President Joe Biden wanted his wife to be called Dr. Jill Biden but he recently called her a former vice-president.
The president presided Saturday over a commissioning ceremony for the U.S.S. Delaware (SSN 791), a Virginia-class fast attack submarine.
He spoke briefly before 146 plankowner crew members and a sold out crowd of invited guests gathered at a restricted area in the Port of Wilmington. The newest submarine in the U.S. Navy’s fleet is the seventh naval vessel to carry the first state’s name. Delaware is also President Biden’s home state, whose voters first elected him to the U.S. Senate in 1972. He left the senate to become former President Barack Obama’s vice-president.
The president begins his speech by identifying (44:15 mark) himself by name before adding he is Jill’s husband.
“Jill has watched over the progress of the USS Delaware for years,” he continued. He described the First Lady as the daughter of a Navy signalman during WWII, the mother of Delaware National Guardsman and the grandmother of children who father was deployed away from home for a year at a time. “She always holds our military and their families in her heart.”
“I’m deeply proud of the work she is doing as first lady with Joining Forces initiative she started with Michelle Obama when she was vice president, and now carries on” Biden can be heard remarking in a video posted to Twitter. Some viewed the vice-president reference as pertaining to former First Lady Michelle Obama while many others believe he meant his wife, Jill Biden.
The official transcript of the president’s remarks, posted by White House officials, shows a clarification was added that was not made by Biden while speaking.
“And I’m deeply proud of the work she is doing as First Lady with Joining Forces initiative she started with Michelle Obama when she [I] was Vice President and now carries on,” the posted transcript reads.
Questions continue about his meaning because it would not be the first time the president has made verbal promotions to high office.
Biden has referred to his own Vice President Kamala Harris as “President Harris” on more than one occasion.
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