Staff Reports
First Lady Jill Biden has been carving out her niche as a prominent figure within the Biden administration, and her recent trip to New Orleans for a Cancer Moonshot event proves just that. As if the federal government doesn’t have enough main characters already, it seems that the First Lady is fully embracing her role in the spotlight by hopping on a plane and jetting off to this health initiative. One can only wonder if she picked out her “I’m here to fight cancer” attire beforehand or if it was just a spur-of-the-moment decision.
The Cancer Moonshot initiative itself is not without merit. Originally launched under a previous administration, it has the ambitious goal of reducing cancer rates by 50% by 2047. Louisiana Democratic Rep. Troy Carter believes that Biden’s visit indicates a renewed commitment to battling cancer. Of course, the enthusiasm emanating from Carter is about as surprising as finding out that he wasn’t calling for a tax increase during the visit. He’s quite taken with the idea that the president is “doubling down” on this endeavor as if any would-be cancer cure could somehow be on the ballot in the next election.
President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden returned to the White House this morning after spending the weekend at Rehoboth Beach. The President took no questions before entering the Oval Office. They'll both travel to New Orleans tomorrow to attend a Biden Cancer Moonshot event. pic.twitter.com/7wjDN4d4dw
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) August 12, 2024
Amidst all this, the citizens of New Orleans are reminded that their city is apparently “a focal point” in this grand health campaign. There’s nothing quite like a politician’s visit to publicly assure everyone that money has been allocated toward medical research. It wouldn’t hurt to expect some slick television advertising following the event, maybe featuring Biden shaking hands and sounding off on grand ideals about overcoming this “tragic” disease.
One can’t ignore the heightened security surrounding this event, primarily attributed to that unfortunate assassination attempt on former President Trump earlier this summer. This worry raises eyebrows over the safety of politicians, especially those like Biden, who are ardently campaigning against something as immovable as cancer. It seems odd that while gun-toting lunatics threaten the very fabric of American democracy, the defenders of the realm are at the same time assuring the public that they can effectively battle cancer. Talk about multitasking!
Biden finding time to visit this event offers some insight into the fact that he may not be in the campaign mode that many expected. This has drummed up some criticism from political corners, particularly among those who think Jill might be having an unexpected influence on the decision to run. Some on the left have called foul, asserting that the first lady is somehow overstepping her bounds. The notion that Jill Biden could be wading into political waters hardly seems shocking to anyone who’s been paying attention. In a country where wives have long held sway in the political arena, watching Dr. Jill make waves isn’t likely to win her any favors from those who believe she shouldn’t have a say in her husband’s future.
