Speaking on the evening of Friday, November 22, during a farewell dinner for President Joe Biden on the White House’s South Lawn, Dr. Jill Biden sent her husband into a fit of crying when she praised him for his long political career and service to the Democratic Party, hailing him as a “husband and hero.”
Vice President and failed presidential candidate Kamala Harris didn’t attend the farewell dinner, which was meant to thank, in addition to the long-politically involved president, Democrat supporters and donors. Dr. Jill spoke mainly about President Biden’s 40 years of political “service,” particularly his last four years as President of the United States.
President Biden started crying when First Lady Jill Biden said, referencing his lengthy political career, “What I’ve watched you do for more than 40 years is extraordinary… Joe what you’ve done the last four years is breathtaking.” She then waited for Biden to get a tissue out of his pocket and dab away the tears before she raised a glass and toasted to “My husband and hero, Joe Biden.”
Then, after the toast, the two shared a kiss on the podium. Immediately after they did so, President Biden began with a joke, saying, “If you have a seat, please take it. Don’t jump in the pool!” He added, “Joe and I are hosting this dinner tonight for a very simple reason to say thank you. Thank you to so many dear friends.”
He then said, commenting on his political journey, “We began this journey to redeem the soul of the nation and define the light in the darkness. And I never could have gotten to where the White House has become without you and we never could have gotten as much done as we did without you. And that’s not hyperbole. I mean it from the bottom of my heart.”
In his speech, Biden also said, thanking those there, “William Butler Yeats wrote, ‘Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, And say my glory was I had such friends.’ Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” He added, “As I look out over such friends, serving as president of the United States has been the honour of my life.” Watch him cry here:
President Biden also, in a series of comments that many on the conservative side of things will find wildly incorrect, insisted that he had left the country better off than he found it. He said, “One thing I’ve always believed about public service and especially the presidency, is the importance of asking ourselves, have we left the country in better shape than we found it? I can say with all my heart, the answer to that question is a resounding yes because of you.”
He continued, adding to that, “I believe we can be proud we’re leaving America in a better place today than when we came into office four years ago.” He said that he came into office with the “worst pandemic we’d seen in over 100 years,” America’s economy in a “tailspin,” and a violent insurrection on January 6.”
Then, using that to claim he left America in a better place, Biden said, “We’ve come a long way since then… But I fully believe America is better positioned to lead the world today than any point in my 50 years of public service.” He added, “I followed that standard because I had no choice. I’m Jill Biden’s husband. That’s the title I’m most proud of.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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