The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
First spouses gather in a virtual reception
It wasn’t exactly a private afternoon tea in the White House Red Room on Monday, but Annie Lamont joined fellow first ladies — and gentlemen — from throughout the country Monday in a virtual get together with first lady Dr. Jill Biden.
“It was very bipartisan,” said the venture-capitalist wife of Gov. Ned Lamont, an early supporter of President Joe Biden. “Dr. Biden reached out to us in that spirit.”
The hourlong-Zoom event on Monday was set up last Friday by Biden’s staff, and the theme, set by Tracey Quillen Carney, wife of Delaware Gov. John Carney, and Dawn Amano-Ige, wife of Hawaii Gov. Dan Ige, was public service.
“Tracey Carney gave a very heartfelt introduction, since she’s close friends with the Bidens,” Lamont recalled of the event. “It was great. There were Republican and Democratic first ladies and gentlemen from throughout the country.” Lamont said she had met several of her contemporaries in recent years at National Governors Association events, and the subtext of problem-solving was a familiar one.
“Dr. Biden reached out in that spirit, reminding us that you are all passionate about helping people,” Lamont said. “She was very inclusive. It was very positive, with a message of unity.” Lamont said Susan Hutchinson, wife of Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, spoke about her personal campaign against sexual abuse in children.
Lamont said the event was even more impressive just a few days into the presidential term. While Lamont said she didn’t speak, others who did included Lauren Baker, wife of Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, and Tammy Snyder Murphy, wife of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.
Other subjects discussed included the pain of the pandemic and the mental health needs of children. Lamont expects Biden will have follow-up events of the same nature. “Looking at the faces on the screen, it looks like she’ll have a lot of support,” Lamont said.