First lady Jill Biden didn’t get the reaction she expected Thursday when she said she delivered a round of applause, but her joke fell flat, leading to the first lady spurring audience claps.
“I have visited red states and blue states and found that the common values that unite us run deeper than our divisions,” she said before pausing for a moment.
When she received no response from the crowd, the first lady added, “I thought you’d applaud that.” The crowd immediately complied.
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The first lady’s remarks were part of the Reagan Institute Summit on Education (RISE) in Washington, DC
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First Lady Jill Biden’s remarks about unity in America at the Reagan Institute’s annual education summit did not get the response she had hoped for. (Reagan Institute Education Summit)
According to the Ronald Reagan Foundation and Institute, the annual conference “will host educational leaders from across the country” and, in addition to comments from the First Lady this year, will also feature remarks from former Republican Governor of Arkansas Asa Hutchison and Democratic Governor of Maryland. Wes Moore.
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“RISE will examine policy and practice from early childhood to post-secondary education and beyond. The need for education reform becomes even more urgent as the United States emerges from the global pandemic,” the Reagan Foundation said on its website for the two-day conference. which took place on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. “We must heed the call to modernize our education system and prepare for the challenges of the 22nd century.”
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President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden return to the White House on May 15, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Several social media users were quick to liken the first lady’s statement to that of former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, who memorably urged his supporters to “please clap” at a campaign rally during the 2016 election.
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“Awkward,” wrote one Twitter user. A second user shared a GIF of Bush pleading with the crowd to clap in 2016.
“No one clapped because they didn’t believe you. Sorry,” wrote another Twitter user.
In February 2016, Bush unwittingly became the political trendsetter at a campaign rally in New Hampshire.
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Then-Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush addresses a crowd at a citizens’ event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire February 8, 2016. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
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“I think the next President needs to be much calmer but send a signal that we are ready to act in the interest of this country’s national security and get back to the business of a more peaceful world,” Bush said with a passionate and subtle swipe then Republican candidate Donald Trump.
In the face of the crowd’s long silence, Bush then said, “Please clap.” The appeal by Bush — son of former President George HW Bush and younger brother of former President George W. Bush — drew applause and some cheers.
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Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this article.