I was excited for him. So if we turn that around, we could say that it matters more, because it reveals that you are looking at this group in the wrong way. Owens' daughter, Valerie J. Owens, also snagged work on her uncle's 2008 presidential campaign and in the Obama-Biden administration. Family and politics are closely connected with the Bidens. [CHEERING] Thank you, Denver! He did not let somebody else's opinion of him and description of him as a lesser person define him," she elaborated. A memoir from Valerie Biden Owens, Joe Biden's younger sister, trusted confidante and lifelong campaign manager. There's been an accident.'" By that time, Ms. Owens has said, she had been hired by Joe Slade White & Company, which she joined in 1997. Its a powerful moment, where he relates his personal story to their tragedy. "I wasn't building a resume for a political future. She has been my best friend my entire life," Biden wrote of Owens in his memoir. On Saturday, South Carolina will hold its primary, with results expected starting around 8 p.m. Next week, the Democratic presidential race moves to 14 different states on Super Tuesday. Now, when I built this, I didnt have a congregation like that. No, that's not true: Valerie Biden Owens is not married to Stephen Owens, according to a Dominion spokeswoman and numerous news accounts about the Biden family.Biden's only sister is married to John (Jack) Owens, who owns a Delaware-based telemedicine company, according to The Washington Post About a year ago, the Sanders campaign, and most other campaigns, reached out to me and asked me to come and sit with the candidate, do a small meet-and-greet. Astead. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [33], In 2021, Forbes listed Owens on their Impact List of 50 Women over 50 who are inspiring change in their communities through social entrepreneurship, law, advocacy and education. Thats the kind of person he is. In December 2020, Reuters published a "fact check," clarifying that "Joe Biden's sister is not married to Dominion Voting Systems' owner after multiple social media posts alleged that Owens' husband was Stephen Owens. In 2016, president Barack Obama nominated her Alternate Representative of the United States to the 71st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. And she never saw raising her nephews as a sacrifice. Her position changed for Biden's most recent bid for president, in which she held no formal role. [7], Owens graduated from Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware in 1963, and went on to study at the University of Delaware, where she was on the dean's list and was homecoming queen, graduating in 1967. "She respects and admires him, and she helps him be his best self. Yesterday, I went to church and I prayed about it, and I think, you know, that he really is going to win. Shes a longtime local political figure, the former head of the Richland City Council, and the head of a volunteer group thats supporting Joe Biden. Joe Biden has been the subject of countless news stories, and the focus on POTUS 46 has only intensified since his inauguration. In fact, no Biden family member, to anyone's knowledge, has the name Stephen Owens. No further details were immediately available on the ceremony. After graduating from the University of Delaware, Valerie married a man named Bruce Saunders. Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. I mean, just to keep on this point, it feels like a unique thing of this primary, is that unlike Obama or Clinton, it seems likely that there will not be a runaway winner with black voters. Thank you so much. How many how big was your family? It could send the message that the old way of doing things, where you can run in South Carolina and pass out a bunch of dollar bills and think that thats the end of it, or feed people a chicken sandwich or a fish fry . Over the years, Ms. Owens has honed her speaking skills. The. Mrs. Biden Owens has led every campaign in her brother Joe Biden's political career, including his seven straight U.S. Senate victories and his run for two Democratic Presidential nominations. And sometimes, as all the preachers in here know, sometimes even faith leaves you just for a second. [22] Bruce and Valerie moved in with Joe Biden and his two sons, Hunter and Beau, following the death of her sister-in-law Neilia in a car crash in December 1972. Valerie Biden's husband (John Owens) tried to get Hunter Biden's help in acquiring a business license in China back in 2014. Youve been so helpful to us, Bishop. renew a controversial warrantless surveillance law, announced his intention to nominate Julie Su, biggest economic successes and failures so far. As Owens toldAPin 2020, their "family code" has always dictated that "it's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how many times you get up." Owens is a lawyer and the son of the president's sister, Valerie Owens. I mean, if Im sitting here going, Well, I can sit that one out, and Im going to vote, how do you get people that you need to motivate to go and vote? Valerie Biden Owens is one of the first women in the United States to have managed a modern U.S. Senatorial campaign, as well as a Presidential campaign. Valerie is one of the president's closest confidantes, having seen her brother through a slew of. I was like, Courtney, really? But I think theres enough diversity in the black community to still surprise people. ), In May 2013 while Mr. Biden was vice president Ms. Owens was among the speakers at a conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, that the Justice Department later described as an attempt at foreign influence.. I guess I was kind of wavering, looking at the field, and then I met Tom. I think that people you know, we always wanted something better. Owens' husband, John, also appeared to benefit from . She remained with the company until Mr. White dissolved it in 2016, but said she took a leave during Mr. Bidens Senate campaigns as well as his 2008 run for the Democratic nomination, when his campaign paid the firm about $1.6 million. He specifically has been trying to woo older black voters, who might be feeling a little nervous about Joe Bidens candidacy. So Ms. Owens took on yet another critical assignment stand-in mother for Mr. Bidens two surviving sons. The outlet also points out that Owens has a minimum speaking fee of $40,000 and cites how she was paid $51,286 in salary for Biden's 2002 campaign alone. I really believe in a connection. And I think everybody in my family thought that. Ultraconservative people like me who are voting for Bernie Sanders. Its nice to meet you. We know his record. Do the sources know the information? And if white voters vote because they have certain desires that they feel should be met, what makes them think that black voters are going to be any different? This is the first time I havent managed the campaign, and I want to tell you, its damn frustrating! Valerie said at a campaign stop in 2020, per BuzzFeed News. Reverend Dr. Holt, thank you for inviting me into Gods house today. Have you voted in every presidential ever since? I think its Joe Biden., I mean, in some ways, thats what the campaign is, the message that its giving to its supporters is, right? She also recounted the role she played in helping him recover after the death of his first wife and daughter in 1972 in a car accident, when she took over as a substitute mother for Mr. Bidens two sons, Beau and Hunter. Dennis Owens is a 6o-year-old American Anchor at ABC27. President-elect Joe Biden began his victory speech by thanking the Delawareans who have supported him throughout his careerincluding his sister, Valerie Biden Owens. Mr. White not only landed the Biden account, but he was also so impressed with Ms. Owens that he hired her. Obama versus Hillary, who did you support? A father losing a son. . It was called family.. [8] He continued, "She did the cooking, the shopping, the laundry, and the driving. Ms. Owens spoke twice at the gathering, where speaking fees ranged from $2,500 to $15,000 for former Obama administration officials, according to a report by The Washington Diplomat, a publication covering the diplomatic community. Shes been on my handlebar since she was 3 years old, he told another South Carolina church gathering. Astead. Let me tell you, I cut that off for a second. But he added, I absolutely know, Joe Biden never got us any campaigns, Mr. White said. Just, he does not fit anything that is of interest to me. Because Id had to do it against a machine. Thats it for The Daily. Im Michael Barbaro. Valerie Biden Owens, 76, is wiry and wired, a fast talker with a big laugh. The status quo just wont do. Thats why I know yall are strangers. Seriously? When I went to school, I had to walk about five miles to go to school as a kid. In this revelatory, engrossing memoir, Valerie Biden Owens shares stories from growing up in Delaware as the only daughter of the close-knit Biden family. Initially married to Bruce Saunders (who, according to The New York Times , "handled the budget" for Joe Biden's 1972 US Senate run), Owens and her first husband moved in with Biden and put on a brave . Build for where you want it to go, as opposed to where it is. But I dont think that he is as I dont think that he is as forceful on issues as he has been in the past. Dalhi represents a transition from the Biden view of electability to a Sanders vision, an anti-establishment vision. Nevertheless, Owens calls it "a great gift, because he did not let the stuttering define him. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. I voted for McGovern. Perched on a chair pulled before a crackling fireplace in Joe Biden's office at the Biden Institute at the University. My vote is too expensive. Summoning an Irish-Catholic call to arms that elevates the importance of blood ties, the entire family pitched in. But I know from experience, and I was reminded of it again 29 days ago, that no words can mend a broken heart, no music can fill the gaping void. When Joe Biden, then a lawyer and not yet 30 years old, decided to run in the 1972 . In his memoir Promises to Keep, Biden elaborates on the instrumental role Owens played in holding the family together. Valerie sits on the . Thats the only advantage that ever worked for me.. A seven-year-old Valerie, wearing her First Communion dress, stands alongside her brothers Joe and Jimmy. Literally, literally, youre able to do this. Sharing a similar sentiment toAP, Owens admittedthat Biden "was bullied" and that "the stutter at the time was horrible for him." And so we have to inspire enough Democrats to go to the polls and vote. Shes a very, very clear communicator. Ms. Owens managed the campaign, while her brother was out knocking on doors and shaking hands. Over the years, Owens has applied her political acumen to nurture other careers. The African-American community in South Carolina can make a judgment about who the next president on this stage is going to be. Cuffe Biden Owens hails from Los Angeles, California, USA. "In a strange way Neilia's death brought Jack and Val together," Biden wrote in his book. "As our mom said, family is the beginning, the middle and the end," Biden Owens said. In 2008, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington released a report, A Family Affair that analyzed payments by members of Congress to their relatives. She was the campaign manager during all of his Senate elections and for his 1988 and 2008 presidential campaigns, as well as a senior advisor to his successful 2020 presidential campaign. I got to practice on Beau and Hunter before I screwed up my own kids," she joked. [LAUGHING] Well, Ill tell you like this. Prior to his dad, Cuffe's mom married Bruce Saunders. As The New York Times notes, Owens also had a lengthy career as executive vice president of Joe Slade White & CO, a consulting firm "marketing candidates in dozens of national races." Owens, 42, is the son of Biden's younger sister, Valerie Biden Owens. Shoot, if Im normal, that means that youve got your foot on my neck, and Im stuck here screaming, help, help! Politics, Money, Siblings: The Ties Between Joe Biden and Valerie Biden Owens, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/25/us/politics/valerie-joe-biden-sister.html. The Biden campaign would not disclose Ms. Owens standard speaking fee. As Ms. Owens ventured from her early career as a schoolteacher to a place in the limelight campaign, government and private work tied to her brothers political fortune she gained a reputation as a driven and passionate advocate, both for her brother and for women. 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Mr. Giuliani complied without complaint, four people familiar with the request said. I really appreciate your time in these last couple days. When their marriage didn't work out, Biden introduced her to her next husbandhis best friend from Syracuse Law School, John "Jack" Owens. Owens's first husband, Bruce Saunders, handled the budget. So theres a lot of history that goes into that. Thats what they were doing in South Carolina. He just laid it all out. And hes going to win by more percentage than what theyre predicting. On the campaign trail, Ms. Owens often recalled how her brother empowered her as a young girl. First published on October 11, 2021 / 1:51 PM. .css-ssumvd{display:block;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.0625rem;font-weight:bold;line-height:1.25;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-ssumvd:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-ssumvd{letter-spacing:0rem;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}Menopause: Its Not That Complicated, Dress for Successs Your Hour, Her Power Campaign, 7 Surprising Habits of Women Who Get Sh*t Done, Three Effective Stretches for Shoulder Pain, Five Blessings for When You Just Cant Deal. Im a reporter. [17] Owens currently sits on the advisory board for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Public Policy Institute. Were very much a diverse group within the party. And we had a breakfast meeting with him. This is the untold truth of Valerie Biden Owens. Of course, Sanders has always had this type of energy. "As a sister, I saw my brother come alive again," Owens said, calling her sister-in-law "a gift to my brother. Jeremy Fraser/LA Exposures According to the couple,. So it started to become conventional wisdom. There was just nothing inspirational about it. She continued, "My mom would always say to us that 'There's nobody better than you, but you're no better than anybody else.' ", In addition to his parents, Biden also received plenty of support from Valerie Biden Owens who, according to The Washington Post, helped him work through it, even though, as she told PBS' Frontline, she didn't even realize he stuttered until she "got into fourth or fifth grade." And this group has decided that there are pieces here, there, there and there that it likes. I mean, I drive an overpriced car. She appears quite tall in her photos. Weve got things do and people to see and places to go,'" Owens recalled. King, who was known on the show as Meghan King Edmonds, has three children from her previous marriage to MLB star and sports broadcaster Jim Edmonds. One of Valerie Biden Owens' first major wins as Joe Biden's campaign manager was helping her 29-year-old brother win a seat in the US Senate in 1972. I did know. [APPLAUSE] There are three basic reasons why Im running for president of the United States. We werent real people. Missy Owens became deputy chief of staff at the Energy Department in 2009, remaining with the federal government for three years. If there's one major trait that Valerie Biden Owens shares with big brother Joe Biden it's their commitment to perseverance, and always taking the high road. How many doors? From then on, "they steered clear of each other," Biden wrote. But she can also look him in the eye and say, Dont do this. She can tell him the stuff that nobody wants to hear. Year after year, black voters, the most loyal constituency of the Democratic Party, have largely coalesced around a singular Democratic candidate and helped propel that individual to the partys nomination. And the machine she describes is Bernice. The group ranked Mr. Biden among the top five senators paying the most money in salaries or fees to family members. Mr. Bidens 2002 campaign paid Ms. Owens $51,286 in salary and made $3,618 in payments to her daughter Casey. Were going to speak later today with a woman, Dalhi Myers. On election night, Mr. Biden took Mr. Boggs by surprise, winning by about 3,000 votes. It is the place where you can impact the most people at any given point in time. A former Real Housewives star just revealed the identity of her new boyfriend, and he has a very recognizable last name. (19152002). And that seemed to be true for many South Carolinians. After all, for the Bidens, it's always been a family affair. She and Owens, a Los Angeles attorney and the son of the president's sister, Valerie Biden Owens, were married in October in a small ceremony at Owens' parents' house in Pennsylvania. But I guess I kind of woke up and realized, who wins an election saying, Ill take you backwards? . Valerie Biden Owens is the first woman in U.S. history to have run a presidential campaign that of her brother, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. She also led his seven straight U.S. Senate victories and has been his principal surrogate on the campaign trail. I havent ran into anybody yet not for Joe. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Some might ask, Would she have been successful but for her brother? Others might ask the question in reverse.. It was exactly what my brother would have done for me. Biden family lore holds that Ms. Owens ran her brothers campaign for class president 60 years ago, and has been at it ever since. 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