Jill Biden said Monday there was no one she would rather have in the White House Situation Room than her husband Joe Biden as she wooed fashion’s A-list at an intimate fundraiser at Anna Wintour’s home.
Exclusive images obtained by show Biden and fundraiser guests arriving at the Vogue publisher’s $12 million townhouse in Greenwich Village.
In her remarks to a small audience – including Dreamworks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and designers Michael Kors and Tory Burch – the first lady addressed the violence in Israel and said she was “grateful” that Joe Biden was in charge .
“I would not wish the tragic events of the last two weeks on any American president. “But I am so grateful that Joe is our president in these unpredictable times,” she said.
“In these moments, with these dangers facing the world, there is no one I would rather have sitting in the situation room than my husband, and he is probably actually there,” she said as the audience laughed. After speaking on the economy earlier Monday, President Biden noted that he was headed to the situation room to get an update on the violence in the Middle East.
Jill Biden arrives at Anna Wintour’s townhouse in Greenwich Village
While the president was at the White House, the first lady made a quick trip to the nation’s financial capital to solicit money for her husband’s re-election campaign.
Wintour, the longtime Vogue editor and influencer, hosted about 40 people at her four-story townhouse on Sullivan Street in New York’s Greenwich Village to support Biden’s presidential campaign.
In her opening remarks, she praised both Bidens before sitting next to Huma Abiden, Hillary Clinton’s longtime adviser.
Wintour, who wore a black dress but removed her signature sunglasses, called President Biden’s recent trip to Israel “an act of moral courage.”
And she noted that he has a strong partner in Jill Biden. Wintour was a staunch supporter of Democratic candidates. She put Jill Biden on the cover of Vogue magazine in August 2021.
“First Lady Biden, who is here with us tonight, is part of what makes President Biden such an important leader in times like this.” “She is part of his moral courage,” Wintour said.
‘DR. Biden was known as First Lady to all of us. She has this incredible ability to connect with all Americans from all walks of life and all political affiliations. She has that smile. She has this light. And she looks amazing in everything,” she added.
Jill Biden, also in a black dress, thanked Wintour for her support of the Bidens over the past few years.
“You have been such a generous friend to me and Joe,” she said.
“And thanks to you, fashion has become something more than just the clothes we pull out and put on every morning.” “It is the vehicle of our own expression, a symbol of our values and our aspirations, a statement of our identity and his colorful armor – although I’m wearing black tonight,” she noted.
The audience laughed and applauded at several points during the two women’s brief remarks.
Jill Biden leaves Anna Wintour’s home in Greenwich Village
Wintour created a chic but intimate atmosphere in her home. The living room was cleared out and there were five tables with eight chairs, all close together. There were large urns with red flowers in every corner of the room and on the fireplace. Small bouquets of flowers and three candles formed the centerpiece of each table. Since there were only three lights on in the room, most of the lighting came from candlelight.
Guests dined on a dinner of chicken and grilled vegetables while Wintour and Biden spoke.
After her remarks, Jill Biden noted that she would walk around the room to speak to each table.
“Remember that you can tell me anything. “I’m good at keeping a secret,” she said, adding to let them know if they had anything “you’d like me to tell Joe.”
The first lady spoke to two fundraisers Monday evening. Before heading to Wintour’s home, she spoke to supporters of the Columbus Citizens Foundation. The foundation promotes the Italian language and culture. Jill Biden is the First First Lady of Italian descent.
Both fundraisers support the Biden Victory Fund, the Biden campaign said.
When contacted by , the campaign declined to provide the amount raised.
Anna Wintour is a long-time Democratic supporter
Anna Wintour’s home in New York
Just months after becoming First Lady, Jill Biden was on the cover of Vogue.
In a detailed portrait, the magazine described her as a “goddess” and “multiplier of joy.”
The 6,000-word profile was accompanied by stunning photos taken at the White House by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz.
Leibovitz previously took cover photos of First Ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrive at Fort McNair in Washington after returning from Delaware, Monday, Oct. 23, 2023
The magazine also described Jill Biden as “motivated, tireless, effortlessly popular, but also someone who reminds us of ourselves.”
It said she was “a very stylish person who looks perfectly fine even in jeans and a cashmere sweater over a pair of loosely tucked chambray pants.”
Michelle Obama was on the cover three times during her husband Barack Obama’s presidency.
Donald Trump and Republicans questioned why Melania Trump was never given this honor during her time as first lady.