Joe Biden's financial motivation for attempt at salvaging his tarnished legacy revealed... as wife Jill is compared to 'high school bully working at Arby's' by ex-staffer

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER Published: 03:15, 14 June 2026 | Updated: 03:15, 14 June 2026 A former White House alum under Joe Biden says the former president has returned to public life for 'financially driven' reasons. Biden, alongside wife Jill, have made several public appearances recently, including the ex-First Lady's headline-making promotional tour for her new memoir.  However, one ex-Biden staffer said that the Bidens are doing all of this out of obligation.  'He's not getting any younger, he's ill, and it feels financially driven,' the anonymous source told New York Magazine.  One of the main financial needs is money to potentially build his own presidential library as fundraising has been deemed a total failure so far.  The chairman of The Biden Foundation claims things will be 'made easier' once they have a location locked down and has recently wrangled $10 million in commitments from donors.   However, its still a huge contrast to Barack Obama's soon to open, gargantuan presidential center, which cost an eye-popping $850 million but was completely funded by donors.  Many former Biden staffers also reportedly bemoan the presence of Jill Biden after she showed up by surprise at a Biden-Harris White House reunion with two aides.  A former White House alum under Joe Biden says the former president has returned to public life for 'financially driven' reasons Many former Biden staffers also reportedly bemoan the presence of Jill Biden after she showed up by surprise at a Biden-Harris White House reunion with two aides 'Seeing them was like going back to your hometown Arby's and seeing your high-school bully working behind the counter. I'd moved on in my life, but they hadn't,' the Biden staffer said. However, President Biden's decision to run again has made him even more unpopular with Democrats. 'I think it is very hard to ever get over the fact that he is responsible for the hellscape that we live in now,' a former campaign staffer said.  'It is undeniable that his hubris cost us. He was an extremely impactful president who was successful in delivering tangible wins for Americans, but all of that is washed away.'  However, there are some Democrats who remain loyal to Biden, including some who have been running for office.   'Joe Biden will never be sidelined,' said Dan Koh, a former Biden assistant running for Congress in Massachusetts with the ex-president's endorsement.  The Daily Mail has reached out to the Biden Foundation for comment.  It fits with a narrative of Democrats souring on the former first family amid their recent return to the public, including Hunter Biden's recent ventures into social media. Some Democrats, who want to follow the momentum positive results in special elections earlier this year, are furious with the Bidens for reemerging  Some Democrats, who want to follow the momentum positive results in special elections earlier this year, are furious with the Bidens for reemerging.  'Why are we talking about this? Why are we talking about Hunter Biden? Why is Hunter Biden talking about Hunter Biden?' Democrat strategist Pete Giangreco told Politico.  Much like many ex-Biden staffers, Giangreco was angry with Jill for discussing her thoughts on the June 2024 debate in Georgia, which was the beginning of the end of President Biden's career. 'Nobody wants to relitigate the worst debate performance since the Greek Republic,' he added. Former White House special assistant Meghan Hays said the situation was 'not welcome from Democrats' going into the midterms.  'We have a lot of momentum in our favor … and when we get pulled back into conversations about age and the election in '24,' she told CSPAN. 'It's never gonna be a good place for Democrats. I think it's a tough place to be.'  Hays believes that Jill Biden's reappearance is out of a 'need to sell books' and the First Lady wanting 'her story out there.'  An anonymous former Biden administration official was much less sparing toward Jill.   Jill Biden recently went on a media tour promoting her new memoir  'My reaction was basically: "Welcome to the club,"' the source said about Joe Biden's disaster debate performance.  'Every person across America and in your administration wondered the same thing, and instead of acknowledging that, we were told for days to ignore it — that it was just a bad night, just an anomaly.'  Democrat New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said Thursday that none of this matters in the larger scheme of things.  'What I need to do is to focus on making a difference in the lives of people,' Lujan Grisham said. 'And that’s what I think they’re getting really frustrated about, is all this nonsense. I don’t think the average Democratic voter, honestly, particularly in New Mexico, gives a damn about that book or the debate anymore.' Giangreco added that Democrats everywhere should be ignoring the Bidens and focus on their political enemies.  'Your time has passed, move on,' he said. 'The Republicans and all their super PACs are going to outspend us three-to-one, four-to-one — that's what we need to be focused on.'  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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