“I miss her”: Joe Biden reveals effect of presidency on marriage
In a new joint interview, Joe and Jill Biden share just how their 44-year marriage has changed since Joe entered the White House for the second time.
In a cover story for Vogue profiling the first lady, the US president admits the couple have spent more time apart since his presidency began.
“I miss her,” Joe said of his wife.
“I’m really proud of her. But it’s not like we can just go off like we used to.
“When we were living in Delaware and married, once a month we’d just go up to a local bed-and-breakfast by ourselves, to make sure we had a romantic time to just get away and hang out with each other.”
After spending eight years as Vice-President under the Obama administration, Joe said the couple had to adapt now that he’s president, with political duties often taking priority.
“I’ll find that I’m working on a hell of an important speech and I’m distracted, and then I may not be working on one and I want to go and hang out with her, and she’s working on an important speech!” he told Vogue.
“We have to figure out a way - and I mean this sincerely - to be able to steal time for one another. I think that’s the deal.”
Jill confirmed that the couple’s busy schedules has proved to be a challenge, revealing they’re “both so busy” and have to “try a little harder to make time for one another”.
“Even the thing about having dinner together: Sometimes we eat on the balcony; last night we ate in the yellow Oval, upstairs,” she said.
“It’s just part of the day that we set apart, and we still light candles, still have conversations, still put the phones away.”
Jill has previously revealed how the couple has committed to dining together during her first solo interview as first lady on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
She told Clarkson about how she tries to keep regular “Sunday night dinners” in their schedules, despite being “a little busy lately”.
“But the kids look forward to [Sunday dinners] and I think traditions really ground kids,” Jill added.
In the couple’s latest interview with the famed fashion magazine, Jill also opened up about her work as a teacher.
“When I became second lady - and there was so much I wanted to do - I always said, ‘I will never waste this platform’,” she said.
Jill continues to teach English at Northern Virginia Community College, where she said her students refer to her as “Dr. B”.
With an even bigger platform now as first lady, Jill said she has no intention of giving up teaching.
“There’s so much to do. There is… so. Much. To. Do.”
Image: Vogue Magazine / Instagram