It was catastrophically poor timing for the release of the new July Vogue magazine cover featuring First Lady Dr. Jill Biden this week following a notoriously problematic performance by her husband, President Joe Biden, in the first Presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle.
Critics have noted the tone-deaf and ironic cover feature, which would have otherwise passed without much commentary from the media and public.
A Pricey Dress and Unfortunate Timing
On the July cover of Vogue, Jill Biden wore a nearly $5,000 dress and spoke to journalists about her life and experience in the White House.
The interviews were conducted, and the publication was planned months ago when few could have foreseen how poorly President Biden performed in the debate and how the dynamics between Jill and her husband would be interpreted in public discourse.
Op-Ed Criticism
Some commentators, such as Kirsten Fleming, who wrote an Op-Ed featured in the New York Post, note that even if the debate had not been so revealing about President Biden’s diminished abilities, the interview tone would have been “messy.”
Jill Biden’s Influence
Fleming’s Op-Ed highlighted the perception that Jill Biden herself is behind Biden’s extended political career and is “reportedly encouraging her visibly frail husband by telling him, and us, that he should keep running the country.”
Tireless Advocate or Out of Touch?
The Vogue feature on Jill Biden shows her to be a tireless advocate for Americans, communicating to her husband as an extra set of eyes and ears based on the information she gathers from students and while she is out in the community.
While donning outfits valued at thousands of dollars for a single piece, the Vogue feature shows Jill Biden to be just like other women of her age and demographic– she shops for her groceries and cringes at the increased prices, still moonlights as a professor at a community college alongside carrying out her duties as First Lady, and commiserates with her students facing mounting expenses.
The Magic of Communication
Jill Biden said, “I tell him what I’m seeing, what I’m hearing– and he gets it. And this is where the magic happens.”
The Power of Illusion
Vogue has featured Jill Biden on their cover three times now since 2021. Any illusion can prevail on the cover and within the pages of one of the most iconic publications in the world. With the proper handlers, top photographic and stylistic talent, and glitzy celebrity endorsement and accouterment, it is easy to downplay the realities of decline and deterioration.
On the debate stage, however, the real-time, glaring lights and pressure cannot coddle anyone, no matter how rich or famous.
Real-Time Critique
The American public was privy to an exchange following the first Presidential debate between the President and First Lady in which Jill Biden’s encouragement techniques were on display.
Jill Praises Joe for “Answering Every Question” in Debate
Following the cringe-worthy debate and a consistent flow of negative feedback online in real-time throughout the entire debate, Jill told her husband, “Joe, you did such a great job. You answered every question.”
Vogue’s Editor’s Note
Because the article was ready to print before the debate, and to omit reference to the discussion or Biden’s age would appear out of touch and missing important, timely information, Vogue included an editor’s note with an up-to-date quotation from the Biden family.
It read, “[The Biden family] will not let those 90 minutes define the four years he’s been president. We will continue to fight.”
Commitment to the Country
Jill Biden claims that the President “will always do what’s best for the country,” and that leaves many to wonder what would be best at this juncture and what should have potentially happened within the past year to land in a different place with the Democratic Presidential Nominee right now.
Democratic Establishment’s Next Move
The coming weeks will reveal how the Democratic establishment will move forward. Many expect no change, continuing to believe that Biden still is the best candidate to defeat opponent Donald Trump.
Calls for New Leadership
Others have renewed calls for a new candidate to rise to the top of the ticket. The obvious but unlikely choice would be Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris, but many in her party hierarchy find her unelectable. It may be too close to the election to find an alternative, young candidate the party can coalesce around.
Respect for Elderly Leaders
The Democratic party of the past decade maintains a precedent of respect and deference to their elderly party members. They sat by respectfully to watch the long decline of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein until she chose to announce her retirement and then subsequently died while in office.
Similarly, they have continued to support the long career of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who, up until 2022, was the top Democrat in the House of Representatives for twenty years. Pelosi and a handful of other top Democrats in Congress are octogenarians.
