NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) 鈥 U.S. first lady Jill Biden gave one of the clearest indications yet that President Joe Biden will run for a second term, telling The Associated Press in an exclusive interview on Friday that there's 鈥減retty much鈥 nothing left to do but figure out the time and place for the announcement.
Although Biden has long said that it's his intention to seek reelection, he has yet to make it official, and he's struggled to dispel questions about whether he's too old to continue serving as president. Biden would be 86 at the end of a second term.
鈥淗ow many times does he have to say it for you to believe it?鈥 the first lady said in Nairobi, the second and final stop of
She added, 鈥淗e says he鈥檚 not done. He鈥檚 not finished what he鈥檚 started. And that鈥檚 what鈥檚 important.鈥
Granddaughter Naomi Biden, who is on the trip, cheered the first lady's comments after the interview.
鈥淧reach nana,鈥 she said on
The president himself was asked about his wife's comments just hours later in an interview with ABC News, and laughed when told of her remarks, adding, "God love her. Look, I meant what I said, I鈥檝e got other things to finish before I get into a full-blown campaign.鈥
Biden aides have said an announcement is likely to come in April, after the first fundraising quarter ends, which is around the time that President Barack Obama officially launched his reelection campaign.
The first lady has long been described as a key figure in Biden's orbit as he plans his future.
鈥淏ecause I'm his wife,鈥 she laughed.
She brushed off the question about whether she has the deciding vote on whether the president runs for reelection.
鈥淥f course he'll listen to me, because we're a married couple," she said. But, she added later, 鈥渉e makes up his own mind, believe me.鈥
The wide-ranging interview took place on of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Jill Biden recalled to meet the besieged country's first lady, Olena Zelenska.
They visited a school that was being used to help migrants who fled the fighting. Some of the families, Jill Biden said, had hid underground for weeks before making their escape.
鈥淲e thought then, how long can this go on? And here we are, a year later,鈥 she said. 鈥淎nd look at what the Ukrainian people have done. I mean, they are so strong and resilient, and they are fighting for their country.鈥
鈥淲e're all hoping that this war is over soon, because we see, every day, the damage, the violence, the horror on our televisions,鈥 the first lady added. 鈥淎nd we just can't believe it.鈥
Jill Biden also spoke extensively for the first time about her skin cancer diagnosis, which led doctors to in January.
鈥淚 thought, oh, it鈥檚 just something on my eye, you know," she said. "But then they said, no, we think it鈥檚 basal cell.鈥
Then doctors checked her chest, she said, and they said 鈥渢hat's definitely basal cell."
鈥淪o I鈥檓 lucky,鈥 the first lady said. "Believe me, I am so lucky that they caught it, they removed it, and I鈥檓 healthy.鈥
has been a cornerstone of her advocacy efforts for years, even before her son, Beau, died from a brain tumor almost a decade ago. She often says the worst three words anyone can hear are 鈥測ou have cancer.鈥
When it was her turn to hear a doctor say that, Jill Biden said, 鈥渋t was a little harder than I thought.鈥
Now, she said, she's 鈥渆xtra careful鈥 about sunscreen, especially when she's at the beach, which she described as "one of my favorite places in the world."
Jill Biden is in addition to her ceremonial duties, teaching writing and English to community college students. At 71 years old, she said she's not ready to think about retirement.
鈥淚 know that I will know when it鈥檚 enough," she said. "But it鈥檚 not yet.鈥
She said she left detailed lesson plans for a substitute teacher while she was on her trip, and she's been texting with students as she was traveling. She plans to be back in the classroom at 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning, after arriving home from Africa around 3 a.m. Monday.
Education has been a flashpoint in American politics, especially with conservative activists and politicians trying to limit discussion of race and sexuality in classrooms.
鈥淚 don't believe in banning books,鈥 she said.
She added: 鈥淚 think the teachers and the parents can work together and decide what the kids should be taught.鈥
During the interview, Jill Biden reflected on the legacy of former President Jimmy Carter, The Carter Center, which the former president founded after leaving the White House, was key in helping to eliminate the Guinea worm parasite in African countries.
鈥淭hat's the perfect example,鈥 she said. 鈥淗e's such a humble man. He didn't go out and shout, 'Look what I've done.' He just did the work.鈥
Jill Biden recalled Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, reaching out on the eve of Joe Biden's inauguration two years ago.
鈥淭hey called and said congratulations," she said. "And it meant so much to me and to Joe.鈥
She also talked about visiting the Carters at their home in Plains, Georgia, early in Biden's presidency.
"It鈥檚 not just that here are two presidents. It鈥檚 here are two friends," she said. "Actually four friends, who have really supported one another over the years.鈥
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Associated Press writer Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.
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EDITOR'S NOTE 鈥 Darlene Superville has covered the White House and first ladies since 2009 and is co-author, with AP Executive Editor Julie Pace, of a 2022 biography of Jill Biden.
