Jill Biden is spearheading President Joe Biden’s efforts to connect with veterans and military families during a campaign tour across critical states. The initiative, Veterans and Military Families for Biden-Harris, will be officially launched during stops in Wilmington, North Carolina; Tampa, Florida; and Columbus, Georgia. These states have notable populations of veterans and military families.
The campaign tour is part of a broader strategy by the Biden team to bounce back from the president’s lackluster performance in a recent debate against Donald Trump. Following the debate, there were calls from some House Democrats for Biden to step down, citing concerns about his ability to compete with Trump in the upcoming election. However, Biden has reaffirmed his commitment to stay in the race.
Campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez emphasized that the new group aims to engage and mobilize millions of veterans and military families to support President Biden’s reelection bid. Rodriguez highlighted the importance of having a commander in chief who values and comprehends the sacrifices made by veterans and service members, in contrast to reported derogatory comments made by Trump about military personnel.
Biden’s family has a strong military background, with his late son Beau serving in Iraq and Jill Biden’s father being a World War II Navy veteran. During the debate, Biden and Trump disputed over their dedication to veterans, with Biden mentioning his visit to an American military cemetery in France, a visit Trump had skipped. Trump criticized Biden for his handling of military matters, including the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
The Biden campaign stressed the president’s record of expanding benefits for affected veterans, implementing strategies to address veteran suicide, and supporting homeless veterans with significant financial aid. Jill Biden, separately from her husband’s efforts, leads the White House initiative Joining Forces, which focuses on assisting military spouses in securing and retaining federal jobs, making childcare more accessible for military families, and supporting those who care for veterans.
