Jill Biden Reminds Supporters of Joe’s ‘Steady’ Leadership
Jill Biden Reminds Supporters of Joe’s ‘Steady’ Leadership
The first lady criticizes Trump for calling Americans who died in war ‘losers’ and ‘suckers.’
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden told an intimate group of about 50 supporters at a ticketed, invite-only Biden Victory Fund event in Beverly Hills, California, Friday afternoon that her husband, President Joe Biden, is the “same steady leader, the faithful warrior, battling for the soul of our nation.”
The reception took place in the Beverly Hills residence of longtime Democratic donors and campaign supporters Kimberly Marteau Emerson and John Emerson. Emerson was the U.S. Ambassador to Germany under President Barack Obama, while his wife Marteau Emerson was the spokesperson for the United States Information Agency under President Bill Clinton.
"I wouldn't wish the tragic world events of these past few years on any American president, but I'm so grateful that Joe is our president during these uncertain, unpredictable and tumultuous times," the first lady said in a brief 12-minute speech.
Among those in attendance in the couple’s sunlit library room, which boasted impressive views of the Santa Monica mountains surrounding the hillside property, were Co-Chair of the Biden Reelection Campaign Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chair of the Biden Victory Fund Chris Korge and SoCal Finance Director for the Biden Victory Fund Hailey Sasse.
Emerson thanked those in attendance and announced that the event had raised over $450,000. Marteau Emerson then introduced Biden and discussed her trailblazing accomplishments in D.C., including being the first, first lady to maintain an independent career outside of the White House. Jill Biden teaches English and writing at Northern Virginia Community College and just finished submitting this semester's grades, Marteau Emerson said.
Similar to many previous campaign stops, Biden began her speech by telling people about the ultimatum Joe Biden delivered the fifth time he proposed: She had until he returned from a 10-day trip to say ‘yes’ or he could no longer bear to "just be friends" and the relationship would end.
She also recalled how when he returned for her answer, he said, "Jill, I promise you, your life will never change." And while their lives have, indeed, changed greatly since that moment in 1977, her husband has always been a source of stability for her and the nation, she said.
The first lady noted that Biden wakes up every morning thinking about the American people, whereas former president Donald Trump "wakes up every morning caring about one person and one person only himself."
Biden also criticized Trump for calling Americans who died in war "losers" and "suckers," saying that as the daughter of a WWII Navy veteran and the mother of an army soldier she finds this deeply offensive.
"Donald Trump is dangerous to our families and to our country," she said. "We are the first generation in half a century to give our daughters a country with fewer rights than we had. We simply cannot let him win."
She ended her speech by urging everyone to fight as hard as they can to help her husband win the upcoming election, saying that our rights and our democracy are at stake.
"This election is going to take all of us," she said, "so I'm looking forward to working with all of you because we are going to win."
Obama Presidential Center Announces Spaces Named for the ‘Moms’
When the Obama Presidential Center opens, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama will designate spaces named for both of their mothers.
The Ann Dunham Water Garden will honor the life and legacy of President Obama’s mother, and the exhibit “Opening the White House” in the Center’s Museum will be named in honor of Mrs. Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, according to a statement in an email by the Obama Foundation Sunday, Mother’s Day.
The Obama Presidential Center broke ground in September 2021 and is expected to be completed by 2025.
Calendar
First Ladies and the Big White Lie, a stage play by Janine Sternlieb and Lennie Dean features the most famous deceased first ladies. They respond to the election of Trump, the Charlottesville riot, the death of George Floyd, the toppling of Confederate monuments, January 6th, the legacy of slavery, and their own place in history, in this thought-provoking piece of modern theater.
The authors invite universities, including departments in theater, history, political science, American and Women’s studies; libraries, theaters, museums, and women’s and political groups to organize a staged reading (scripts in hand).
First Ladies and the Big White Lie features nine historic women, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Dolley Madison, and Abigail Adams. They are having a hard time adjusting to the unconventional Trump presidency. Disturbing and unprecedented events are unfolding in DC, in Charlottesville, and at the border, and their predictable “existence” is thrown into chaos. When the daughter of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson arrives to challenge their assumptions of American history, they must reckon honestly with this country’s original sin. They demonstrate that a full accounting of America’s history and constant vigilance are essential to liberty and pursuit of justice.
The script of First Ladies and the Big White Lie is available at no cost for readings before election day 2024 in order to register, educate, and mobilize voters, Sternlieb said in a news release. For more information go to JanineSternlieb.com.
May 14, 2024
The 28th Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum
The Carter Center hosts the annual in-person Georgia Mental Health Forum from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on May 14. Established in 1995, this event addresses timely mental health policy issues facing the state. Attendance is free, but pre-registration is required. Read more
May 14, 2024
Laura Bush Book Club with “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” Author Heather Morris
Former First Lady Laura Bush is excited to welcome Heather Morris to the Bush Center for the sixth “Laura Bush Book Club” edition of Engage at the Bush Center. Morris is the author of three novels, including The Tattooist of Auschwitz, a No. 1 international bestseller that sold more than 12 million copies in 47 languages and will soon be an original series on Peacock.
It has been described as a “beautiful, illuminating tale of hope and courage…based on interviews that were conducted with Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov—an unforgettable love story in the midst of atrocity.” Anne Wicks, the Don Evans Family Managing Director, Opportunity and Democracy at the Bush Institute, will moderate the conversation. Read more
Through May 14, 2024
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Presents Tuesday Twilights
Seasonal happy hours featuring live music, food trucks, art installations and more. Read more
May 16, 2024
Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies
The National First Ladies Library & Museum invites participants to enjoy a fabulous girls’ or date night out with appetizers and drink as it delves into what Abigail Fillmore, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Laura Bush all have in common—the fact that they were all teachers! Get an inside look into the newly opened 2024-25 featured exhibit, “Leaders in Literacy: First Ladies as Teachers, Librarians, and Educators” at our Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies. Read more
May 18, 2024
The First Lady’s Hidden Hand: Mamie Eisenhower’s Approach to 1950s Politics with Dr. Stefanie Basalik
Mamie Doud Eisenhower was first lady from 1953-1961. Like many first ladies, Mamie Eisenhower took her job as the nation's hostess seriously. What sets her apart from other contemporary first ladies was her subtle use of political strategy as a way to support her husband. Join Dr. Basalik to learn about how Mamie's marriage, her relationship with her grandchildren, her interactions with staff, and her influence on consumerism demonstrated her knack for the same hidden-hand approach to governing as her husband, General Eisenhower. This program will begin at 9 a.m. EDT in the Ford Room at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. Read more
May 19, 2024
First Ladies Fine Dining: Jacqueline Kennedy
Jacqueline Kenndy was one of the most intelligent and elegant first ladies of all time. This carried over into her entertaining and her cooking. No one knew the right dish to serve at the right occasion like Jackie. Come cook and learn about this incredibly influential first lady and some of the recipes which contributed to her success as a hostess and becoming one of our most popular and researched first ladies. This is hands-on cooking classes with a lecture by Andrew Och, “The First Ladies Man.” Read more
May 20, 2024
Virtual First Ladies on the Page: Helen Taft: Our Musical First Lady
Whether they’re writing memoirs, digging into a novel, or promoting literacy, reading has been a big part of many first ladies’ lives. Join the National First Ladies Library & Museum for a discussion of a different first lady inspired book each season. We’ll explore fiction and non-fiction and examine some of the historical connections and issues highlighted in each book. We'll meet on Zoom for this discussion based, live program. This interactive program will not be recorded. Zoom info, questions, and pertinent links will be sent out to participants before the meeting. Read more
May 23, 2024
"Remember the First Ladies" Book Discussion
The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum will host a special discussion highlighting some of the first ladies of the United States, including Lou Henry Hoover. Nancy Kegan Smith, one of the authors of Remember the First Ladies, will visit Thursday, May 23, at 7 p.m. CDT to discuss her book and research on some of the most interesting women in U.S. history.The event is free. Paid admission to the museum is not required to attend. The Hoover Gift Shop will be open, and books will be available for purchase and signing. No registration required. Read more
Saturdays through June 1, 2024
Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park Tours
The George W. Bush Center is offering master naturalist-guided tours of the Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park at 10 a.m. CDT, weather permitting. Read more
June 14, 2024
In-Person and Virtual – Learned Lucy: First-Person Interpretation of Lucy Hayes with Sarah Hayden, Featuring a Lemonade Social
The National First Ladies Library & Museum will feature a first-person interpretation of First Lady Lucy Hayes at noon EDT presented by Sarah Hayden for all ages. Lucy Hayes was nicknamed “Lemonade Lucy” after her time in the White House and is one of the many remarkable first ladies of the United States with a rich and complex history. Most well-known for her care of wounded infantry soldiers, the life of Lucy Webb Hayes is one also denoted by temperance, education, and advocacy.
Presented in-person at the National First Ladies Library & Museum as well as streamed online, the lecture will be followed by a “lemonade social.” For those joining us via Zoom, a Lucy Lemonade Recipe card will be sent to your email prior to the event so that you can make your own and toast to the beginning of summer. Read more
June 17, 2024
Virtual Event: Cooking With the First Ladies
The National First Ladies Library and Museum will present Sarah Morgan “Cooking with the First Ladies Featuring Edith Wilson” at 7 p.m. EDT on June 17, 2024. Join Sarah Morgan for a virtual feast exploring First Lady Edith Wilson’s life and recipes. Sarah, armed with a history degree and passion for cooking, turns history into a culinary adventure. Sarah Morgan launched her Cooking with the First Ladies Instagram account after finding a copy of The First Ladies Cook Book: Favorite Recipes of all the Presidents of the United States at a thrift store back in 2019. In this virtual program, participants will uncover the culinary legacy of First Lady Edith Wilson.
Sarah Morgan's Cooking with the First Ladies is not just a demonstration – it's a culinary crash course in first ladies history. Read more
June 20, 2024
2024 Annual Martha Washington Lecture
The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon will present a discussion from 7 to 8 p.m. EDT on June 20, 2024, on how the wife of the nation's first president, Martha Washington, truly defined the new role of first lady of the United States. Hear how she and other first ladies influenced American society, policy, diplomacy, and life, and how many of them broke barriers to make a mark on our country and, at times, the world.
This event features Diana B. Carlin, Anita B. McBride, and Nancy Kegan Smith, authors of the new book, Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women.
In-person tickets are $25 and include a reception with beer and wine and a book signing. Virtual tickets are $10 and the event can be watched in real-time or after the event. Read more
Submit calendar items, announcements and press releases to East Wing Magazine at jtaylor@eastwingmagazine.com.