State of the Union 2022 - Boebert doubles down on heckle as veteran’s widow calls for her removal

As it happened: Joe Biden delivers his first State of the Union address to Congress

220301 SOTU ROUND UP_2.mp4

Joe Biden has woken up an encouraging reception for his first State of the Union address, which snap polling says met with the approval of more than two-thirds of Americans – a rare bit of good news for a president whose ratings remain underwater.

Mr Biden at times received bipartisan standing applause in the House chamber last night, especially during his remarks on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Putin’s war was premeditated and unprovoked,” the president said. “He rejected efforts at diplomacy. He thought the West and Nato wouldn’t respond. And, he thought he could divide us here at home. Putin was wrong. We were ready.”

However, progressives have given a lukewarm reception to the domestic elements of Mr Biden’s speech, in which he promised to “fund the police” while declining to go as far as some wanted on key issues like immigration.

Speaking on MSNBC, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that “there’s some themes that are left a little bit to be desired for key constituencies in the Democratic base, but the president’s goal was very clear on really projecting a theme of unity and I think he’s still stuck to that.”

Meanwhile, the White House has hit back at heckling from far-right Congresswomen Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, with Press Secretary Jen Psaki remarking that their shouting at the president “says a lot more about them” than it does about the substance of his speech.

Key Points

• Read Biden’s State of the Union in full
• GOP response: Biden has taken us ‘back in time'
• Right-wing members booed for heckling Biden

[2 March 2022 19:40 · Oliver O'Connell]

Widow of veteran at State of the Union hits out at ‘disrespectful’ Lauren Boebert

The widow of a US veteran who was honoured in Joe Biden’s State of the Union has slammed Lauren Boebert for being “disrespectful” to soldiers who died serving their country after she heckled the president’s speech.

Danielle Robinson told The Independent that Rep Boebert’s outburst in the middle of the president’s comments about supporting veterans was a “slap in the face” to people like her late husband Sgt 1st Class Heath Robinson.

Ms Robinson, who was seen emotionally looking on as the president dedicated part of his address to telling her husband’s story, said the congresswoman should no longer be allowed in Congress because of her behaviour.

Rachel Sharp reports for The Independent.

[2 March 2022 19:45 · Oliver O'Connell]

New sanctions do not stop import of Russian oil

The new sanctions do not stop the import of Russian oil, but as President Biden told reporters earlier, every option remains on the table.

Senator Joe Manchin, who chairs the energy committee, has told reporters that he will introduce bipartisan legislation to prevent any further imports of Russian oil by the US.

[2 March 2022 20:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Blinken to travel to Europe

The State Department has announced that Secretary Antony Blinken will leave Washington DC tomorrow to visit Belgium, Poland, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

In Brussels he will meets with Nato, EU, and G& counterparts to discuss “continued coordination on imposing massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia”.

Much of the foreign policy element of the State of the Union speech by President Joe Biden emphasised the unity and resolve of allied nations in reponding to Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

[2 March 2022 20:15 · Oliver O'Connell]

Pushback from progressives over Biden ‘defund police’ remarks

There is pushback from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party over President Biden’s remarks regarding funding the police rather than defunding them as the left has called for.

Squad member Jamaal Bowman of New York said: “At a time when people of colour still feel terrorised by police, it was disappointing that the president did not push hard enough for law enforcement accountability."

[2 March 2022 20:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Fact-checking the State of the Union – what did Biden get wrong?

President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address posed little trouble for fact checkers, with some major outlets left quibbling over minor details rather than calling out blatant lies as they did with his predecessor.

Andrew Feinberg looks at the few false claims made by the president.

[2 March 2022 20:45 · Oliver O'Connell]

Build Back Better is built back better with post-State of the Union rebrand

At President Joe Biden’s appearance at the Univeristy of Wisconsin this afternoon, the new branding of his Build Back Better program for post-pandemic America is in full evidence.

Bloomberg News’ Nancy Cook notes a sign reading “Building a Better America” — a line from last night’s speech.

Here’s that segment of the speech:

We have a choice. One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer. I have a better plan to fight inflation.

Lower your costs, not your wages. Make more cars and semiconductors in America. More infrastructure and innovation in America. More goods moving faster and cheaper in America. More jobs where you can earn a good living in America. And, instead of relying on foreign supply chains – let’s make it in America.

Economists call it “increasing the productive capacity of our economy.” I call it building a better America.

My plan to fight inflation will lower your costs and lower the deficit.

President Joseph R Biden

[2 March 2022 21:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Biden promises return to more normal routines as Covid recedes

During his State of the Union address President Joe Biden promised that with Covid-19 now receding the US could look forward to a return to “more normal routines”.

On Wednesday morning, at the White House Covid-19 task force press briefing, details were given of what “more normal” would look like.

Graog Graziosi reports.

[2 March 2022 21:20 · Oliver O'Connell]

First Biden State of the Union draws in 32 million viewers

With the Russian invasion of Ukraine dominating the headlines, and concerns over inflation on the minds of many Americans, there was certain to be great interest in Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address.

Deadline reports that among the main broadcasters and cable news networks, the total audience was 32 million people between 9pm and 10.15pm.

That result comes for a combination of ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Fox News Channel, CNN, and MSNBC. The Rupert Murdoch-owned outlet was in first place among the channels in the 9:10 – 10:15 PM ET time period with 6.9 million tuning in. Disney-owned ABC was in second place with 5.9 million viewers. Third place CBS had an audience of 4.6 million NBC and CNN were tied for fourth place with 4.5 million watching, MSNBC had 4 million and Fox the network had 1.8 million watching.

In the 25-54 demo, ABC News topped with 1.73 million, followed by CNN with 1.62 million, Fox News with 1.6 million, NBC News with 1.43 million, CBS News with 994,000, MSNBC with 653,000 and Fox network with 626,000.

Deadline

His joint address of Congress in 2021 drew 26.9 million viewers.

Four years ago, Donald Trump’s first State of the Union drew a total of 45.6 million viewers as a divided America tuned in in adulation, fascination, or hatred.

[2 March 2022 21:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Biden touts ‘infrastructure decade’ in Wisconsin

[2 March 2022 21:50 · Oliver O'Connell]

Jon Stewart blasts Republicans for falling to get behind Biden’s war on toxins

Jon Stewart has blasted Republicans for opposing US President Joe Biden’s so-called “war on toxins” in the wake of his State of the Union address.

Speaking about Mr Biden’s “war on toxins” on Wednesday, the comedian and campaigner for veterans blasted Republicans for not supporting a bill already working its way through Congress which would improve access to health care for veterans suffering from toxic exposure.

“F*** that,” Mr Stewart said of an amendment from congressman Mike Bost last month, that Mr Stewart said would “switch” access to targeted health care for veterans to ordinary health care coverage.

Gino Spocchia reports.