First Lady Pool Reports of September 23, 2023

FLOTUS pool report 1 – Los Angeles

First Lady Jill Biden stepped out to an applauding crowd on Saturday, Sept. 23, at a fundraising event for the Biden Victory Fund at the home of Daphna Ziman, co-founder and president of Cinémoi USA and the founder of Children Uniting Nations. About 45 people gathered outdoors, seated at tables with white umbrellas for the afternoon fundraiser in Beverly Hills.

As Biden began her speech, she thanked Ziman for opening her home to host the fundraiser. She went on to share her story about the first date she had with her husband, President Joe Biden, and how it has now become a marriage of 46 years.

"Over the years I've been continually inspired by his resilience and his optimism," she said. "He has an unshakable hope in the future of our country. Anyone can tell you what they want to do, but Joe can tell you what he's done."

She said her husband's leadership has helped pass climate change legislation, appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, and has led to the creation of 13 million jobs. As well as winning a battle with Big Parma, which means lower prices for prescription drugs and a cap on the price of insulin.

"He's brought people from both sides of the aisle together to find common ground on gun legislation, which so many people said was impossible," she said.

And he has also restored American leadership on the world stage, she added.

"He did this all with integrity, humanity, and wisdom because that's who he is, but there's so much more we need to do," Biden said. "And that's why we need your help to get Joe a second term to finish the job."

She said that there was "no one I'd rather have in my corner" than President Joe Biden to support and fight for women's rights, such as making their own healthcare decisions about pregnancy, allowing access to contraception, and letting women make choices about their future.

"We will not let the MAGA Republican agenda be the legacy that we leave to our daughters and our granddaughters," she said, "because we know what's in store."

She said that Americans already know what it feels like when the "extreme MAGA Republicans" are in power. Reminding guests how U.S. policy was dictated by "late-night tweet storms, chaotic leadership, taking us from crisis to crisis, relentless attacks on our institutions, our democracy, and even our constitutional rights."

The choice of the 2024 election is clear, she said, with Biden's administration being strong, steady leadership that gets things done.

"There isn't a burden that he won't shoulder when it comes to our democracy and our country," she added. "But he can't do this without your help."

"Together, we're going to win this election," she said, "and we're going to finish the job."

After her speech, Biden traveled to the Burbank airport to head to San Diego for the final stop of the West Coast swing.

FLOTUS Pool Report #2 – San Diego

Jill Biden finished a southern California double-header of fundraising events for her husband's reelection campaign at a private home in San Diego on Saturday.

The first lady appeared before a small crowd of around 40 seated in the foyer of a Rancho Santa Fe estate owned by Allan and Megan Camaisa. Allan is an entrepreneur in biotech and security software and Megan is a producer in film and Christian media. The event drew some San Diego heavy hitters including Irwin Jacobs, the billionaire co-founder of mobile chipmaker Qualcomm.

Wearing a smart frock of black and white polka dots and pink florals that complimented the marble room's potted orchids, Biden said the American people should send her husband back to the White House for a second term to, "finish the job."

"We know what's in store if the extreme MAGA Republicans return to power," Biden said.

She pointed to her husband's efforts to pass climate change legislation, appoint Ketanji Brown to the Supreme Court and "battle big pharma" for lower drug prices.

Biden said world leaders pulled her aside to express "relief" over her husband's leadership during a recent visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

"The choice in this election could not be more clear. Chaos, crisis and corruption or strong, steady leadership that actually gets things done," said Biden.