What did Biden’s Last State of the Union teach us about the United States? A tribute to the late-term president, Sarada Peri
It’s not compelling to people who want that if you don’t have a lot of fight in you.
“I feel sacrilegious if I say this but, it’s not the words he says, it’s the way he presents them,” said Sarada Peri, who worked for former President Barack Obama.
In February of 2023, the President had not yet launched his reelection campaign. He was going to run for a second term, but many in his own party wondered if he was really up for it.
Biden said Republicans want Medicare and Social Secuirty to end. Biden kept the back and forth going, negotiating in real time. And thus began a moment that quieted Biden’s critics and soothed nervous supporters.
The stakes for this speech, where he’s likely to get one of his biggest television audiences of the year, and also lower expectations for Biden, are increased because of the amount of attention given to him in recent weeks.
The Democratic establishment quickly lost their interest in Biden’s political plans after the impromptu moment in the speech last year.
“I think that it was a major turning point for the president, and I think it shows that he’s still got it even though he doesn’t use a lot of words”, said Faiz Nangir, who was part of the campaign for Hillary Clinton. He’s got his wits and he’s got his humor.
He said the speech worked on two different levels, Biden was standing up for popular programs and taking the fight to his GOP adversaries in Congress.
Seagraves has seen news stories about concerns about Biden’s age. She believes that the concerns are overblown. She liked the end of his speech, in which he said his age gives him perspective.
The White House press secretary cited that moment again as part of an effort to push back against the assessment. “I mean, we saw it at the last State of the Union,” Jean-Pierre told reporters. “He was able to negotiate while giving a very important speech.”
The White House has said that Biden will lay out his vision and what he has done for Americans so far. He’ll talk about implementing and protecting his agenda, including investing in infrastructure and getting rid of junk fees.
And he’ll draw contrasts with Republicans on economic policy, protecting democracy and reproductive rights — a day after former President Donald Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee in the race.
There will be updates on the war in Gaza, an effort to harangue House Republicans into voting for Ukraine aid, and talk about finishing the job on a long list of domestic priorities.
She said at the end of his remarks that she didn’t have a better idea of how he planned to keep her son safe. She wanted more of an idea rather than just hitting all the bases.
She doesn’t like the second Biden-Trump match up, and she’s one of the many american voters who don’t like it.
“I wish I could take bits and pieces, from their track records and put them together and add a few ingredients and make the perfect president,” she told NPR.
She likes to watch the State of the Union with wine and popcorn. She watched this time with an eye to how she’ll vote.
According to recent polling, women aged 50 and up are the most important part of the election. They are, as a group, reliable voters, who are more politically moderate and less partisan than many other voting blocs.
Biden’s campaign has a lot of work to do, as seen by Seagraves’ experience, which shows that she is just one voter.
Seagraves is a nurse by training, who now works as a consultant for hospitals and tech companies. She is a frequent voter, though in these times of political polarization, she says she’s long had a rule of avoiding talking about politics, “because to me, it was a bunch of people screaming at each other on TV and I really hate conflict.”
“Being a caregiver, having aging parents, having a daughter, having a son who’s in the military,” she said. “Having, you know, all the things I have to worry about going forward for myself in my future and retirement, it’s just, there’s a lot on the table.”
The Birth of America: Why Do We Need to Know? A Times Woman’s Perspective on the Alabama Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade
Her daughter has reproductive rights that are important to Seagraves. She is appalled by the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision that stopped in vitro fertilization treatments there.
So it got her attention when Biden, about 10 minutes into the speech, described how the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade affected the ability of women to get IVF treatments and emergency abortions.
She said she was glad that he was talking about reproductive rights, noting that many of her Republican friends are upset about it. “And he’s actually giving it a lot of time, which I like too.”
“Yes!” My daughter’s job in the school district in Tennessee is less than the one she had in Texas. It’s really a labor of love,” she said.
“My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy, a future based upon core values that have defined America: honesty, decency, equality, to respect everyone, to give everyone a fair shot, to give hate no safe harbor,” Biden said.
On Super Tuesday, did you do well on the pop quiz? If you didn’t get the score you were looking for, this news quiz is a chance to redeem yourself.
Couple to Throuple: From TV to Movies, Travelling with a Little Child to a Family Travelling With a Small Child
TV: Peacock’s new dating show, Couple to Throuple has something in common with other shows in the genre: It’s terrible yet watchable. There are four couples attempting to find a “third” in polyamory.
Movies: The five documentaries nominated for an Oscar all take on tough topics. While they can be hard to watch, here’s why NPR’s Linda Holmes thinks you should see them anyway.
Traveling with a young child can be a harrowing experience. Preethi Harbuck runs the blog “Local Passport Family” and is a mom of six. With the right mindset and preparation, she says it can be fun for all. Here are her tips:
The Violent Government of Haiti and the Reionization of Government Buildings in the Confrontation with President Ariel Henry’s Emergency Plan
Haiti extended its state of emergency for another 30 days. Armed gangs have surrounded the country’s main airport in Port-au-Prince, and acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry is stranded in Puerto Rico. The gangs are demanding Henry’s removal after a series of attacks on government buildings. Here’s what to know about the violence in Haiti.
New leadership is being voted on by the Republican National Committee. Committee members are expected to pick several Trump loyalists — including a family member.
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