Viral New York Times security guard will be the 1st person to put Biden's name into nomination for president

(Image credit: Twitter/Lindy Li)

published 19 August 2020

New York Times security guard Jacquelyn Brittany has escorted some big names into the newsroom, but she's only professed her love to one of them: former Vice President Joe Biden.

Cameras for the Times' show The Weekly caught their encounter last December, and the video quickly went viral. On Tuesday night, Jacquelyn, who has not shared her last name, will be the first person to officially nominate Biden for president ahead of the roll call vote, The Washington Post reports. In an interview, she told the Post she "never thought I would be in a position to do this. I never thought I was worthy enough to do this."

The 31-year-old said the way Biden has persevered through tragedies, like his first wife and daughter dying in a car accident, has inspired her. "He's been through so much, and he doesn't show it on the outside," she said. "He may feel it on the inside — and I'm that type of person."

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Jacquelyn told the Post she only speaks to guests at work if they talk to her first, and she wanted to say something to Biden while she had the opportunity. When a Biden aide encouraged her to talk to him, Jacquelyn jumped at the chance, blurting out, "I love you. I do. You're like my favorite." Biden thanked her and asked if she'd like to take a selfie with him. He was "just genuinely, genuinely nice to people," Jacquelyn said. "We don't get that from everybody." Biden didn't end up receiving the Times' endorsement, but during an appearance in Iowa, told the crowd, "I got something better. I got to meet Jacquelyn." Catherine Garcia

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.