Since President Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 re-election campaign in July, First Lady Jill Biden has returned to campaign activities after a period of silence. However, her current efforts are focused on boosting the campaign of Vice President Harris. At the same time, former First Ladies Michelle Obama and Melania Trump have also made some noteworthy moves. As the competition in the U.S. election enters its crucial final stretch, the actions of these First Ladies could have immeasurable effects on the election outcome and voters.
According to the Associated Press, on October 15th, First Lady Jill Biden concluded a five-day visit to five swing states to campaign and rally support for Vice President Harris. This marked Jill Biden’s first return to campaign activities since President Biden announced his withdrawal from the re-election bid on July 21st.
Although the election is no longer about President Biden, Jill Biden still hopes to help Democrats defeat Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump to preserve her husband’s political legacy.
During her visit to Michigan on October 14th, Jill held a campaign event for Harris in Clawson, a suburb about 20 miles north of Detroit. Addressing approximately 150 supporters, Jill criticized Trump’s recent remarks insulting Detroit as a “mess.”
She said, “Some people have recently come to the Detroit area and said some insulting words. But in my view, this is a vibrant, prosperous city.”
Detroit is the most populous city in the key battleground state of the Midwest. On October 10th, Trump harshly criticized Harris and the Democratic left-wing policies during a speech at the Detroit Economic Club, accusing the Democratic party of making Detroit a “mess.”
Trump said, “If she (Harris) becomes your president, our entire country will end up like Detroit. Your hands will be a mess.”
Prior to poking fun at Trump, Jill spent most of her speech cheering for Harris and shared their “inexplicable bond” over the past four years in many aspects.
Jill said, “One of them is both of our mothers passed away from cancer, and passed away while we still needed them.”
Jill highlighted Harris’ background, stating that it could help her become “a tough, compassionate, and decisive leader.” Jill mentioned Harris helping a friend who was molested by a stepfather in high school, as well as her career as a district attorney and California Attorney General.
She touted Harris’ plans to lower grocery and housing costs by cracking down on “greedy” companies and providing $25,000 down payment assistance for those trying to purchase their first home.
Jill then shifted the topic to “the interests women face in this election,” recalling how shocked she was when three Supreme Court justices appointed by Trump helped overturn federal abortion rights in 2022.
Harris is a supporter of abortion rights. Jill said, “No one should have to give up their own beliefs or deep-seated convictions to agree that the government should not tell women what to do. As president, Kamala Harris will proudly sign a national law to restore reproductive freedom to every woman in every state in our country.”
“As president, Kamala Harris will fight for you,” Jill added.
Despite being the First Lady, Jill continues her professional career by teaching two English and writing classes per week at Northern Virginia Community College. The school’s fall schedule provided a brief break, allowing Jill to re-enter the campaign trail after Biden’s withdrawal in July, conducting lightning-fast visits to five swing states.
Jill visited Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin, wrapping up the five-day blitz in Pennsylvania on October 15th. She typically gives speeches, meets campaign volunteers, and brings cookies to some of them.
In Pennsylvania, Jill joined volunteers in making phone calls to voters at a phone bank in West Chester, a suburb of Philadelphia, and delivered a speech at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell.
During her speeches, Jill often challenges Trump. In a small Democratic campaign office in Madison, Wisconsin, she told the crowded audience, “I’m not even going to say it; Donald Trump wakes up every morning thinking about one person, only one person. Who?” The audience responded loudly, “Himself!”
Jill believes that if Trump wins a second presidential term, it will “lead to more chaos, more greed, more division. He wants to cut taxes for the rich like himself and raise costs for other people.”
“It’s important, the next president may choose a new Supreme Court justice. Our descendants will have to bear the consequences,” she added.
Jill encouraged supporters to vote early, sitting down at a phone bank in Pennsylvania to make some reminder calls herself before telling the volunteers there, “As you know, this election will be very close, every vote matters.”
After her speech at Montgomery County Community College, Jill met with her husband, President Biden, in Philadelphia, where Biden was also rallying support for Harris’ campaign.
At a Democratic party dinner, Biden said, “Kamala Harris is a great Vice President. She will also be a great President.”
Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, face intense competition from Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance.
It is expected that Jill will hit the campaign trail for Harris again before the election day on November 5th.
The Associated Press reports that former First Lady Michelle Obama will host a rally in Atlanta the week before the election day, focusing on the participation of young voters, first-time voters, and voters of color, with celebrities and civic leaders expected to attend.
The rally, organized by “When We All Vote,” a civic engagement organization founded by Michelle Obama in 2018 to “change the voting culture” and reach out to those less likely to participate in politics and elections, aims to assist the campaign activities of Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Harris in the highly competitive swing state of Georgia. As a former First Lady, Michelle Obama is one of the most prominent figures in the Democratic party. She delivered a speech at the Democratic National Convention in August, supporting Harris’ candidacy.
It is currently unclear which celebrities will participate in the Atlanta rally, but organizers note that the organization’s co-chairs include professional basketball players Stephen Curry and Chris Paul, musicians Becky G, H.E.R., Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, Janelle Monáe, beauty influencer Bretman Rock, and actors Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Kerry Washington.
The organization has hosted over 500 “Party to the Polls” events nationwide, focusing on increasing voter registration and turnout. Over the past year, these events have included flash street parties in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Philadelphia, as well as voter registration drives in collaboration with professional sports leagues and music festivals.
“When We All Vote” Executive Director Beth Lynk said, “Our goal is to bring the energy and momentum of the rally into the voting booth. We want to bring culture, energy, and power together in one big space.”
Lynk stated that the organization chose Atlanta due to Georgia’s diversity and the impact that a small number of voters can have in the state.
Approximately one-third of voters in Georgia are Black, with rapidly growing Asian American and Latinx communities. Lynk said, “When We All Vote” focuses on attracting students from universities in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area.
Lynk said, “What we hear from young voters is that many don’t believe their votes hold power. But their votes do hold power, plain and simple. We know that democracy must work for all of us, that’s what we want to emphasize through this rally.”
With the rally taking place less than a week before the election day, early voting in Georgia will end on November 1st. It is expected that Michelle’s rally and campaigning efforts will help boost Democratic voter turnout.
Former First Lady Melania Trump made an extraordinary statement in her memoir: she supports abortion rights.
According to the UK’s Guardian, in early October, in her memoir to be released starting on October 8th, Melania wrote, “It must be ensured that women can autonomously decide on the desire to bear children according to their own beliefs, without any government interference or pressure.”
Melania rarely expresses political views in public. It is particularly noteworthy that she vocally expresses support for abortion rights in her memoir “Melania,” as Democrats and most media outlets have labeled former President Trump as “anti-abortion.”
Former President Trump mentioned during an interview with Fox News on October 3rd that he had discussed with his wife the inclusion of her support for abortion rights in the memoir, telling her to “write down what you believe.”
Melania detailed various “legitimate reasons for women to choose abortion” in the book, including pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, situations endangering the pregnant woman’s life, and “congenital defects combined with severe medical conditions” – these are usually exceptions to abortion bans and the position supported by Trump and most Republicans.
Melania stated that “timing is crucial,” and she defended the right to late-term abortions as well.
She wrote, “It’s worth noting that historically, most late-term abortions have been due to serious fetal abnormalities that could lead to the child’s death or stillbirth. Or even the mother’s death. These cases are extremely rare, (such abortions) usually occur after multiple consultations between women and doctors. As a community, we should accept these common-sense standards. Again, timing is crucial.”
According to the CDC, over 90% of abortions in the U.S. occur by 13 weeks of pregnancy, and late-term abortions after 21 weeks account for less than 1%.
Melania also wrote, “I’ve always believed that taking care of oneself first is crucial. It’s a very simple concept. In fact, we are born with a range of basic rights, including the right to enjoy life. We all have the right to sustain a satisfying and dignified life. This common-sense approach applies to women’s natural right to make decisions about their bodies and health.”
On October 3rd, Melania also posted a short video on social media to further explain her statements in the book. Melania stated, “Many women choose abortion for reasons revolving around personal health concerns, situations with significant moral implications that put pressure on women and their families – these are worthy of our sympathy. For instance, consider if a mother should risk her life to give birth, such decisions carry inherent complexities.”
In the summer of 2022, in the Dobbs v Jackson case in the Supreme Court, the appointment of three Justices by Trump during his presidency voted to overturn the Roe v Wade decision, which had protected federal abortion rights since 1973. After the federal rights were abolished, abortion rights were left to the states.
Trump was very pleased with the outcome, believing that abortion rights should be decided by the states.
However, Democrats had a string of victories using abortion rights as a campaigning issue, winning in the 2022 midterm elections, even in GOP-led conservative states. In the 2024 election, Democrats hope that employing the same strategy – by insisting Trump is “anti-abortion” and would enact a nationwide abortion ban – continues to be effective.
In response to Melania Trump’s support for abortion rights, a spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign, Sarafina Chitika, stated in a release, “Sadly for women across America, Mrs. Trump’s husband vehemently disagrees with her views, which is why over one-third of American women live under Trump’s abortion ban, threatening their health, freedom, and lives.”
Trump and his running mate, Vice Presidential candidate Vance, have repeatedly stated their stance on abortion rights falling under state’s authority and opposition to a national abortion ban.
Nevertheless, Chitika continued in her statement, saying, “Donald Trump has made it clear: if he wins in November, he will ban abortion nationwide, punish women, and restrict women’s access to reproductive health.”
On October 13th, Trump reiterated during an interview with Fox News that a nationwide abortion ban is not on his agenda, stating, “I think that issue is off the table now because I did what everybody would want to do; I could get that issue back to the states to deal with.”