Despite being heckled and, at times having hostile words such as, “Bullshit” and “Liar” captapulted at him by some rowdy Republican House members, President Joe Biden, appeared relaxed and in command, as he delivered a message of optimism during his State of the Union address.
Appearing in the House Chamber Tuesday night, Biden smiled and offered what could be a preview of his reelection announcement for 2024. While he may have started a little shakily, Biden spoke for 73 minutes, confidently touting his administration’s accomplishments and seemingly taking pleasure in goading and sparring with the new Republican majority.
Biden opened with jokes and congratulations:
“Mr. Speaker, Madam Vice President, our First Lady and Second Gentleman — good to see you guys up there — members of Congress. And, by the way, Chief Justice, I may need a court order. She gets to go to the game next week. I have to stay home. We got to work something out here. You know, I start tonight by congratulating the 118th Congress and the new Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy.”
Biden then served up his first zinger to laughter, “Speaker, I don’t want to ruin your reputation, but I look forward to working with you.”
While a majority of Americans feel he hasn’t accomplished much and Democrats are quietly against him running, Biden (80) was visibly upbeat as began his address:
“The story of America is a story of progress and resilience…We are the only country that has emerged from every crisis stronger than when we entered it. That is what we are doing again. Two years ago our economy was reeling. As I stand here tonight, we have created a record 12 million new jobs – more jobs created in two years than any president has ever created in four years. Two years ago, COVID had shut down our businesses, closed our schools, and robbed us of so much. Today, COVID no longer controls our lives. And two years ago, our democracy faced its greatest threat since the Civil War. Today, though bruised, our democracy remains unbowed and unbroken.”
Biden then touched upon his economic plan, “My economic plan is about investing in places and people that have been forgotten. Amid the economic upheaval of the past four decades too many people have been left behind or treated like they’re invisible. Maybe that’s you watching at home. You remember the jobs that went away. And you wonder whether a path even exists anymore for you and your children to get ahead without moving away. I get it. That’s why we’re building an economy where no one is left behind. Jobs are coming back, pride is coming back because of the choices we made in the last two years. This is a blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America and make a real difference in your lives.”
REELated:
Animated and clearly proud, he boasted how the United States has achieved record-low unemployment. “Well, folks, so let’s look at the results. We’re not finished yet, by any stretch of the imagination. But unemployment rate is at 3.4 percent –- a 50-year low. And near record — and near record unemployment — near record unemployment for Black and Hispanic workers. We’ve already created, with your help, 800,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs — the fastest growth in 40 years.”
The oldest president to hold office called on Republicans to embrace his program of raising taxes on the wealthy and extending social aid to the needy, citing bipartisan legislation passed when Democrats were in charge:
“To my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there is no reason we can’t work together in this new Congress. The people sent us a clear message. Fighting for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power, conflict for the sake of conflict, gets us nowhere. And that’s always been my vision for the country: to restore the soul of the nation, to rebuild the backbone of America: the middle class, to unite the country. We’ve been sent here to finish the job!”
He added, “The people sent us a clear message,” he added. “Fighting for the sake of the fighting, power for the sake of power, conflict for the sake of conflict, gets us nowhere.” Instead, he said, “we’ve been sent here to finish the job, in my view.”
At another point, Mr. Biden swatted the metaphorical hornet’s nest of Republicans when he accused them of threatening Social Security and Medicare. While House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy shook his head, visibly disagreeing, others in his party clapped back. At least one of them shouted, “Bullshit!”
“Liar!” screamed Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, (R, GA).
“Contact my office,” the president responded, offering to give her proof of his point. He added, “That means Congress doesn’t vote — Well, I’m glad to see — no, I tell you, I enjoy conversion (a nod at his Catholic roots) You know, it means if Congress doesn’t keep the programs the way they are, they’d go away. Other Republicans say — I’m not saying it’s a majority of you. I don’t even think it’s a significant — but it’s being proposed by individuals. I’m not — politely not naming them, but it’s being proposed by some of you.”
It’s important to note that Senator Rick Scott (R, FL) has proposed sunsetting Medicare and Social Security with his “Rescue America Plan.”
Biden turned the raucous environment into a somber chamber when he brought up the subject of assault weapons and the latest victim of police brutality – Tyre Nichols.
Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, died Jan. 10 after being severely beaten by Memphis police officers three days previously. Five officers, all of whom are also Black, have been charged with second-degree murder and fired from the city’s police department.
Addressing Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, and stepfather, Rodney Wells in the gallery, Biden recalled how he had never had to have “the talk” with his children— commonplace among Black Americans, in particular — about how to minimize the dangers if they were to be stopped by police.
The president recounted some of the advice often given in such conversations, such as keeping hands on the steering wheel and turning on the vehicle’s interior lighting immediately.
Biden called on Congress to “finish the job” on police reform. He then demanded Congress place a federal ban on assault weapons.
When Mr. Biden brough up the fentanyl crisis – more than 70,000 people died last year – Republicans openly jeered.
“Fentanyl is killing more than 70,000 Americans a year,” Biden said promting some lawmakers to yell, “Border!” Another shouted “It’s your fault.”
After Republicans urged Biden needs to close the southern border, the president replied, “You got it,” but didn’t follow up with any details.
Biden finished his fentanyl thought, “So let’s launch a major surge to stop fentanyl production, sale, and trafficking, with more drug detection machines to inspect cargo and stop pills and powder at the borde.”
Biden brings his economic plan to battleground state Wisconsin today.
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