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

[1 March 2022 16:02 · Andrew Naughtie]

Another positive test in Congress...

Following on the heels of Alex Padilla is Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, who now says he will “follow the speech closely” after his positive Covid-19 test.

[1 March 2022 16:48 · Andrew Naughtie]

A look at Biden’s numbers...

Joe Biden’s overall approval rating is underwater, and there aren’t many issues where Americans rate him highly. But the Washington Post’s Aaron Blake pulls out some data that shows Biden ahead on one thing.

[1 March 2022 17:27 · David Taintor]

Zelensky urges Biden to say something ‘strong’ and ‘useful’ in State of the Union speech

Ukraine’s president is urging Joe Biden to say something that is “useful” for his government and shy away from vague statements of support that are not backed up by action during his State of the Union address.

Volodymyr Zelensky made the comments on Tuesday, hours before Mr Biden is due to address a joint session of Congress.

“It’s very serious ... I’m not in a movie,” he told CNN and Reuters from his command center in Kyiv.

Read more from The Independent’s John Bowden:

[1 March 2022 17:30 · Andrew Naughtie]

Zelensky’s message to Biden in advance of State of the Union

Speaking to CNN hours before Joe Biden gives a speech that could define his administration’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has given an interview where he asked Joe Biden to offer a “useful” message tonight.

“It’s very serious... I’m not in a movie,” he told CNN. “I’m not iconic, I think Ukraine is iconic... Ukraine is the heart of Europe, and now I think Europe sees Ukraine is something special for this world.”

Watch CNN’s report here.

[1 March 2022 18:05 · Andrew Naughtie]

GOP’s Ernst previews state of the Union with memes on Senate floor

Joni Ernst, a Republican Senator from Iowa, has been speaking about Joe Biden’s presidency and the economy on the floor of the Senate – and she’s equipped with some rather lurid accessories:

[1 March 2022 18:45 · Andrew Naughtie]

Explainer: Why this is Biden’s first SOTU

Joe Biden has been in office nearly 1,000 days, but tonight’s State of the Union will be his first – something that speaks volumes of the circumstances in which he arrived in the White House. Here, Gino Spocchia and Megan Sheets look back at the situation in January last year.

[1 March 2022 19:29 · Oliver O'Connell]

Governor Reynolds of Iowa to give GOP response to Biden speech

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will deliver the Republican response to President Joe Biden‘s State of the Union address on March 1, GOP congressional leaders announced last week.

Governor Reynolds was praised by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell as fighting Covid-19 “without forgetting common sense” by protecting Iowans’ health and their rights at the same time.

She is the 43rd governor of Iowa and has served since May of 2017.

[1 March 2022 19:42 · Oliver O'Connell]

Crises and setbacks form backdrop of Biden’s first State of the Union speech

The last time President Joe Biden addressed a joint session of Congress, he said the country was “ready for takeoff” after a period of plague and strife.

It’s been a more turbulent flight than expected. Biden is scheduled to deliver his first State of the Union speech on Tuesday night at a moment when he’ has struggled to deliver on many of his original promises and as he is being forced to confront new crises.

The gap between the two major speeches — the first one was last April — is the story of a presidency that has repeatedly needed to recalibrate its ambitions.

[1 March 2022 20:03 · Oliver O'Connell]

White House announces Jill Biden’s guest list for State of the Union

The White House has revealed the guest list for First Lady Jill Biden’s box at the State of the Union Address this evening.

Each of these individuals, with their resilience, innovation, service, and courage, were chosen by the White House because they represent policies or themes to be addressed by the President in his speech.

The Second Gentleman, Douglas Emhoff, the President’s sister, Valerie Biden Owens, and the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, Oksana Markarova, will also join the First Lady in the viewing box.

The following Americans will join them:

Joseph “JoJo” Burgess (Washington, Pennsylvania) New Employee Organization Trainer, United Steelworkers Local 1557

Mr Burgess is a 20-year member of the United Steelworkers and works at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works facility, where he assists with training new hires and inspires future generations of steelworkers. He is also a US Army veteran and served in Operation Desert Storm. He introduced President Biden recently at an event at Mill 19 in Pittsburgh about the importance of investing in infrastructure, manufacturing, and making more in America.

Joshua Davis (Midlothian, Virginia) 7th Grade, Swift Creek Middle School, Diabetes Advocate

Mr Davis is a 13-year-old who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 11 months old. When he was four years old, he advocated for the Virginia General Assembly to pass a bill making school safer for kids with Type 1 diabetes. The Davis family, including his father Brian, who also has Type 1 diabetes, campaign for lower prescription drug costs. They recently introduced President Biden at an event on this issue on 10 February 2022.

Refynd Duro (Galloway, Ohio) Progressive Care Unit Nurse, The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center

Ms Duro has been treating patients with Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, and at times has had to quarantine away from her family because of her job, including her four-year-old son. She advocates for bedside nurses and patient safety.

Patrick “Pat” Gelsinger (Santa Clara, California) Chief Executive Officer, Intel

Mr Gelsinger serves as the CEO of Intel, where he spent the first 30 years of his career and served as Intel’s first Chief Technology Officer. He is a member of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. On 21 January 2022, he announced one of the largest investments in a semiconductor manufacturing facility in recent US history. Construction on a $20bn Intel facility near Columbus, Ohio.

Frances Haugen (Iowa City, Iowa) Former Facebook Lead Product Manager on Civic Misinformation

Ms Haugen is a specialist in algorithmic product management, having worked on ranking algorithms at Google, Pinterest, Yelp and Facebook. She was recruited to Facebook to be the lead Product Manager on the Civic Misinformation team, which dealt with issues related to democracy and misinformation, and, later, worked on counter-espionage. She is an advocate for more humanity and transparency across the tech and social media industry, especially as it relates to teen mental health.

Melissa Isaac (Mt. Pleasant, Michigan) Gizhwaasod (“Protector of the Young”) at the Michigan Department of Education’s Indigenous Education Initiative and Founder of Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe’s Project AWARE Program

Ms Isaac is an enrolled member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and serves her community through her role at the Michigan Department of Education. Most recently, Isaac worked as the Director of Education for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. As an elementary school teacher at Saginaw Chippewa Academy (SCA), Isaac recognised the need to support the mental health of her students and their families. Previously, she met the first lady andSurgeon General Dr.Vivek Murthy on 24 October 2021, when they hosted a listening session focused on youth mental health.

Danielle Robinson (Columbus, Ohio) Surviving Spouse of Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson

Danielle Robinson is the widow of Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson, who deployed to Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo and the Camp Liberty/Victory complex in Iraq. SFC Robinson was serving on active duty as a combat engineer in the Ohio National Guard when he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder and stage 4 lung cancer.  He passed away in May of 2020.  Ms Robinson is an advocate for helping service members and veterans who have been exposed to environmental hazards and burn pits while serving.

Kezia Rodriguez (North Bergen, New Jersey) Student-Parent at Bergen Community College

Ms Rodriguez is a full-time student at Bergen Community College and mother of twin daughters. She enrolled her children in Bergen’s tuition-free child care program, an initiative made possible by the American Rescue Plan. Originally from Queens, New York, she is a first-generation American and the daughter of parents from Brazil. Ms Rodriguez introduced the first lady at Bergen Community College on 10 January 2022.

[1 March 2022 20:10 · Oliver O'Connell]

Facebook whistleblower to attend State of the Union as Biden calls for crackdown on social media firms

Of particular note on the guest list for the first lady’s box at the State of the Union is the Facebook whistleblower who leaked tens of thousands of internal documents and accused the company of prioritising money over public safety.

Former Facebook manager Frances Haugen will attend the speech in which President Joe Biden is expected to outline his plan to hold social media companies accountable for their role in America’s mental health crisis.

Megan Sheets reports.