As the 2024 presidential race intensifies, attention has increasingly focused on First Lady Jill Biden’s role in President Joe Biden’s faltering re-election bid.
Numerous polls have shown just how disastrous Biden’s debate performance on Thursday ended up for the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, and how this poor performance has solidified voter doubts on his health and mental cognition.
According to CBS News, 72 percent over voters now say Biden should drop out as the presumptive Democratic Party presidential candidate.
Reports from various sources, including family members and political insiders, suggest that Dr. Jill Biden is playing a significant role in encouraging the president to remain in the race despite these growing concerns.
Her ex-husband, Bill Stevenson, told The New York Post that Jill Biden is “not the same person” he married in 1970, and that the reason she kept her “struggling” current husband on the campaign trail is that “she’s the one who wants to be president now.” The two divorced amicably in 1975.
“The Dr. Jill Biden who I’ve seen on TV in the last five years is not the same person I married or that I recognize in any way,” Stevenson told The Post. “She’s matriculated into a completely different woman.”
“I just don’t understand why she is so adamant about defending him and keeping him in the race since it appears that he’s struggling,” he said. “It appears that he’s struggling with everybody these days.”
“I’ve been proud of her at certain moments. I have no hard feelings,” Stevenson said.
But he said Jill’s control over Biden had noticeably increased in the past few years, according to mutual connections.
“I’m just surprised to see her front and center in the middle of this battle after flying under the radar for so many years. She’s always been very driven,” Stevenson revealed.
“People say she’s the one who wants to be president now.”
Indeed, the First Lady’s growing role in her husband’s White House has been evident throughout his presidency and into the campaign.
Following the recent presidential debate, Jill Biden was seen praising the president’s performance, saying, “Joe, you did such a great job answering every question. You knew all the facts.”
Critics slammed the viral moment as proof Jill knows that the president’s mental capacity is diminished, calling it a way a mother would talk to a five-year-old.
Take a look and decide for yourself —
"Joe, you did such a great job answering every question. You knew all the facts."
Jill Biden may be the worst human ever…. pic.twitter.com/wKy2Wud1FM
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) June 28, 2024
Some sources close to the Biden family have suggested that the First Lady’s influence extends beyond her public role.
There are claims that she is a driving force behind the scenes, demanding her husband continue his bid for re-election despite growing concerns within the Democratic Party about his ability to serve a full second term.
These reports have sparked a debate about the appropriate role of a presidential spouse in such high-stakes decision-making. While First Ladies have historically played important supportive roles, the level of influence being attributed to Jill Biden is seen by many as unprecedented.
Critics argue that if these reports raise questions about who is truly making decisions in the White House. Supporters, however, point out that the First Lady’s close relationship with the 46th president in years prior.
It’s likely that Dr. Biden’s role will continue to be a topic of discussion and scrutiny as the campaign continues. The Biden campaign will need to navigate these concerns carefully, balancing the value of the First Lady’s support against the need to win back voters concerned with the president’s decision-making capacity.
American voters will have to weigh these concerns alongside policy positions and other traditional campaign issues as they make their choices in the upcoming election.
Polls indicate it won’t go well for the Bidens.