Jill Biden reveals to 'The View' it was 'heartbreaking' when Dems abandoned Joe after 2024 debate

Former first lady Jill Biden revealed on Tuesday that she still mourns how former Democratic allies she and former President Joe Biden had known for decades turned against him during the 2024 campaign.

"And so, it was really hurtful," Biden told the co-hosts of "The View" while promoting her new memoir, "View From the East Wing." 

"I mean, I have to say, I mean, you have to remember, I mean, we’re not just president and first lady," she continued. "We were parents, we have children, we have grandchildren. I mean, the hurt — yes, we can take it, we’re in the public eye, we’re public servants — but for our kids and our grandkids to go through that, I mean, it was rough."

"It was heartbreaking that — and that’s, you know, that’s why Joe had to decide to get out because he had lost the support of the Democratic Party, and there were lots of friends who we kind of counted on, who we knew for 50 years. 50," Biden added.

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One of the most decisive moments of the 2024 election was then-President Biden's debate with Donald Trump. Biden stammered, had long periods of silence and intense, confused facial expressions, to the point some of his most vocal supporters broke ranks and demanded he relinquish the nomination. 

Jill Biden has been on a speaking tour amid the release of her book. In it, she revealed that she and Biden both agreed that he had "f---ed up" that night.

Co-host Whoopi Goldberg recalled Tuesday that many prominent Democrats "worked behind the scenes to get Joe to step down."

"Maybe not so behind the scenes," Biden said.

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Goldberg went on to ask how it felt for the first lady to hear so many people repeating rhetoric that the former president was not up for the job.

"Some of them were your lifelong friends," co-host Ana Navarro observed. "Some were," the former first lady agreed.

"Some were from the other side because the other side is what started stirring the pot," Goldberg said. "And then folks got on board, and it blew up."

When asked whether former President Barack Obama had spoken to her privately, Jill Biden confirmed, "And I think he spoke publicly as well."

She also recalled that Nancy Pelosi had breakfast with Joe to discuss the issue at the time, but did not have her own private conversation with the former House speaker.

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"It’s politics," Navarro observed. Then Goldberg interjected, "But, you know what, if you got something to say, if you think I can’t do my job, come and tell me. Don’t announce it on television. Don’t write an op-ed. Call me!"

"Yeah, thank you," the former first lady agreed.