince Joe to call it a career and spend his golden years at the beach house in Rehoboth with the grandkids, the ones he acknowledges, Jill also has no intention of leaving gracefully. She has grown accustomed to the power, privilege, and perks that come with being first lady and she seemingly doesn’t care what those Democrats want or why.
Democrats are running out of options to replace Joe Biden. But remember: They claim it is Donald Trump who is the one who, if elected, is not going to leave.
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