Inside Joe Biden's Relationship With His Sister, Valerie

While Joe Biden accidentally introducing his wife, Jill Biden, as his sister, Valerie Biden Owens, during his Super Tuesday speech in March may have been a gaffe (via YouTube), it highlighted something true about the siblings' relationship: Joe and Valerie are genuinely close. "She's been on my handlebar since she was 3 years old," the president-elect said in The New York Times, referring to Valerie as his best friend. Adds campaign spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander, "She and her brother have been an indomitable team since they were children. Some might ask, 'Would she have been successful but for her brother?' Others might ask the question in reverse."

Having managed most of her older brother's campaigns, from running for class president to all of his senate wins and his previous two presidential races, Valerie has seen Joe through both good times and bad. When, as a young freshman senator, Joe lost his first wife, Neilia Hunter Biden, and daughter, Naomi, in a car accident, it was Valerie who quit her job as a school teacher to move in with Joe so she could look after Joe's sons, Beau and Hunter, full time. "Val was the critical anchor who helped Joe decide he was going to remain in the Senate, and to decide he was going to go on with life," notes Senator Chris Coons of Delaware.

President-elect Joe Biden isn't the only one who benefits from his strong bond with younger sister Valerie Biden Owens. As reported in The New York Times, Valerie has received jobs, as well as appointments and speaking engagements, thanks to her connections through Joe. "I had a better seat at the table because my brother is at the head of the table," Valerie has acknowledged. "The Bidens are a very close family and they always try to help each other," adds Mike Lux, a political strategist who worked on Joe's 1988 presidential campaign.

Though she was an effective surrogate on the 2020 campaign trail, Valerie, who is currently vice chair of the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware and the Biden Foundation, does not plan on packing her bags anytime soon. When asked on Axios on HBO if she would be moving to Washington, D.C., or taking on any formal roles, Valerie quickly answered no and said that her role would simply be sister. As for how she'll address the future 46th president? Valerie says she'll call him Joey or Joe, adding, "If he calls me First Sister, I'll call him Mr. President."