Michelle Obama and Jill Biden
M. Spencer Green / AP
Jill: He's pretty much a night owl, so they have that in common. He's on that Blackberry and his phones constantly. I won't let him drive the car because everything's ringing. I say, 'Pull over!' It's too dangerous. Or we go the wrong places. (Laughs.)
What kinds of plans have you had to un-do now that you're otherwise booked until Election Day, at least?
Jill: I teach English at the community college, and I've already taught one week. This morning, early, I was putting my grades together, answering my students' e-mails. So that still needs to be resolved. I've been teaching 27 years. I teach writing, so you can bet that I'm going to journal this experience every chance I get.
Sen. Obama has said that chemistry was important to his choice. What do you see when you look at the two of them together?
Jill: I see a historic moment. This country has to change direction [and make] sweeping changes. I think the two of them will pull in all Americans. I have goose bumps, really, when I think of what these two can do for the country.
Have you had much time to get to know the Obamas?
Jill: Not really. It's always been at the debates, always sort of, 'Hello, how are you? How many more of these do we have to do?' But Michelle and I spent some time together this morning and we're really looking forward to being together. (Hugs Mrs. Obama.) If you think those guys have chemistry, I think we have chemistry.
Mrs. Obama, anything Sen. Biden should know about working with your husband?
Michelle: Barack is a very easy guy to work with.
What did he say when he told you his choice – and when was that?
Michelle: I've stayed out of this process. But when he told me his choice, I said, 'That's the right choice.' I was like, (snaps fingers) 'Good!' And the thing that was important for me is the reputation that Joe Biden has of being a good man. He's a good guy, he loves his family. I like the fact that he's on the train every day getting back home. Those are the kind of values that I respect. And uniformly, people have said the same thing about Jill. So, you want people you can hang out with, that you trust, that you sit down and have a good conversation with, in addition to the advice, guidance and wisdom he brings. I think about it as a wife who's got to hang out with this crew, right?
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