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 22:05 · Oliver O'Connell]

All the drama - The six most memorable moments of the State of the Union

Just over a year into his presidency — and with nine months until the midterm elections — President Joe Biden delivered his first official State of the Union message to Congress.

With the House of Representatives’ mask mandates gone, Mr Biden’s speech was delivered to a packed, albeit socially distant, House chamber, with most of Congress, the Supreme Court, his cabinet, and a First Lady’s box full of guests including Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova.

Andrew Feinberg reports on the standout moments.

[2 March 2022 22:15 · Oliver O'Connell]

Manchin: ‘I didn’t hear what I wanted to hear’ in SOTU

After sitting with Republicans during the State of the Union, Democrat Senator Joe Manchin appeared on Fox Business to discuss the address to Congress.

“I didn’t hear what I wanted to hear,” he said, adding that he and Biden can “agree to disagree.”

He also seems to use environment and climate interchangedly.

[2 March 2022 22:22 · Oliver O'Connell]

Fact check: What did Biden get wrong in the State of the Union?

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.

According to CNN, Mr Biden only made one claim in his remarks that turned out to be completely false.

Andrew Feinberg runs through the mistakes and falsehoods.