Friday Feel-Good story: Did Naomi Biden schedule her wedding to distract from Joe's birthday?

Andy Wong

If she did, it shows how she was raised to be a Biden team player. “Sources” say that Naomi Biden, Joe and Jill’s oldest granddaughter, planned her wedding to coincide with Joe’s 80th birthday. It’s meant to be a distraction from the president’s milestone birthday, given his advanced age often referenced when the subject of his re-election comes up.

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If the story is true, it’s a kind thing she did for her grandfather, right? It’s not her fault she was born into such a screwy family. Who knows what she’s been asked to do over the course of her life? I’m leaning toward believing the story since I’m seeing headlines like this one on CNN – “Biden granddaughter’s wedding offers youthful spin for president turning 80.” And from Business Insider– “Naomi Biden’s White House wedding was timed to divert attention from Biden’s age as he turns 80, source tells CNN.”

She is Hunter’s oldest child. At the age of 28, Naomi is a lawyer working in D.C. Her fiance, Peter Neal, 25, is a recent University of Pennsylvania Law School graduate who works at Georgetown University Law Center on National Security. What I didn’t realize is that they moved into the White House last August. Their wedding will take place on the lawn at the White House on Saturday. On Sunday, Joe Biden turns 80.

Sources told CNN that the timing is no coincidence, and the two are likely happening at once to avoid excessive focus on Biden’s role as America’s oldest-ever leader.

Naomi Biden, 28, is due to marry Peter Neal on the South Lawn of the White House, the first time in nine years such a ceremony has taken place. Guests will likely still be celebrating as midnight comes and Biden’s birthday begins.

Two sources familiar with the wedding plans spoke to CNN, and characterized the proceedings as a way to distract from Biden’s age, a source of recurring criticism from political opponents.

“The wedding gives some cover,” said one of the sources.

According to the report, the Biden family are also due to gather over Thanksgiving weekend to discuss whether the president should seek a second term in office.

Biden has indicated that he intends to run, but has not made a formal declaration of his 2024 candidacy.

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There have been 18 weddings and four receptions at the White House since 1800. The last wedding held there was in 2013 and it was the White House photographer Pete Souza’s wedding.

Naomi is credited with convincing her grandfather to run against Trump.

“I don’t think there’s been any decision, no matter how big or small, that we haven’t decided as a family,” said Naomi Biden in a video interview played at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Though typically called by the elder Biden family members, it was Naomi Biden who convened the most critical, in-person, all-hands-on-deck family meeting, the one that would have the most impact on Joe Biden’s future. Biden was concerned – they, however, were not.

“He thought we were calling a meeting sort of to discuss whether or not we wanted him to [run,] but really were calling it to be like, ‘Get in that race! Hurry up!’” said Naomi Biden. In the years since, it has been Naomi who has been most publicly vocal on her social media channels about Democratic issues, and championing her grandfather. On November 12, she tweeted, “Democracy wins in the Senate. Never think your vote doesn’t matter.”

Given what is being written about the wedding and Naomi’s relationship with her grandfather, it tracks that she would schedule her wedding to benefit him. She clearly is interested in politics herself.

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