Jill Biden says Joe reached ‘deep into his soul’ before deciding not to run as she braves convention speech after insiders revealed she felt ‘betrayed’ by Democrats

Jill Biden said in an emotional speech ahead of his farewell address at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night that she watched her husband Joe “dig deep into his soul” to decide not to seek re-election.

Insiders close to the first lady say she is “stunned” by the betrayal by Democrats who publicly called on the 81-year-old president not to seek re-election.

But she kept a brave face and looked ahead by enthusiastically endorsing Kamala Harris in her speech at the convention.

She also lashed out at Donald Trump in front of her grandchildren and the frenzied crowd at the United Center in Chicago.

As she left the stage, she blew a kiss to Harris, who was watching from her VIP box in the stands.

President Biden paid tribute to his wife of nearly 50 years in his speech, calling her the “rock” of the family and leading the crowd in more applause for her. “I can still hear that boom boom boom,” he said of her, tapping his heart.

The 81-year-old man shed a tear as his daughter Ashley welcomed him to the stage for a speech celebrating the final months of his 53-year career in politics.

Earlier, Jill Biden revealed details about her husband’s decision to withdraw from the presidential race and described his love for his family and his country.

The first lady was there when Biden decided to drop out of the race, noting that she saw him “dig deep into his soul and decide not to run for re-election and support Kamala Harris.”

She also referred to her husband’s campaign theme of preserving democracy, suggesting that Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, would be an opponent of that.

“Joe knows with faith and conviction that the strength of our country does not come from intimidation or cruelty,” she said.

“It comes from small acts of kindness that heal deep wounds, from service to the communities that make us who we are, from love for a country that shines with promise and renewal,” she said, adding: “Kamala Harris knows that, too.”

She received warm applause and cheers from the crowd at the United Arena.

Delegates waved green signs that read “Jill.”

The first lady still feels the sting of the “betrayal” by Democrats who secretly offered their support to her husband – and then publicly called on him to withdraw from the presidential race.

But she is looking ahead, her loved ones say.

She was present with the president in Wilmington, Delaware, on the fateful day he decided to withdraw from the presidential race, after a relentless pressure campaign from party members.

When he called Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday, July 21, to inform her of his decision, he put her on the first lady.

“We love you,” she told Harris, according to a source familiar with the conversation. She also called Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, to whom she is close.

She will be vacationing in California with Biden and other family members after they leave Chicago on Monday.

But much of her focus is on the fall, when she returns to her job teaching at a community college in Northern Virginia. She also plans to campaign for Harris.

It was a notable shift in attitude from the 2020 race, when Jill Biden reportedly bristled at Harris for an offensive stance in one of the early primary debates, taking aim at Joe Biden over his record on school busing in the 1960s as part of efforts to desegregate racial segregation.

But now Jill is fully on Harris’ side.

After Biden endorsed his vice president as the Democratic nominee, the first lady posted a handwritten note on social media expressing her support for Harris.

“Thank you for the trust you’ve placed in Joe—now it’s time to place that trust in Kamala. Love, Jill,” it read.

She plans to convey that message during her campaign as well.

“Of course she will be on the road for Vice President Harris in the fall,” the source said.

But the first lady, known for her vindictive nature, has not forgotten the days after the first presidential debate, when many Democrats doubted her husband’s ability to campaign for a second term.

“The first lady was dismayed by people who secretly supported her husband and then publicly withheld his support when he considered entering the presidential race,” a source told DailyMail.com.

The source declined to name names.

Jill Biden has been one of Joe Biden’s most ardent defenders and wants to ensure his legacy is protected.

And she is a constant presence at his side.

On the night he delivered his speech in the Oval Office, Jill Biden sat quietly on the sidelines with other family members.

When he finished speaking, she was the first to stand beside him. She ran to the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office to hold his hand.

This fall, Jill will once again teach English at Northern Virginia Community College, as she has done for many years.

She will also focus on initiatives she started as first lady, including her work with Joining Forces and Cancer Moonshot.