One of the highlights of the first day of the Women's Leadership Forum in Chicago was hearing from Jill and Joe Biden. Even following the star power and sheer magnificence that is Oprah, Jill and Joe Biden were a treat. There is a palpable affection and admiration between the two of them that seems all too rare in public figures, where the marriage seems more for show than substance. Some political couples seem oddly matched or indifferent to each other. Jill and Joe Biden, though, seem like the real deal.
Jill (or Dr. Jill) came out to introduce her husband, and did so with a mixture of admiration and good-natured ribbing. She told the story of how she came home after receiving her PhD to signs on the front of their house saying, "Home of DR. Jill Biden." It was the kind of thoughtful gesture that Joe was prone to do.
Joe Biden immediately told the story of one of his constituents, an elderly, straight-shooting woman named Mabel who told him after meeting Jill, "Boy, you are marrying up."
He spent the next few minutes talking about what a smart, wonderful woman he is married to. He said that when Jill decided to pursue her Ph.D, after getting two masters degrees while working and raising kids, she told him, "I'm tired of getting mail addressed to 'Senator and Mrs. Biden'. I'd like to get mail to 'Senator and Dr. Biden'." He cautioned us that if we ever send letters to their house to be sure to address it to "Senator and Dr. Biden".
Biden said that both he and Barack were influenced by very strong women growing up, and were blessed to have strong women in their lives now. He said Barack could be measured by the fact that he's married to Michelle, a woman who is nothing short of amazing, someone beautiful, talented, and smart, and who has what his mother would call "a heart of gold."
He said that years ago, Senator Dianne Feinstein remarked to him that "All you guys who do well in the Senate have really strong mothers."
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