Jill Biden hits NH campaign trail on husband's behalf
Former second lady focuses on education, mental health issues
Former second lady focuses on education, mental health issues
Former second lady focuses on education, mental health issues
The former second lady of the United States was on the campaign trail Wednesday in New Hampshire.
Jill Biden highlighted the issues of education and mental health as she campaigned on behalf of her husband, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Jill Biden told voters she's no policy expert, but she has plenty of firsthand experience when it comes to education and still teaches at a community college.
"You know the students," she said. "You know how tough it is for them to work and feed their families and come to school and have kids."
Jill Biden spoke with members of the nursing program at Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth and said down with fellow teachers in Rochester to discuss the mental health problems facing students.
"I look at the amount of kids who are in crisis, and there isn't any place to send them, isn't anything to do," teacher Carrie Feyler said. "The amount of kids who are in tears at school, who fall asleep at school."
"What we really need is more counselors, more psychologists, more people in the schools to help our students," Jill Biden said.
While Jill Biden focused on issues and not politics, her presence in New Hampshire here could give her husband's campaign a boost. No other candidate in the field can deploy a former second lady of the United States.">
"I think it's pretty unique, but she's pretty unique, whether she was second lady or not," said former New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick.
Broderick backed Joe Biden in his 1988 presidential campaign and has been a close friend of the family ever since.
"I've known her for a long time," Broderick said. "She's the same person I've met all those years ago, as is the vice president."
Jill Biden said she's still trying to figure out if she can balance the demands of the classroom and the campaign trail this fall. She has until midsummer to sign a contract, and she said she's keeping a certain presidential candidate in the loop.
"He's waiting for my decision," she said.