Joe Biden broke down in tears as Jill hailed her ‘husband and hero’ during the president’s final farewell dinner at the White House, but there were no signs of Kamala Harris.
The outgoing US President was overcome with emotion as the First Lady paid tribute to his decades of service during a party on the South Lawn thanking Democrat supporters and donors.
On Friday evening, Jill praised her husband’s 40 years of service, including his last four years as the President of the United States.
‘What I’ve watched you do for more than 40 years is extraordinary… Joe what you’ve done the last four years is breathtaking,’ the First Lady said, as Biden wiped a tear from his cheek.
After Biden reached for a tissue from his pocket, his wife raised a glass, toasting to: ‘My husband and hero, Joe Biden,’ before the pair shared a kiss on the podium.
Before the president took to center stage for his speech, Jill cracked one last joke, urging guests and supporters: ‘If you have a seat, please take it. Don’t jump in the pool!’
‘Joe and I are hosting this dinner tonight for a very simple reason to say thank you. Thank you to so many dear friends,’ she continued.
‘We began this journey to redeem the soul of the nation and define the light in the darkness. And I never could have gotten to where the White House has become without you and we never could have gotten as much done as we did without you. And that’s not hyperbole. I mean it from the bottom of my heart.’
Joe Biden broke down in teats as his wife introduced him at his final farewell dinner at the White House on Friday evening
The outgoing US President was overcome with emotion as Jill call him her ‘husband and hero’
Biden is set to hand over his presidency to Donald Trump on January 20 next year
The president hosted the farewell in an effort to show gratitude to Democrat insiders before he leaves office on January 20, 2025, where he will hand over the presidency to Republican President-elect Donald Trump.
Biden then took to the podium following the heartwarming introduction from his wife, where in his speech he highlighted his administration’s achievements and called his time in office ‘the honor of my life’.
‘One thing I’ve always believed about public service and especially the presidency, is the importance of asking ourselves, have we left the country in better shape than we found it? I can say with all my heart, the answer to that question is a resounding yes because of you,’ he said, pointing to the cheering crowds.
‘I believe we can be proud we’re leaving America in a better place today than when we came into office four years ago,’ he continued.
He went on to highlight getting through the ‘worst pandemic we’d seen in over 100 years’ while the country’s economy was in a ‘tailspin’ and a ‘violent insurrection on January 6’.
The emotional leader said with determination: ‘We’ve come a long way since then… But I fully believe America is better positioned to lead the world today than any point in my 50 years of public service.
‘I followed that standard because I had no choice. I’m Jill Biden’s husband. That’s the title I’m most proud of’.
Gushing over the support of his wife, Biden went on to say: ‘Jill’s the rock of our family,’ before dubbing her ‘one of the finest first ladies in history’
‘William Butler Yeats wrote, ‘Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, And say my glory was I had such friends.’ Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,’ he said.
President Biden shared a kiss with the first lady as they toasted during a dinner of gratitude for his long time supporters at the White House in Washington
Biden and first lady Jill Biden take the dance floor during a dinner on the South Lawn of the White House on November 22
‘.I’m Jill Biden’s husband. That’s the title I’m most proud of,’ Biden said in his speech
Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff arrived in Hawaii on Tuesday evening. Pictured: Kamala Harris and her husband Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff leave after she delivered her concession speech at Howard University in Washington, on November 6
‘As I look out over such friends, serving as president of the United States has been the honour of my life,’ Biden concluded, as his supporters cheered and clapped around him.
But among the crowds, there were no signs of Vice President Kamala Harris who lost in the landslide 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump.
Instead, Harris has tucked herself away from the spotlight as she vacations in Hawaii with her husband Doug Emhoff following her defeat.
Keeping a low profile, Harris arrived in Kalaoa on Tuesday, for what is reportedly expected to be a weeklong trip as she recovers from the rigorous campaign schedule she kept up over the last couple of months.
The couple usually spends the Thanksgiving holiday in Hawaii, but it currently remains unclear if Emhoff’s children or any of the Harris family members will join them.
Harris, however, is prepared to fly back from Hawaii to break any tie votes in the Senate if needed.
She delayed her trip in the event that she would be needed for votes in the Senate to confirm judges, one of her aides told NBC News. She is not expected to be needed as no major battle is expected over judicial nominees until December.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended Harris’ vacation during a Thursday briefing, arguing there was nothing ‘wrong’ with the vice president taking the short break.
‘The vice president has taken time off to go spend time with her family. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that,’ she said.
‘I think she deserves some time to be with her family and to have some downtime.
‘She has worked very hard over – for the last four years, and her taking a couple of days to be with her family, good for her. Good for her,’ Jean-Pierre added.
