Dr. Jill Biden makes Le Mars presidential campaign stop for husband Joe Biden

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Delaware Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden, made a campaign stop at Le Mars' Lally's Eastside Restaurant Friday afternoon. The educator said she wanted to emphasize the "personal side" of her husband, a 35-year veteran of the U.S. Senate. [Click to enlarge]

Like many teachers, Jill Biden was busily spending last week getting the most out of her summer vacation before heading back to the classroom this week.

The difference between the Delaware Technical and Community College English professor and other educators is that her husband is running for president.

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Delaware Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden, was in Le Mars Friday afternoon, taking questions from party activists at a "meet-and-greet" at Lally's Eastside Restaurant.

"You already know the professional side of my husband," Biden told the handful of political junkies in attendance. "You already know the legislative and foreign affairs expertise that he brings with him."

"I'm here today to talk about the other side of Joe Biden," she explained. "His character and his inner strength."

The former Jill Jacobs, Biden is the second wife of the veteran Delaware senator. Her husband was formerly married to Neilia Hunter, who was killed in a 1972 car accident along with their infant daughter.

"This happened shortly after Joe was sworn into office," Biden remembered. "His two young sons, Beau and Hunter, were also both seriously injured in the accident and Joe was sworn into office by their bedsides."

"Joe was persuaded not to resign in order to care for his two boys," she continued, "but he began the practice of commuting an hour-and-a-half each day from his home in Delaware to his office in Washington."

"Although the boys have both fully recovered," Biden remarked, "Joe's continued to make that daily commute."

Married since 1977, Biden and her husband have one daughter, Ashley.

Opening up the forum to questions, Biden was informed by Clayton Hodgson that "for a guy running for president, your husband would make one heckuva Secretary of State."

"I've heard that many times before," Biden said with a laugh. "Joe's running for president because he knows he has what it takes to become president. This is the office that he wants and that's why he's running."

"People know Joe's a longtime member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs," she continued, "and know he's a recognized expert on foreign policy and national security issues. But that's only a part of what he's bring to the presidency."

Biden said her husband would bring "new vision" to issues such as universal health care and education.

"Lord knows we have a lot of problems right now," she sighed. "we need our next president to be a world leader starting on Day One, with no margin of error."

"Joe can do that," Biden insisted.

Biden said she had spent her entire summer vacation in Iowa, reacquainting herself with friends she made during her husband's 1988 presidential attempt as well as making new ones.

"I love Iowa and I love its people," she insisted. "I'm exactly where I want to be and doing what I want to do."