Jill Biden Admits Joe Was 'Not Her Type' — as Former First Lady Reveals the 'One Look' That Nearly Drove Her Away
Jill Biden admitted she wasn't fully confident in dating Joe Biden at first.
Sept. 1 2026, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
Jill Biden has opened up about meeting Joe Biden before their famous love story bloomed, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The former First Lady explained she was 23 years old at the time, while Joe was in his 30s – and she was initially hesitant to date a man who wasn't exactly her type.
Jill Biden Compares Joe to Her Type in Men
While on Jesse Tyler Ferguson's podcast, Jill Biden claimed the men she was dating at the time were more casual.
Speaking on the Dinner's On Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson podcast, Jill reflected on her days of student teaching and attending the University of Delaware. She received a phone call from Joe, who asked her on a date that she ultimately accepted.
However, she soon learned he wasn't her typical type. "Most of the guys that I dated had long hair, you know, clogs, bell-bottoms," she said.
Jill went on to describe her first impression of Joe when he arrived at her doorstep.
"He comes to the door because I thought, 'Well, he might be interesting,' you know. And so I opened the door, and I took one look at his perfect suit and his leather loafers, and I thought, 'Thank God, this is only one date,'" she recalled. "Because I just couldn't imagine connecting with him."
Jill Biden Fell in Love With Joe's Sons First
'I just couldn't imagine connecting with him,' Jill Biden recalled of Joe.
Joe and Jill did end up connecting well, eventually getting married in 1977. She explained what initially kept her interested in the young politician, who she described as "charming."
Jill was so enthralled that the pair began dating "right away." She even met his children early on as they became a part of their dates.
Joe, at the time, had two sons, Hunter and Beau. He was also the father of daughter Naomi, who died alongside his late wife, Neilia, in a car accident.
"Joe's okay with my saying this, but I really fell in love with the boys first. I mean, I just loved them so much," Jill confessed to Ferguson.
'Our Marriage Had to Work No Matter What'
Jill Biden felt it was important to make their marriage work for the sake of the kids.
Jill was very intentional about entering her relationship with Joe. She shot down his marriage proposal multiple times, waiting for just the perfect moment to say yes.
The former First Lady knew early on that it was important for their marriage to work out based purely on her love for Joe's children.
She explained, "I loved them so much. I felt that our marriage had to work no matter what. We could never get divorced because they had already lost one mother through death, and I could never hurt them by leaving, you know, by divorcing Joe."
Once they were married, they welcomed a daughter, Ashley, together.
Joe Biden Battles Cancer
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Joe Biden was diagnosed with cancer in May 2025.
Jill gave a look into her life by Joe's side in her memoir, View from the East Wing: A Memoir. It chronicles her days in the White House throughout Joe's term as president.
Additionally, Jill has supported Joe throughout his difficult cancer diagnosis, which was announced in May 2025. He has stage 4 prostate cancer, which his family has said has spread to his bones.
In a personal message, Joe wrote, "Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support."
