PHILADELPHIA — Jill Biden once again proved it’s not wise to challenge a Philly girl.
On Tuesday night, as former Vice President Joe Biden celebrated an impressive delegate haul, his wife was once again forced to confront a heckler during one of her husband’s speeches.
During the speech in Los Angeles, after Biden won nine states — including Texas — an animal rights protester managed to make it onto the stage flashing an anti-dairy sign. Jill Biden immediately moved to block her husband as a security guard removed the protester, who shouted, “Let dairy die!”
A second heckler then stormed the stage, but was quickly pushed away by Jill Biden and tackled by senior campaign adviser Symone Sanders, who sprinted onto the stage to offer the former second lady an assist.
“If any NFL teams are scouting for a right guard, Jill Biden is available,” joked activist and author Amy Siskind.
“Did not have ‘Jill Biden trucks a vegan’ on my Super Tuesday Bingo card,” wrote BuzzFeed’s Josh Billinson.
The Bidens do not receive Secret Service protection. As a former vice president, Biden was entitled to six months of protection after he left office, according to USA Today. The Department of Homeland Security has the power to extend that protection, but has not done so with Biden.
On MSNBC Tuesday night, Robert Gibbs, who served for three years as former President Barack Obama’s press secretary, called on the department to immediately offer Secret Security to protection to both Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
“Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden need Secret Service protection,” Gibbs said. “What happened tonight was nothing short of genuinely scary.”
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Following the event, Jill Biden simply wrote on Twitter, “What a night.” Sanders wryly noted, “I broke a nail.”
It’s the second time in the span of the month Jill Biden has been forced to act as her husband’s security guard. Last month, she shoved a shouting heckler off the stage during a campaign event in Manchester, N.H. She joked about the incident following the speech, telling reporters, “I’m a good Philly girl.”
The former second lady, who grew up in Willow Grove, has been a constant on the campaign trail, giving speeches and holding separate campaign events.
