The signs that Jill Biden, not Joe, is calling the shots are becoming harder to ignore.
After Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race, it seemed like the White House got tired of trying to keep up the charade that he was still in charge of running the country. Though he already spent an absurd amount of time on vacation, after he dropped out, it felt like he started spending more time relaxing at the beach than governing from the White House.
The latest blow to the façade came during the first cabinet meeting in nearly a year, where a visibly drained Joe Biden handed the reins to his wife, Jill, who proceeded to take charge. While Joe awkwardly tried to downplay it, claiming First Ladies have attended such meetings in the past, it's clear something is different here. Jill’s role has moved far beyond the traditional causes First Ladies usually champion. It’s becoming increasingly obvious: she’s the one pulling the strings behind the scenes.
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Before handing the meeting over to Jill, Biden claimed that “across previous administrations, First Ladies have attended these meetings for specific reasons.” While it may be true that past first ladies have occasionally sat in on cabinet meetings, new details make it clear that what happened on Friday was far from ordinary.
A senior Hill aide tells me that when lawmakers are given a signed copy of their bill, the folder containing has both President Biden and First Lady Biden’s signatures emblazoned on the cover. https://t.co/NfUjUUAC00
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) September 20, 2024
Why is Jill Biden’s name appearing on legislation folders? As First Lady, she has no power or authority. It would be weird if a vice president's name was on there, but this is far worse. Only the president can sign off on laws. All jokes about men needing permission from their wives aside, Jill Biden doesn’t have any role in the legislative or executive process. Her signature can't make a bill become law.
Yet, it's hard not to get Edith Wilson vibes here. First Lady Edith Wilson was widely rumored to be effectively running the country after her husband, President Woodrow Wilson, suffered a stroke in 1919. She allegedly played a significant role in managing access to her husband and making decisions on his behalf during his recovery. While many believed this kind of arrangement was happening with Joe Biden behind the scenes, now that he's no longer seeking reelection, they're practically flaunting it openly. That's her name under the Presidential Seal under her husband's.
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Maybe First Ladies have participated in Cabinet meetings to promote their pet causes, but this is something we've never seen before, and the only possible explanation here is that Jill Biden, who sees her tenure at the White House coming to an end, is flexing her muscles while she has the opportunity, effectively becoming an unelected president, co-running the country and making decisions for her husband.
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