Jill Biden: ‘We Don’t Cower, We Don’t Turn Away’
Jill Biden: ‘We Don’t Cower, We Don’t Turn Away’
The first lady is among speakers who lay out what’s at stake in the presidential election in a mega Los Angeles fundraising event.
Music icon Barbra Streisand told a star-studded audience in Los Angeles Saturday that First Lady Dr. Jill Biden has “blazed a trail of her own” in a position with “no playbook” during a Biden campaign event that is expected to raise at least $28 million.
Actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts alongside comedian Jimmy Kimmel were among those hosting the Hollywood fundraising reception that featured former President Barack Obama. Streisand was talking about the roles of American first ladies through the years when she introduced Dr. Biden.
“There was no playbook for these remarkable women. They each wrote it for themselves,” Streisand said. “Like her predecessors, Dr. Jill Biden has blazed her own trail.”
Streisand described how Dr. Biden became the first, first lady to have a separate paying career outside the White House with a job as a community college professor. The first lady is an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College near Washington, D.C.
Streisand went on to talk about Dr. Biden’s “policy issues she’s made her own,” including support of military families, her participation in the moonshot program to end cancer and her newest cause—leading the White House initiative on women’s health research.
She called the first lady “the ultimate multi-hyphenate”—describing her as a trusted voice for the president, a strong messenger for the campaign, but also “the rock of the family.”
Jill Biden shared with the audience a story of punching a neighborhood bully who had “tormented” her younger sister when she was just 13.
“My 13-year-old self was right about one thing, when bullies threaten our loved ones we don’t just stand by,” she said, adding everyone in the audience was there to show Donald Trump “exactly how we deal with bullies. … We don’t cower, we don’t turn away. We show up. We speak up.”
She then laid out the contrast of the election as she sees it:
“Joe, a man who has dedicated his life to serving his community. Who honors the rule of law instead of trying to bend it to his own will. And rallies the world to fight for democracy and freedom. A president who wakes up every morning thinking about how he can make the lives of Americans better.”
“Or,” she continued, “we can choose someone who wakes up every morning caring about one person and one person only. Himself.”
“Trump has told us again and again why he wants the White House. To give himself absolute power. To not be held accountable for his criminal actions. … To destroy the democratic safeguards that stand in his way,” the first lady said.
Los Gatos Campaign Stop
At a fundraising campaign stop hosted by philanthropist Shannon Hunt-Scott in Los Gatos, California, Friday, Jill Biden delivered remarks centered around two stories — when Joe asked her to marry him the fifth and final time, and what it was like when they found out he had been elected president four years ago. She reflected on how during “the highest peaks and deepest valleys of our lives,” and “through our painful losses and our triumphant victories, Joe has always been strong and steady.”
She said people want to make the election “about any number of issues” but the only question that matters is: “Do we want the chaos, hate and division of Donald Trump, or the stability, integrity and character of Joe Biden?”
She closed by comparing the joy her family and many Americans felt when Biden was declared the winner four years ago to the shock of when Trump won the 2016 election, and said we can’t let that happen again. “We have to meet this moment as if our rights are at stake. Because they are. As if our democracy is on the line. Because it is.”
New Book Traces 19 American First Ladies and the Orchids Named for Them
First Ladies and their Orchids: A Century of Namesake Cattleyas by authors Art Chadwick and his late father, A. A. Chadwick, tells the intimate stories of the wives of 19 consecutive U.S. presidents, their classic orchid hybrids and the growers who created them. The story begins with former First Lady Edith Bolling Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson who left office in 1921, and continues through today.
Chadwick and his father specialize in cattleya orchids and have grown orchids in their greenhouses in rural Powhatan County, Virginia, since 1943.
“First Ladies and Their Orchids is artfully written, beautifully illustrated, and great presidential history. It’s also laugh-out-loud funny at many turns,” writes Erica Hannickel, author of Orchid Muse: A History of Obsession in Fifteen Flowers.
The Chadwicks have the distinction of naming orchid hybrids after the six most recent first ladies and personally presenting the flowers to the presidential spouses. The book was three decades in the making and is a companion to Chadwick’s earlier effort, The Classic Cattleyas, now in its second edition. Offered in hardback as a coffee table book, it has 304 pages and 269 full color images. Direct wholesale inquiries to University Press of Florida: orchids@upf.com
Calendar
Through July 15, 2024
Call for Nominations for FLARE’s 2024 Gould Award
The First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) is now accepting nominations for the Lewis L. Gould Award. The Gould Award seeks to honor a FLARE member with a long and distinguished career that includes significant contributions to scholarship and education about America’s presidential first ladies. All members of FLARE are eligible for nomination except for those serving on the Gould Award Committee.
Nomination letters should persuasively address the following:
The quality, academic rigor, and influence of the nominee’s scholarship and publications;
The impact of the nominee’s public communication and educational activities;
The nominee’s fostering of additional knowledge about first ladies through teaching, institutional or public service (broadly construed); and
The influence and creativity of the nominee’s work or educational activities on other scholars, researchers, and/or the public.
Because the disciplinary specialization and area of focus of nominees may vary broadly, the Gould Award Committee members recognize that not all of the criteria may be relevant in every case.
Nominations will be open until the close of business on July 15, 2024. Read more
June 17, 2024
TONIGHT: Virtual Event: Cooking With the First Ladies
The National First Ladies Library & 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. In this virtual program, participants will uncover the culinary legacy of First Lady Edith Wilson. 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
June 20, 2024
In-Person Event: Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies
The National First Ladies Library & Museum will explore what Abigail Fillmore, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Laura Bush all have in common—the fact they were all teachers! Participants will get an inside look into the newly opened 2024-25 featured exhibit, “Leaders in Literacy: First Ladies as Teachers, Educators, and Librarians” at its Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies. The exhibit is presented by Huntington Bank, and in this curator-led, specialized talk and tour, guests will be fully immersed in the exhibit.
Doors open at 6 p.m. EDT. The program begins at 6:30 p.m.EDT at the National First Ladies Library & Museum (205 Market Ave. South, Canton, OH 44702). Read more
June 20, 2024
In-Person: The White House Historical Association Hosts Trivia Night
The White House Historical Association will hold a free Trivia Night. People can play on teams of 2 to 6 players while enjoying complimentary pizza and soft drinks. Questions will cover a variety of topics in White House history, from presidents and first ladies to art and popular culture! Prizes will be awarded to the winning team.
Doors open at 1610 H St NW at 5:30 p.m. EDT; trivia will begin promptly at 6 p.m. EDT. Guests must register in advance. Read more
June 23, 2024
First Ladies Fine Dining: Mamie Eisenhower
Join author Andrew Och, aka “The First Ladies Man,” for an in-person, hands-on cooking class from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday June 23, 2024, presented by Cookology at Ballston Quarter in Arlington, Virginia.
Mamie Eisenhower's famous “Million Dollar Fudge” was the perfect dessert for any and every party she hosted. Not only did she throw magnificent parties, dinners and events as first lady, but she also enjoyed hosting parties on every military base that was their home for so many years as a military wife. Learn about and prepare some of Mrs. Eisenhower’s favorites in this class. Read more
July 10, 2024
Virtual Talk with a Curator: Discover Hidden Treasures from Our Archives
Discover the captivating stories behind America's First Ladies at the National First Ladies Library & Museum at a virtual talk with Director of Collections and Research Michelle Gullion from 7 to 8 p.m. EDT on July 10, 2024. Hidden treasures from the National First ladies Library & Museum’s archival storage that will be discussed offer exclusive insights into their preservation and conservation. These carefully preserved artifacts provide an intimate glimpse into the lives of extraordinary women who shaped history. Read more
July 12, 2024
Virtual Legacy Lecture: The Adventures of Louisa Catherine Adams
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents the virtual program The Adventures of Louisa Catherine Adams from noon to 1 p.m. on July 12, 2024. Here, the audience meets Louisa Catherine Adams on March 4th, 1825, the morning of John Quincy Adams’ inauguration as the sixth president of the United States. In a rare moment of solitude, Louisa reflects on the events of her tumultuous life in the public eye. From her childhood in England and France, to her adventures as the wife of an American diplomat in Europe—where she charmed heads of state from Berlin to St. Petersburg—Louisa’s memories provide a glimpse into international politics during the Age of Revolutions. Read more
July 14, 2024
First Ladies Fine Dining: Mary Lincoln
Join author Andrew Och, aka “The First Ladies Man,” for an in-person, hands-on cooking class and historical discussion from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 14, 2024, presented by Cookology at Ballston Quarter in Arlington, Virginia.
Mary Lincoln once wrote that Abraham Lincoln wasn’t the best looking guy in town, but he’s the one who will be president someday. She had her eyes set on the White House from a young age being raised by her politically active father in Lexington, Kentucky. Once married, she designed the entire first floor of their Springfield, Illinois, home to cater to entertaining and campaigning for political office. Come out and learn more about this intriguing first lady and the dishes she served to help him become president of the United States. Read more
July 18, 2024
In-Person Event: Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies
The National First Ladies Library & Museum will explore what Abigail Fillmore, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Laura Bush all have in common—the fact they were all teachers! Participants will get an inside look into the newly opened 2024-25 featured exhibit, “Leaders in Literacy: First Ladies as Teachers, Educators, and Librarians” at its Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies. The evening also will include a discussion about the educational efforts and occupations of Caroline Harrison and Helen Taft. Read more
July 20, 2024
The Eleanor Roosevelt Center Announces Kids Book Festival
The Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill, in partnership with the National Park Service and Oblong Books, will host the first annual Eleanor Roosevelt Kids Book Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 20 at the historic Val-Kill site in Hyde Park, New York. The free event aims to bring together authors, educators, families, and community members for a day of learning, exploration, and fun. Read more
July 20, 2024
In-Person Fun with FLOTUS: Fly High with Dolley Madison (Free Family Event)
Ever wondered what it would be like to chat with a parrot, like First Lady Dolley Madison did during her White House days? The National First Ladies Library & Museum will host an up close animal encounter with live parrots, just like Dolley's feathered friend. Participants will dive into the colorful world of parrots with an entertaining book reading followed by a toe-tapping, mini-dance party. A Dolley Madison interpreter will transport participants back in time with tales of this first lady’s extraordinary life. Read more
Submit calendar items, announcements and press releases to East Wing Magazine at jtaylor@eastwingmagazine.com.