< /p> US President Joe Biden in Washington on February 7, 2023.
Washington – In his State of the Union address today, US President Joe Biden highlighted the US economic recovery after the covid-19 pandemic, saying unemployment is the lowest in 50 years and inflation is falling. Democracy in the US is, according to Biden, “unbent and unbroken” two years after the attack on the Capitol, and the United States is doing better economically than the rest of the world. The Democratic president also called for the cooperation of the Republicans, who have the majority in the House of Representatives after last year's elections. At the same time, he emphasized US support for Russia's attack on Ukraine and said that the US does not want a conflict with China.
Advertisement'; }
Photo gallery
< /p>
< /p>
“The story of America is a story of progress and resilience… We are the only country that has come out of every crisis stronger than when it entered it. We are doing that again now,” Biden said at the beginning of the more than hour-long speech. He noted that covid-19 no longer dominates the lives of Americans and that democracy in the US is unbroken. He called the attack on the Capitol two years ago the biggest threat to American democracy since the Civil War.
Biden said 12 million new jobs had been created in the US since he took office, adding that this was more than any other US president had done in four years. Referring to his father, he said work is not just about a “paycheck” but about respect and dignity. He added that unemployment in the US is 3.4 percent, the lowest it has been in 50 years.
Biden called inflation a global problem, referring to the energy and food crisis related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He added, however, that inflation in the US is falling, and with it, fuel prices. At the same time, he pointed to the previous year's infrastructure investment package and emphasized the need to continue investments. He also announced new standards that will require construction materials in federal infrastructure projects to be made in the US.
Democrats and Republicans, according to Biden, can work together despite the claims of “cynics”. In this context, the President noted that since taking office he has signed more than 300 laws, in which both Republicans and Democrats participated. “If we were able to cooperate in the last Congress, there is no reason why we cannot cooperate in this new Congress as well. The people sent us a clear message. Fight for fight, power for power, conflict for conflict will not move us anywhere,” he said.
According to CNN, Biden's speech could be a sample of his future election campaign, although the 80-year-old politician has not yet officially confirmed his candidacy in the next presidential election.
A significant part of the speech was devoted to key topics in domestic politics. The American president has spoken out in favor of police reform or a ban on assault rifles. He drew applause from Republicans and Democrats alike when he called most police officers “good and decent people,” but added that “when police officers or police departments violate the public's trust, we must hold them accountable.” “What happened to Tyre in Memphis happens all too often,” Biden said, referring to the death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, who died in January after a brutal police operation and whose parents were in the audience.
The president also said, that he will seek to preserve access to abortion and intends to block legislation that would prevent it. The nationwide right to abortion, based on the 1973 Roe v. Wade verdict, was struck down by the US Supreme Court last June.
The president devoted a shorter part of his speech to foreign policy. He particularly emphasized Russia's continued support for the embattled Ukraine and said he was committed to working with China in areas where it serves American interests and benefits the world. In an apparent reference to the downing of a Chinese balloon that Washington says was equipped with spy technology, he emphasized that the United States will not allow China to threaten its sovereignty.
We have stood up to Putin's aggression, Biden said in his State of the Union message< /h3>
In his State of the Union address today, US President Joe Biden highlighted US support for Russia-invaded Ukraine, saying the United States has united NATO, formed a global coalition and stood up to Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression. The head of the White House also briefly commented on China. According to him, the United States seeks competition, not conflict, and intends to cooperate in areas where it will defend American interests.
“Together, we did what America always does best,” Biden said in his second State of the Union address, nearly a year since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. “We led. We united NATO. We created a global coalition. We stood against Putin's aggression. We stood on the side of the Ukrainian people,” the US president added, pointing to the presence of Ukraine's ambassador in Washington, Oksana Markarov, saying that she represents not only her country but also the courage of his people. According to Biden, America is united in its support of Ukraine and will support it as long as necessary.
Shortly after, Biden commented on strained relations with China. He said he made it clear to his Chinese counterpart that America was seeking “competition, not conflict.” He did not directly mention the rift surrounding a Chinese balloon shot down after flying over the US, but stressed that the United States will always defend its sovereignty.
“I am committed to working with China where it can advance American interests and benefit the world,” he said. . “But as we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will protect our country, and we have,” Biden said.
Biden has disappointed, refuses to defend US interests, Republicans react to the message
American President Joe Biden and his Democrats have failed Americans, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said today in the Republican response to Biden's State of the Union message. According to her, the president refuses to stand up for the interests of the United States and defy China and other countries.
“We don't have much in common with President Biden,” Huckabee Sanders, who was White House press secretary under Biden's predecessor Donald Trump, said at the beginning of the speech. “I'm for freedom. (Biden) is for government control. The dividing line no longer divides America into right and left. The choice is between sane and crazy,” the governor said. According to her, the Democrats and the Biden administration have been taken over by the radical left, which rejects conservative values.
“President Biden and the Democrats have failed you. It's time for a change,” Huckabee Sanders said, and in a speech focused mainly on social issues, she promised that a new generation of Republicans will bring change to Americans.
Democrat Biden, who assessed the situation in the country today in a message before Congress, according to Huckabee Sanders, is not protecting the United States from internal threats when he supports voices calling for police reforms. “Beyond our borders, from Afghanistan to Ukraine, from North Korea to Iran, Biden is putting our nation at risk with his weakness,” she added. According to the governor, Biden also refuses to stand up to China, which is the biggest adversary of the USA.
“Biden is unwilling to defend our borders, our skies and defend our nation. He is unfit to be commander in chief,” Huckabee Sanders said. According to the BBC server, by mentioning the sky, she was alluding to an incident from the last few days, when a Chinese balloon appeared over American territory. Washington called it a spy and shot it down, China insists it was a weather balloon.
The US president said today that he is willing to cooperate with China if it furthers US interests. At the same time, however, he wants to protect the USA if China threatens its sovereignty.
Biden, who is expected to announce his re-election bid in the coming months, faces a divided Congress and a challenging political environment, according to the Associated Press. Additionally, only 37 percent of Democrats want him to seek a second term, according to a poll that week. However, the heated partisan divisions were evident today even during the message – when Biden opened his speech, Democrats gave him a standing ovation. New Republican chairman Kevin McCarthy remained seated.
Biden faced 'liar' call, his wife kissed vice president's husband
US President Joe Biden repeatedly had to face the cry of “liar” or “crap” from Republicans during his State of the Union address. His wife Jill Biden then faced a series of questions on social media as to why she kissed Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, on the lips. The New York Times (NYT) and the DPA agency write about it.
The NYT notes that as recently as 2009, it was considered a major offense when Republican Joe Wilson yelled “you lie” at then-President Barack Obama during his address to both houses of the US Congress. “Times have changed. Republican lawmakers shouted 'liar' and 'bullshit' during parts of Biden's speech, and no one seemed shocked,” writes the American newspaper. appeared to be the start of his re-election campaign. Biden has not yet announced his candidacy, but is widely expected to do so in the coming weeks or months.
One of Biden's most active opponents was the controversial Republican and conspiracy theorist Marjorie Taylor Greene, who already walked around the Congress building with a large white inflatable balloon before the speech , in which she took issue with the US administration's response to the Chinese spy balloon, which Biden had shot down only after it had flown over the United States for several days.
However, another woman caused a stir during the State of the Union address, namely US First Lady Jill Biden, who, to the surprise of many, planted a kisson the mouth of the other men USA Doug Emhoff. In response, people are asking on social media if this is normal.
Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff greet each other with… a kiss on the lips?
Is this… normal? pic.twitter.com/HX5p74fJHw
— Cabot Phillips (@cabot_phillips) February 8, 2023
In contrast, US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh was left out of this year's State of the Union message because he was chosen as a so-called “designated survivor”, i.e. a member of the administration who would stand at the head of the government in the event of a disaster that claimed the lives of his colleagues. During the speech, he stayed at an unknown location, was protected as the head of state and had a briefcase with a “nuclear button” at his disposal.
