photo credit: Noah Abrams/KRCB
First Lady Jill Biden greeted by Sonoma County Supervisors David Rabbitt (middle)
and James Gore (left), as well as Gore's wife, Elizabeth Gore on the tarmac
at the Santa Rosa Charles M. Schulz Airport on Thursday, January 18th, 2024.

There's still a question of whether the jet engines even had the chance to cool down as First Lady Dr. Jill Biden made an in-and-out appearance at a fundraising visit to Healdsburg, part of a support trip for President Joe Biden's 2024 re-election campaign.

Greeting the First Lady at the Sonoma Jet Center Thursday afternoon, Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore.

"You know, it's real special to be able to host not just people of high profile, but people who are serving at the highest level of office," Gore said. "And the fact that we have amazing constituents like Barbara Grasseschi, who don't just talk about what they want to see, but they, they step up and they organize. I mean, that's what Sonoma County's all about."

The First Lady was the guest of honor for the fundraiser, hosted at Grasseschi' and husband Tony Crabb's Puma Springs Vineyards west of Healdsburg.

Also greeting Biden at the rural venue: close to two dozen Palestinian solidarity protestors, who chanted:

"Teacher Jill what do you say? How many schools have we bombed today?"

The demonstrators, both at the Sonoma County Airport and in front of the fundraising venue, called for a ceasefire and peace in Gaza.

An attendee at the fundraiser who gave his name as Ben, said the focus was on "top line" issues and what's at stake come November, saying briefly of the event and the protest:

"Lovely to meet the first lady, and I actually support this kind of position," he said. "So it all feels good to me."

Allison Sides, from West Sonoma County, said she has a message for the First Lady, and everyone serving in the U.S. government.

"You know, she says that she is a proponent, a supporter of women and children," Sides said. "Babies are dying as we speak. Women are dying as we speak; and I wanna know how she's okay with that, and what is she gonna do? Is she gonna pressure her husband?"

First Lady Jill Biden appeared at events in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City prior to her visit to Healdsburg.