Jill Biden gives Kamala Harris the cold shoulder after husband Joe was forced out of race the VP lost to Trump
It’s an unseasonably warm 72 degrees in Washington, D.C. today – but conditions looked downright icy in the VIP viewing area at Arlington National Cemetery.
Jill Biden, eyes hidden behind sunglasses, looked stoic as she sat next to Kamala Harris while her husband, President Joe Biden delivered his Veterans Day address.
The first lady stared straight ahead as the vice president grinned and leaned into husband Doug Emhoff, who sat on her other side.
There have long been reports there is no love lost between Jill Biden and Harris, a feud tracing back to the 2020 Democratic primary when Harris attacked Joe Biden during the first primary debate.
The first lady did campaign for Harris after her husband was forced to drop his reelection bid, but also had little choice as Harris’ campaign was seen as central to upholding Joe Biden’s legacy.
But now the votes have been tallied and the results show Harris lost to Donald Trump in a landslide, leaving the Harris camp and Biden allies to blame one another for the Democrats’ epic Election Day defeats.
Jill Biden and Kamala Harris at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday
Veterans Day marked the first time President Biden and Vice President Harris saw one another since the election.
Biden and Harris, who looked stoic, stood side-by-side Monday morning to mark Veterans Day at Arlington Cemetery.
The two couples journeyed to Arlington National Cemetery to watch Biden lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
None of them spoke as they walked to their positions for wreath laying.
The first lady wore black to mark Veterans Day, which honors America’s military veterans. She entered Arlington National Cemetery ahead of the president to take her spot with the rest of the crowd. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff joined her.
Jill and Doug watched as Biden laid the wreath and crossed himself. Harris was at his side.
They then followed their spouses into the amphitheater where the president addressed veterans and members of the military.
Jill Biden had greeted Emhoff enthusiastically. They chatted as they took their seats and waited for the speeches to begin. The two spouses have long been close.
But when Harris took her seat between them, Jill turned her focus to the ceremony.
The first lady is known to hold a grudge.
She and Hunter Biden were influential when it came to Joe Biden deciding to run for a second term. Jill was part of the group surrounding the president when he was being pressured by party leaders to exit the presidential race.
Biden endorsed Harris to replace him.
And Jill campaigned in several battleground states for Harris.
During her campaign stops, the first lady touted get-out-the-vote efforts, reminding voters in each state when early vote starts and urging them to get their ballot cast.
She also pushed aside reports that there were tension between her and Harris in the early days in the Biden administration after Harris went after Joe Biden in the 2020 Democratic primaries, to talk about the Harris she has gotten to know.
‘As Kamala and I have gotten to know each other these past four years, you know, we bonded over many things, but one of the things that we talked about is how we lost our mothers, both to cancer, both long before we were done needing them,’ the first lady said.
She painted a more compassionate picture of Harris, talking of how the vice president cherishes a recipe from her mother and how she has fought for women her entire life.
Doug Emhoff and Kamala Harris smile at one another as Jill Biden stares ahead
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris take part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day
Jill Biden stands behind President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the wreath laying ceremony on Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Veterans Day
Kamala Harris smiles during the speeches on Veterans Day as Doug Emhoff looks on and Jill Biden sits next to her
She also tackled ‘lies’ about Harris, who has been the subject of conspiracy theories and false claims from Trump.
‘You’re probably already hearing all sorts of lies about Kamala,’ she told an event in Yuma on Friday night. She went on to describe Harris’ work as California attorney general, senator and vice president.
Trump has falsely accused Harris of lying about working at McDonalds as a teenager and has misrepresented the role she played in the Biden administration’s work on border security.
Jill Biden also talked about Harris’ work fighting crime as an attorney general and how she helped a friend in high school who lived in an abuse situation.
‘That’s the Kamala Harris I know – a quick, tough, compassionate, decisive leader,’ she said.
President Joe Biden (left) and Vice President Kamala Harris (right) appeared together for the first time since Harris’ presidential election loss to former President Donald Trump
President Joe Biden salutes during the Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday
During Monday’s program, when the Executive Director of the Office of Army Cemeteries Karen Durham-Aguilera announced Harris’ and Emhoff’s presence, applause broke out in the crowd.
A number of attendees rose and gave Harris a standing ovation.
Pesident Biden clapped heartily.
The president gave Harris a shout-out as he began his speech, along with other top administration officials in the crowd.
‘This is the last time I will stand here at Arlington as commander-in chief,’ Biden said, calling serving as president the ‘greatest honor of my life.’
‘To lead you, to serve you, care for you, to defend you, just as you defended us, generation after generation after generation,’ Biden continued. ‘You are the greatest fighting force. This is not hyperbole.’
The president appeared to wipe away a tear during a playing of God Bless America.
In his remarks he mentioned his son Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015. Beau Biden served in Iraq as part of the Delaware National Guard.
Presiden Biden claims that burn pits, which were near where Beau was stationed, contributed to his son’s death.