The Young Turks - Hour 1: TYT REACTS LIVE TO THE 2023 STATE OF THE UNION

Episode Date: February 8, 2023

Hour 1: Join Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian as they watch and analyze Biden’s 2023 State of the Union speech. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to the Young Turks, the online news show. Make sure to follow and rate our show with not one, not two, not three, not four, but five stars. You're awesome. Thank you. All right. Welcome to Young Turks, State of the Union coverage, Jankue Granik, sparing with you guys. So the speech starts in about 25 minutes. So we're going to tell you the things that he's going to talk about in the lead up to it.

And we will do play by play as a speech happens, and then obviously we'll do commentary and analysis afterwards. And so, and we will read your comments throughout to get you guys involved in the conversation. So let me start with what the main objective for Joe Biden is in this speech. So he's now seen the numbers that we talked about at the beginning of the Young Turks show now about two and a half hours ago, which was the Washington Post poll that came out saying, the great majority of the country does not want him to run. If it's about 80% that doesn't want them to run, right there, boom, on that fact alone, that's devastating, okay?

But even within the Democratic Party, the great majority do not want them to run. Only 37% want them to run. 63% say don't run. So that is devastation number two for Joe Biden. But remember, so they're aware of that, and Washington Post is within their bubble, So they're going to be worried about them. They're going to want to address that. So he's going to make the best possible case for himself here.

Because in a sense, this isn't the state of the union. This is him launching his presidential campaign. I just, I need to jump in on that. And I'm sure we'll comment on it more throughout the night. But it is so incredibly selfish for Joe Biden to pursue a second term. Just out of self-interest. You're too old. Sorry.

You're too old. you need to step down and allow for a different Democrat, someone younger with more energy, who could remember the health secretary's name, for instance, to run for that position. But he can't help himself. And by the way, he ran with his first term claiming that he would not seek a second term. And of course, he's going to seek a second term. It's just insane. But that's where we're at.

Yeah. And so some naive folks ask, and I don't blame you for being naive, because it depends on who your media is. So if you largely watch mainstream media, you, they're tail of you all the time. These politicians are wonderful, honorable people. And so some folks not innocently ask, like, why? What does Biden try to get done? Why does he want a second term? Well, why did he want a first term?

Okay. He's not trying to get anything done. He just wants power and status. And he's wanted to be president in his whole life. He's thrilled that he's president. and he would love to win a second term just to be more historic. If you want to know what politicians care about, yes, they care about money, status, power, all those things.

But their number one thing, which kind of takes all that and rolls it up in one ball, is legacy. How will I be remembered? I am an important person. I should be remembered as a very, very important person. That's why Biden's running again. Now, if you say these obvious points, which if you're out there and you're watching, left wing, right way, it doesn't matter, you're all going to say, yeah, that's obviously true, right?

If you say this stuff inside Washington, persona non grata, you'll be banned. They'll say you're a monster, how dare you, this is so mean of you to say about this incredibly beautifully powerful person who we should kiss the ass of, right? We're not going to do that. you know if you watch TYT, we never do that. So I think there's some chance that it isn't Buttigieg or the other Democratic Gavin Newsom, the other Democratic hopefuls that are planting stories in the New York Times like the one today about Kamala Harris. Yeah, that was Ted Cruz's point. And he's right that a lot of times the sources are other powerful politicians. That's

how news media works. He knows it because he is also a powerful politician. 100%, right? He's probably fed stories to the press, who just service stenographers because they think they're getting a scoop. 100 billion percent. They just regurgitate whatever their sources say. That's why their sources go to them because they're like, oh, if you go to an independent journalist like Ryan Grimm or David Day and or David Sarota or Jonathan Larson, they're not going to just regurgitate what you say they're going to do real journalism. So don't go to them, go to the New York Times.

They'll just vomit out whatever you told them and go, I got a scoop. I got a scoop and the rest of the town will celebrate them, right? I think it's not Buttigieg in those other hopefuls. I think there's a good chance the call is coming from inside the House, the White House, because if Kamala Harris is seen as a viable alternative, then there'll be a lot more pressure on Biden not to run. But if Kamala Harris is seen as batter up, but we can't have her run because she's a disaster,

then that reinforces the point, it's got to be Biden. It's got to be Biden. We don't have a choice. I mean, the poor guy didn't want to do it, but I mean, his allies may be fed it to the New York Times to bury his own vice president. I mean, Kamala Harris has a chance. Yeah, I mean, Kamala Harris, like, it's not even a conversation. Let's just keep it real, okay?

This administration has been disastrous for her, and it is what it is. I honestly don't know who I would want to run, right? Slip pickings for the Democratic Party. So for those who are concerned about that, I hear you because I share similar concerns. But guys, Joe Biden, we don't cover it on the show because there's so many other stories that are worthy of covering and spending more time on. But the memory issues that Biden very clearly has when he's out there speaking, I forget the name of the congresswoman, but there was a pretty tragic story last year

about a congresswoman who died in a car accident. Biden forgot that she died in a car accident. And while speaking to tout the infrastructure bill, he kept asking for her in the middle of his speech. By name, where is she? Where is she? She was supposed to be here? Where is she? No, but guys, I, we covered that. So the first thing I thought is, wait, wait, let's be fair, you know, maybe it just didn't come across his desk. I mean, a congresswoman dying, it's pretty important, but it's possibly that they didn't tell them. And there are 435 Congress people. But then you read into the story and you find out he did a call with their family. Yep.

So he definitely knew and he knew that he had a call with their family and he forgot. Now look, let's be honest, guys, we're, like, if that happened to Trump. Exactly what I was going to say. Okay, let's be honest. If, if Donald Trump had these massive memory lapses, okay, the mainstream media would talk about a 24-7. Yeah, they would. That's right. That's right. And so do they talk about it in an honest way regarding Biden? Hell no. If anything they actively cover it up. And and will be pretty vicious to anyone who raises these legitimate concerns. 100%. Because we're not talking about a small thing. We're talking about the president of the United States guys. So look, policy differences aside, just the nature of his

cognitive decline should have people concerned about him seeking a second term. But we're all supposed to pretend like no, no, no, he's totally fine. Everything's totally normal. And let's just keep going. Let's keep going for another four years. Look, there's a lot of names that attach to the other half of the Democratic Party group. So we're the progressives. They're the establishment Democrats, corporate Democrats, conservative Democrats, whatever you want to call it, mainstream Democrats, whatever you want to call them, right? But I have a lot of friends in that category. So I don't dislike them. I love them. But they, but they, but they They read and watch mainstream media.

So I guarantee you that if they were watching this and we're great friends, so it's not personal, it's not any of that, right? If they were watching this, they'd be furious with us because we're talking about Biden's memory issues, okay? They think that's out of bounds. Where did they get the idea? No, it's not out of bounds, it's not out of bounds. We live in a democracy, we deserve representation by someone who is not dealing with

with cognitive decline. That is no, that is not offensive. Okay, I'm not gonna gaslight the audience and pretend like Joe Biden's mental health is completely on par. He's in great condition. No, you know what's offensive? Telling the American people to shut up

when there's a legitimate concern about the commander in chief having cognitive decline issues. That's offensive. And they, and then some folks will say, now moving past my friends, and I gave them only as an example of, they're coming at it with 100% good faith, right? And even they have a visceral reaction, right?

And so, and but why, why do they have that reaction? Because they're getting it from mainstream media. And mainstream media makes it seem like if you point out something that's wrong with Joe Biden, that's actual, that's real, that's substantive, right? That you're doing something that is like, things that they, that folks will say is, are you trying to help the Republicans? Wait, am I supposed to- No, are you trying to help the Republicans?

Republicans? You're going to put that man up against a Republican candidate in the next presidential election? Are you trying to help Republicans? Answer that question, please. So that's point one. Point two is, wait, are you guys picking the news based on whether it helps or hurts Republicans or Democrats? I mean, of course. And the reality is, of course they are. But then they'll say, no, we're objective. We're the objective ones. And anyone who tells the truth is radical. By the way, and then there's tons of people who don't tell the truth at all, the right wingers who say lunatic things. And they are actually radical. But that requires people to sort out things without going okay good guys bad guys they're on this

side they're on that side right and so anyways but in this state of the Union what Biden's gonna try to do is say don't worry I got this and and furthermore and this was in several articles today he's gonna he's saying that they're pivoting in the next two years to implementation of the things that they already passed now let me decode what that means number one that means we're not going to pass anything else, okay? And that's obvious once they lost the house and they were planning to lose the house the whole time. They were actually shocked and that they didn't lose the house in a bigger way and then they didn't

lose the Senate. In fact, they bragged about how we lost the house but only by a couple, right? And by the way, mainstream media piled on and was like, congratulations to the Democrats for only losing the house by a little bit. But lost and all that is, that means they lost. They lost and we can't pass anything. else. We care about policy. So for us, that's devastating, right? For them, it's an afterthought because they all know the mainstream press knows, Republicans and Democrats know. Biden wasn't

going to pass anything in the next two years anyway. He's actually thrilled to have that pressure off of him, right? Well, his, the only thing he's ever said that is 100% true is when he told the donors, nothing will fundamentally change. Okay. And so, but the second part of moving on to implementation is not, oh, okay, guys, let's roll up our sleeves and, you know, behind the scenes, make sure we get that bridge built and we get that, you know, semiconductor thing. No, he means, and it's clear from the context of the articles, no, we're going to just do marketing for two years. We're going to tout our accomplishments. They also have to approve some of those government grants to the private institutions that

are going to build the infrastructure. And then they're going to go brag about it. They're going to be like, oh, we gave this much money to business, and we gave that much money to business. And we gave it to that business and this business and that business. And they will have, as their ally, mainstream media, who will say, what a great and historic job Joe Biden is done. That semiconductor bill, $54 billion out of your pocket into the semiconductor industry. But it could trickle down to you at some point, kind of. So it's historic and epic accomplishment. And by the way, that bill is nuanced. Good parts, bad parts. It's not out of a cartoon movie

where it's all bad or all good. Right. We should be manufacturing semiconductor chips here in the United States. We should also have regulations in place that ensure that these private companies don't then export what they make off of our money, by the way, off of our investment to other countries. Now, the only regulation that the Biden administration, implemented in regard to exporting those semiconductor chips was you're not allowed to export them to China because we like to ratchet up our war rhetoric with China. But why China specifically? If we're in dire need for semiconductor chips here in the United States, why aren't there regulations in place to ensure that the product benefits the American people who invested in that, by the way, through their

taxpayer money? So guys, you can tell who's right and who's wrong and who's fraudulent. and who's not, based on devil's in the details, based on the details, okay? So for example, in a semiconductor bill, if Joe Biden had the Intel CEO at his last state of the union, so exactly a year ago, and he's like, look at this brave America, and we have to shovel $50 billion into his pocket because he's going to create jobs in America. And there was jobs in America. Okay, but no part of the bill said that they had to create jobs in America. so Intel fired thousands of people right after the bill passed.

I mean, Biden's just like FDR guys. Exactly the same. They say that all the time with a straight face. So if you had an honest Democratic Party, they would have put restrictions in that bill. They would say, okay, look, this is incredibly valuable thing that we're giving you because a lot of people worked their ass off to pay their taxes. And this is $54 billion in their hard-earned money. So if you want this money, you're going to create jobs in America, you're not going to export it here,

and this is going to serve the purpose that we're talking about, making sure that our infrastructure is safe. And here's the guidelines for them. Instead, they pass a bill. Here's $54 million. Good luck, do whatever the F you want with it, okay? So you know the Democratic Party are total, in that case, they're frauds. They want, those guys are giant donors. They want to shovel your money to them. By the way, it magically passed. Like, hey, police reform didn't pass. voting rights didn't pass, $50 minimum wage didn't pass. But all of a sudden, the Republicans were like, oh, are you giving $50 billion to our donors as well? Oh, oh, that one slipped past the goalie. What a coincidence.

Now, meanwhile, mainstream media were honest, they would have told you that there were no guardrails in that bill. They would have told you that the Intel CEO that Joe Biden bragged about fired all this. They would have done stories about all the people that were fired and all the jobs that were outsourced. But none of that. Go turn on to MSMC and see if they ever criticize the semiconductor bill. Inconceivable. You can scour that channel from now to the end of the 2024 election. And they will never say one negative word about that bill or 90% of the bills that Joe Biden passed.

Listen, both parties are captured by the same corporate interests, which is why. We're stuck debating endless culture war nonsense that both parties engage in because they want to do anything to distract you from the fact that they're helping the corporations rob you blind. That's the end of the day. That's the, that's the, that's a whole story. Okay. That is, I just explained the entire political landscape for you in a few sentences. That is the reason why people are angry.

That is the reason why people are not seeing material change in their lives. Please spare me the nonsense about like, oh, but Biden did manage to allow Medicare to negotiate the prices of 10 drugs, which will go into effect in 2026. He's just like FDR. No, he's not just like FDR, not even close. Corporate handouts is not the same as long-lasting universal social spending programs that, again, materially improved Americans' lives. That is what FDR did, okay? It was actual long lasting change. I don't see that from Biden. I see more of the same. So again, indisputably true. You'll never see that anywhere else. And Anna just ruined all my book sales by explaining all of politics in just a couple sentences. But if you'd like

a couple more sentences, so my upcoming book, upcoming, it's in September. Anyway, if you want to pre-order it is justice coming. The reason I'm bringing it up is chapter five is about the matrix. And the matrix is mainstream media. They're the ones that lull you back into sleep. Don't look at the semiconductor bill. Don't look at all the subsidies that the oil companies get $20 billion in subsidies every year. When we had gas prices that were sky high, why wasn't everybody screaming bloody murder about that?

Why are we funneling $20 billion more when they Chevron made a $72 billion profit? Why don't we talk about any of those subsidies that go to corporations? Why don't we talk about how they outsource jobs? Because it's corporate media and their job is to lull you back into sleep. I mean, look, you can see the modern day examples in the book. But Noam Chomsky had this figured out decades ago. Also read manufacturing consent. The job of the mainstream media in this country is not to manufacture news.

It's to manufacture consent, okay? consent for us to go oh yes sir absolutely sir please take my money and give it to your donors that's a great idea right so it isn't they're lying to you so this speech will be a giant marketing job which by the way all state of the unions are exactly right is not unique to Biden for sure Republicans do it Democrats do it and that's the state of the union is not to tell you the state of the union the state of the union's point is to do an hour now infuriatingly hour and a half of an ad for whoever's president, okay? And everyone dutifully goes along. And here we are, by the way, too.

The only difference between us and the rest of the media is we're actually going to be honest about it. Instead of them going, oh, this is very important. What does the president think? The president thinks the president is fantastic and should get reelected. Let's talk about how fantastic the president is. Okay. So that's what's going to happen tonight. Mr. Speaker, the chief justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court. Wah la, boo, by the way, in realities, boo, the sons of bitches who gave us citizens united and overturned row. Okay, so right wing, you hate the activist judges? Chapter 4 is about activist judges and how you're right to hate them, okay?

Justice is coming, you can do it at T, you can buy it at t.com slash justice. Okay, but seriously, they're going to do the president of the United States thing in a second. And the producers know to turn it up when they do that because it's kind of cool and I love it. And isn't that funny? I just told you that this is a giant political ad. But I still like when they do the big announcement and the president walks in because I want it to be true. Right, I want, and for presidents that actually care about us and represent us and fight for us. But guys, don't get too, like, pessimistic.

Because, again, sorry, I don't mean to just do a book plug, but it's, it's, it's, I explained in the book from, for 40 years, basically from 1938 to 1978, we actually had democracy here. And democracy had its downsides. And we did a lot of bad things in foreign policy. We do some good things like defeating the Nazis, right? marshal plan, et cetera. We also had coups aside. But domestic policy, our representatives actually represented us. And we had Democratic presidents who were awesome.

And FDR, the last speech he gave before the 1936 election was the infamous, I welcome their hatred speech. And he talked about how he's like, come for me, right? He's like Republicans and and big business and corporate interests. Come for me. I welcome your hatred, right? He was a badass mother effort, okay? Now media has done this brainwashing where they make FDR look like a teddy bear, right? So imagine if you had an FDR-like progressive president who comes in here breathing fire for us.

I don't mean us as in TYT or us as you guys in the audience or progressives. I mean for the whole country and you had somebody fight for you. Then this speech would be awesome. And we would be excited to watch it and tell you, you know, where they were right, where they were wrong still, right? But at least you have honest representatives. Unfortunately, right now it's just a play. So we're like theater critics here, okay?

And we'll tell you what their performance was like. And we'll tell you what's true or not true. But a huge portion of the speech will be just marketing and not true. Here we go. Mr. Speaker, the president's cabinet. So Trump's cabinet, he said, I don't want any poor people in my cabinet. I like poor people, but I don't want them in my cabin. I want rich people, okay, because they're so good at negotiating,

You're gonna negotiate your behalf. Yeah. And you know what Trump did? He had the richest cabinet in U.S. history by far, okay? Adjusted for today's dollars. I mean, let's just- And you know what they did? A two trillion dollar tax cut for themselves.

I had nothing for you guys. Because golly gee, we're like these, especially the rich people he picked, like Steve Mnuchin, et cetera. It was a gallery of rogues and criminals. Yep. And so he put the robbers in charge of them. in charge of the bank. And of course they robbed us of $2 trillion. And Democrats did nothing to reverse that after they gained power in Congress and, of course,

the executive branch. So let's keep that great. By the way, that's Deb Holland. She's the Interior Secretary. She's the only progressive in the cabinet. But right now, the Interior Department is considering drilling on Native American land in Alaska. So I don't know what Deb Holland's going to do. She actually has the power to deny them. If she did, of course, Democrats would be furious with her and she'd get fired and ostracized. So I don't know what, you know, we're going to find out who Deb Holland is on whether she authorizes it or not, right? But they take good people, they put them into a corrupt system, and then they say,

you better be corrupt. Yeah, we see what you got. Sure, we exist in a corrupt system as well. And I know that I have not in any way sacrificed my principles in order to make it in media. So there is a way as long as you're willing to fight. So we'll see what happens. 100%. By the way, that's Christine Pelosi.

She's very powerful. She's daughter of Nancy Pelosi. Nancy Pelosi, if I saw the face right. And she's likely going to, there are rumors that she's going to run for Nancy Pelosi's seat. So she'll be the new Pelosi because it's royalty, you know. You just have to. Looking forward to that dynasty.

George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, you know, Nancy Pelosi, Christine Pelosi, and on and on, the Kennedys, everything's royalty, and the rest is all a play, as we've been saying. Can we just all acknowledge that dynasty is a better way of saying it? Dynasty is a much more fun way of saying it, a more British way of saying it. I love it. But almost everything the British pronounced in the wrong way, let's be real. Aluminium, I can't get behind that. Extra syllables for no reason.

I hear you. But outside of that one exception, the rest are all super fun. In fact, aluminum is also fun because of how absurd it is. It's so absurd. Okay, but garage, oh, this is perfect. Mitt Romney and Kristen Cinema, okay, peas in a pod. Corporate Republican, corporate Democrat, and the press loves them. Oh, wait a box.

So what I was gonna say is the Republicans are like, oh, look all these corporate subsidies. Oh, they got past our goalie, golly gee, I don't know how that happened, right? And when Trump was in charge, the Democrats blocked everything except the $2 trillion tax cut for the rich. And for corporations, they're like, oh, that got past the goal. I don't know how Schumer and Pelosi let that slide by, oh golly gee, there was nothing they could do. Well, how'd you block everything else? Apparently there was a lot you could do.

How come Trump never built a wall? I don't remember the makeup of the Senate during Trump's first two years. I know Republicans had a majority, but it couldn't have been a 60 person majority. No, no way. Right. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

They let it happen. Yeah, they let it happen. They let it happen. The Democrats let it happen. Interesting how the legislative filibuster doesn't apply when it comes to tax cuts. It's amazing. Come on. Joe Biden took, when he was vice president for Obama, negotiated with Mitch McConnell on extending

the Bush tax cuts for the rich, which were not two trillion. They were near $6 trillion. But the problem is they were sunsetting in 10 years. And Biden negotiated so that the rich could keep 94% of the tax cuts. and he did something that Bush couldn't do, he made them permanent. That's Joe Biden. Have you ever heard that on CNN, MSNC, New York Times, NPR, Washington Post? Have you ever, ever, ever heard that?

Now, the reality is, it's not, it's hiding in plain sight. You can find one or two articles about it where they say, oh, yeah, but then they buried. They never talk about it again. Michael Bennett, a fairly conservative Democrat, wrote a whole book about how Biden screwed them over and gave McConnell and the Republicans and the rich everything they wanted. You hear that consistently? Never. Even the Republicans don't criticize him for that because they like it that he's screwed over the average American.

So the one place they can actually hit Biden and be correct, they leave it alone. Instead they're hitting him on balloons and M&M characters and transgender sports teams and whatever else that they're making up. But they won't hit him where he's actually vulnerable because they love that he's a sellout for corporations. So that's the kind of honest reporting you're gonna get tonight. Biden better not belabor this man. I know for real, right?

Because he's supposed to have started three minutes ago. Which I really want to eat. Okay, and so no, no, no, my, and now the city union used to be on or an hour. And then when they realized it was a giant ad, we could just, we have the entire nation hostage. They started making it longer and longer and longer. And now Biden can barely speak, but he's probably gonna go 90 minutes. at least. Okay, come on. And now he's starting late. So, have mercy on the American people. I know. And by the way, our reporting is so ridiculously honest that we're talking down this coverage

as we speak. We're being honest with you, this speech is going to be boring and full of lies. Okay. No, we're going to spice it up, though, guys. Okay, we're going to spice it up. I think Javier Baccaria is even there. That's what Biden called him. All right, let's hear it. Who's that guy? Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States. Okay, so that's the sergeant at arms.

He's the one that always introduces the president. although I think he looked like oh Larry Hogan former governor of Maryland I was like that's weird Republican former governor introducing Biden but I'm kidding of course it's not it's a sergeant-arms okay here's now let's have fun okay fun officially begins now where we start making fun of people in inappropriate ways so Dr. Jill Biden was shown like a hundred times already if you're watching the screen and next to her is the first dude okay oh that's who he is I I don't think I've ever looked at an image of Kamala Harris's husband no that's

him oh by the way I misstated it he's the second dude and yeah and his technical title is the second gentleman okay the second gentleman will be part of the dynasty but he has no stock in the aluminum aluminum aluminum industry of not even in his garage. That's that's it. That's it. That's right. Oh, interesting.

Okay, he looks proud. The size of the forehead is enormous. Oh, come on. Okay, all right. I said it, I said it. Okay, I can't take it back. It's not beneath me to, you know, make fun of people's looks. I get it.

I've done it before. But, poor guy. Yes. He's not the poor guy. He's the second gentleman. Okay, he's wealthy, he's powerful. He's good. He's good.

We don't have to worry about his feelings. feelings. Although again, the powerful, so, oh, right? But, but mainly, I didn't, I had an actual point other than this. Oh, no, sorry, it was not an actual point at all. Also kind of looks like Bill O'Reilly. Oh, why you got to do it so dirty like that? I disagree. I don't think it looks like Bill O'Reilly. No, no, next time they show him, watch, okay. That's funny that I thought, in the back of my mind, subconscious I was like, that was a real, It's definitely not a real point, okay? Yes, I mean it, but no, it doesn't matter.

Of course not. I am loving the pizzazz of that woman's blazer. It is fantastic. She's got Riz. I love, sure. Okay. And so now the two party leaders, Schumer and the Senate, and now Hakeem Jeffries in the House are right behind by.

So they escort them. And guys, this is a hilarious part of the state of the union. The politicians line up near where the aisle that the president goes down because they want to get in the shot. They want to get in the camera shot and they want to have people take pictures of them shaking his hand like that. So they're used to be, I forget who it was, but there's this one Democratic congressperson who sits in that spot for hours. Oh my God, so pathetic. To be the first one there so they can get to shake the president's hand and get in the picture. Okay. Now why do they do that? Because it works. Because works for what? No, it gets in the local

papers. It gets in the local press and they view, oh, and there they are again, shaking the handle of the president, and that's viewed as like something big and great and awesome. When in reality, the local media that's covering that should be like, there they were again, waiting for hours like an idiot, right? And they got a handshake which doesn't help you, the voters at all right but they were trying to get this photo op and so here's the stupid photo off if that's how they covered it then people wouldn't sit around like jackasses trying to get that you know that picture and that and get in the camera shot no let them sit around like jackasses let them embarrass themselves like that yeah what a waste of time

and guys everything they do is so it's just dripping with self-interest all of it How about you actually legislate? How about you fight on behalf of your constituents? That way you don't have to engage in ridiculous stunts where you're wasting hours of your day sitting somewhere because you're hoping you'll get into a picture with Joe Biden. Yeah. And by the way, there's one more preview here, guys. Right wing pundits started talking about if any of the Republican congressmen are going to shout during the State of the Union. So now we got a food fight.

So they might all try to outdo each other by shouting weird different things. weird different things. We'll see. So Marjorie Green showed up with a white balloon to, uh, see, here we go. Here comes the stunts. To make reference to the Chinese surveillance balloon. So they got the stunts, you got the, everybody's trying to grab attention. I don't know about you guys, I feel real represented.

Oh, yeah, yeah. All right, let's get the show on the room. Thank you. And by the way, this is what Democrats also hold their breath, like, oh, let's hope he doesn't have any cognitive issues, even a real. Members of the Congress, I have the high privilege and a distinct honor to present to you the President of the United States. Said Mickey Doyle. Every time he talks, it sounds like a factor out of boardwalk empire. But as he said distinct, it sounded like, I have distinct privilege.

Oh, he does kind of look like Bill O'Reilly. I told you. I told you. Now that I see it, I can't unsee it. Thanks, Jank. All right, Susanna's in the street. Toadge! All right, here we go. Mr. Speaker, Madam Vice President,

our first lady and second gentleman, good to see you guys up there. Members of Congress. In the old days, the applause used to be genuine. Now every part of it is manufactured. Every part of it. I'm pretty sure all of it was always manufactured. No, when FDR was like, there's only a fear but fear itself.

She gets the crowd with nuts. The game tomorrow, next week, I have to stay home. Got to work something out here. Members of the cabinet, leaders of our military, chief justice, associate justice, and retired justice, the Supreme Court, and to you, my fellow Americans. You know, I start tonight by congratulating 118th Congress, the new Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy

Oh that's so gracious And then they all bring the country together Yeah that'll work They'll rip your face off later tonight By the way Kevin McCarthy is giving the Republican response No no no no Sarah Huckabee Sanders Yeah you put that in my head

I know I'm sorry I'm sorry I made the mistake It is going to be Sarah Huggabby Sanders I want to ruin your reputation but I look forward to working with you I want to congrats And I want to congratulate the new leader of the House Democrats, the first African-American minority leader in history, Hakeem Jeffrey. Man, he hit that Hakeem part. I like it. I don't know if this is going to offend people because you're not allowed to comment on what a woman is wearing or looks.

But like, I think Kamala Harris looks beautiful. Like, I love her suit. She looks fantastic. Look at us with the compliments. Okay. You want to inspire the fact I campaign for him. Congratulations, the longest serving leader in the history of the United States Senate, Mitch McConnell. Where are you, Mitch?

Oh, no, please don't think anyone who's dead again. Anyway. Oh, no. I don't know. That shot was so weird. You know, another term is Senate Minority Leader. You know, I think you, this time you have a slightly bigger majority. Mr. Leader, you're a majority leader.

About that much bigger? Read the speech. Well, I'll tell you what. I want to give special recognition to someone who I think is going to be considered the greatest speaker in the history of the House of Representative Nancy Pelosi. Oh, for a second, I thought he was going to say Schumer. I was like, God, I got nervous there for a second. Okay, oh, this is, for the establishment,

Nancy Pelosi is their queen. Yeah, 100%. If you want to make anyone in Washington, anyone in Washington mad, slightly criticized Nancy Pelosi. The story of progress and resilience of always moving forward, of never, ever giving up. It's a story unique among all nations. We're the only country that has emerged from every crisis we've ever entered stronger than we got into it. Look, folks, that's what we're doing again.

Not really. Two years ago, the economy is reeling. I stand here tonight after we've created it with a health. of many people in this room, 12 million new jobs. More jobs created in two years than any presence created in four years because of you all. Because of the American people. Yes, we do have a very tight labor market. There are about two job openings for every unemployed person in the country. And it is the lowest unemployment. This is

this is correct. He should get credit for it, although he gave the credit to half the public. Shut down. Our businesses were closed. Our schools were robbed of so much. Today, COVID no longer controls our lives. And two years ago, democracy faces greatest threats in civil war. And today, though bruised, our democracy remains unbound and unbroken. Look at McCarthy and the Republicans are sitting, because at this point, the official Republican position was January 6th was awesome. And two-thirds of Republican voters don't believe that Joe Biden actually won.

The next chapter, the great American story, a story of progress and resilience. When we're world leaders asked me to define America, and they do, believe it or not. I can define it in one word, and I mean this. Possibilities. We don't think anything is beyond our capacity. Everything is a possibility. You know, we're often told that Democrats and Republicans can't work together. But over the past two years, we've proved the cynics and naysayers wrong. On behalf of corporations.

Yes, we disagreed plenty. And yes, there were times that Democrats went alone. But time and again, Democrats and Republicans came together. Came together to defend us stronger and safer Europe. You came together the past one in a generation, once in a generation infrastructure law, building bridges connecting our nation and our people. We came together to pass the most significant law ever, helping victims expose the toxic burn pits. And in fact, did you get that with the help of Republicans? You have to fight Republicans to get that.

Can you be clear about that? It's important to be clear about that. Yeah, he's trying to get credit for bipartisanship because he promised it in his campaign. But he's giving half the credit to Republicans for no reason. Bipartisan pieces of legislation since becoming president. From reauthorizing the Violence Guns Women Act, the Electoral Count Reform Act, the Respect for Marriage Act that protects the right to marry the person you love. And my Republican friends, if we could work together the last Congress, there's no reason

We can't work together and find consensus on important things in this Congress as well. There are still corporate donors to be paid off. And I think we could do that together as we have throughout my career. I mean, look, this is an absurd speech. What are you going to work with Republicans on that would help the American people? I can't believe you squandering this PR opportunity to give credit to Republicans. Fighting for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power, conflict for the sake of conflict gets us nowhere. That's always been my vision of our country, and I know it's many of yours, to restore the soul of this nation, to rebuild the backbone of America, America's middle class, and to unite the country.

We've been sent here to finish the job, in my view. For decades, the middle class has been hollowed out in more than, and not no one administration, but for a long time. Too many good paying manufacturing jobs move overseas. Factories closed down. Once thriving cities and towns that many of you represent became shadows of what they used to be. Along the way, something else we lost. Pride, our sense of self-worth. I ran for president to fundamentally change things to make sure our economy works for everyone.

So we can all feel that pride in what we do. To build an economy from the bottom up and the middle out, not from the top down. Because when the middle class does well, the poor have a ladder up and the wealthy still. do very well. We all do well. The rail workers would like to have a word with you. Yeah. I know a lot of you always kidding me for always quoting my dad, but my dad used to say, Joey, a job's about a lot more than a paycheck.

He really would say this. It's about a lot more than a paycheck. It's about your dignity. It's about respect. It's about being able to look your kid in the eye and say, it's going to be okay and mean it. Well, folks, so let's look at the results. We're not finished yet by any stretching imagination, but unemployment rate is at 3.4% of 50-year low. Near record.

Near record unemployment. Near record unemployment for black and Hispanic workers. We've already created, your help, 800,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs, the fastest growth in 40 years. Why aren't you clapping, McCarthy? You don't like manufacturing jobs, you're weirdo? Where is it written that America can't lead to the world of the manufacturing? I don't know where that's written. For too many decades, we import a project and exported jobs.

Now, thanks to what you've all done, we're exporting American products and creating American jobs. Folks, inflation has been a global problem because the pandemic disrupted our supply chains. And Putin's unfair and brutal war in Ukraine disrupted energy supplies as well as free supplies. Corporations price gouge, that's also part of it. But we're better positioned any country on earth right now. But we have more to do. But here at home, inflation is coming down. Here at home, gas prices are down $1.50 from their peak.

Food inflation is coming down, not fast enough, but coming down. Inflation has fallen every month for the last six months. Well, take-home pay has gone up. Additionally, over the last two years, a record 10 million Americans applied to start new businesses. 10 million. And by the way, every time, Every time someone starts in small business is an act of hope. And Madam Vice President, I want to thank you for leading that effort to ensure the small business

to have access to capital and the historic laws we enacted that are going to just come into being. Standing here last year, I shared with you a story of American genius and possibilities, semiconductors, small computer chips the size of a fingerprint that power everything from cell phones or automobiles. and so much more. These chips were invented in America. Let's get that straight. They were invented in America. We used to make 40% of the world's chips.

In the last several decades, we lost our edge. We're down to only producing 10%. We all saw what happened during the pandemic when chip factories shut down overseas. Today's automobiles need 3,000 chips, each of those automobiles. But American automobiles couldn't make enough cars because there weren't enough chips. Car prices won't up. People got laid off. So did everything from refrigerators to cell phones.

We can never let that happen again. That's why we came together to pass the bipartisan Chips and Science Act. By the way, let me read you some headlines. October 2020, Intel plans, thousands of job cuts. Just a couple of days ago, Intel warns officials that plans 343 layoffs, lowering salaries. But wasn't that the plan a whole long with raising interest rates to increase unemployment to lower inflation? He's bragging about how we're going to make semiconductors here. And they shoveled $54 billion to Intel and other semiconductor places.

They put no safeguards in. And what happened? started laying off thousands of workers as soon as the bill passed. Manufacturing jobs without this law, before the law kicks in. With this new law, we're going to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs across the country. I mean all across the country, throughout, not just the coast, but through the middle of the country as well. That's going to come from companies that have announced more than $300 billion in investment in American manufacturing over the next few years. outside of Columbus, Ohio. Intel is building the semiconductor factories. On 1,000 acres,

literally a field of dreams, it's going to create 10,000 jobs at one investment. 7,000 construction jobs, 3,000 jobs in those factories once they're finished. They call them factors. Jobs paying an average of $130,000 a year. And many do not require a college degree. Jobs, because we work together, these jobs where people don't have to leave home to search for opportunity. It's just getting started. Think about the new homes, the small businesses, the big, the medium-sized businesses, so much more that's going to be needed to support those 3,000 permanent jobs.

And the factories that are going to be built. Talk to mayors and governors, Democrats and Republicans, and they'll tell you what this means for their communities. We're seeing these field of dreams transform to the heartland. But to maintain the strongest economy in the world, we need the best infrastructure in the world. And folks, as you all know, if you're standing up, please take a shot of me, please take a shot of me. To be number one in the world infrastructure, we've sunk. 13th in the world. The United States of America, 13th in the world in infrastructure,

modern infrastructure. But now we're coming back because we came together and passed the bipartisan infrastructure law. The largest investment infrastructure since President Eisenhower's interstate highway system. See, he keeps calling it bipartisan. I know that's helping his propaganda, but it's also tremendously helping Republican propaganda. They overwhelmingly voted against the infrastructure bill. You're giving them half to credit. Also, I mean, the contradiction of running against Republicans by calling them a major

threat and then bragging about working with them to get legislation passed. It's interesting. All across America, urban, rural, tribal, and folks, we're just getting started. We're just getting started. You know, what he means by what we're just getting started is I'm gonna run for real. If you give me six years, I'll do a lot more of this. And my Republican friends who voted against it as well. But I'm still, I still get asked to fund the projects in those districts as well.

But don't worry. I promised I'd be a president for all Americans. We'll fund these projects. And I'll see you at the groundbreaking. Oh, Zinger against the Republicans. I like that. I'm okay with that. Yeah.

That's as far as Biden will go. But, like, in D.C., there's a lot of yass queen to that, right? No, I like that. Call them out for voting against it and then asking you for the funds. 60 years ago, badly needed repairs, one of the nation's most congested freight routes, carrying $2 billion with a freight every single day across the Ohio River. And folks, I've been talking about fixing it for decades, but we're really finally going to get it done. I went there last month with Democrats and Republicans. States to deliver a commitment of $1.6 billion for this project.

And while I was there, I met a young woman named Sarah, who's here tonight. I don't know where Sarah is. Is she up in the box? I don't know. Sarah, how are you? Hey, Sarah. Well, Sarah for 30 years. You never knows where they are.

No, the blazer game. He's forever like, where is she? Laser game for the ladies to die on, like all around. Known as the Cowboys in the Sky. Kossner? Where? The folks who built built Cincinnati Skyline.

Sarah said she can't wait to be 10 stories above the Ohio River building that new bridge. God bless her. That's pride. And that's her also building. We're building back pride. Look. We're also replacing poisonous lead pipes that go into 10 million homes in America.

400,000 school and child care centers. So every child in America, every child American drink the water instead of having permanent damage to their brain. See, that's a good provision. Yes. So good. Help that, emphasize that. A couple of things that are true here that were really good. Yes.

that every community every community in America has access to affordable high speed internet no parents should have to drive by McDonald's parking lot to help to do their phone work online or their kids which many thousands were doing across the country and when we do

these projects and again I get criticized for this but I make no chooses for it we're going to buy American we're going to buy American folks And it's totally, it's totally consistent with international trade rules. Why America has been the law since 1933, but for too long, past administration is Democrat and Republican. Not anymore.

Tonight I'm announcing new standards require all construction materials using federal infrastructure projects to be made in America. Look, that's another one that's good. I think it's like, it's kind of shocking that they weren't doing that before, but we'll take it. So there's at least three things he said that are very positive and true. Drywall, fiber-rocketed cable, and on my watch, American roads, bridges, and American highways are going to be made with American products as well. Folks, my economic plan is about investing in places and people that have been forgotten. So many of you listen to you tonight. That's a good line.

I know you feel it. So many of you felt like you've just simply been forgotten. Made the economic upheaval the past four decades, too many people have been left behind and treat it like they're invisible. Maybe that's you watching from home. Remember the jobs that went away. You remember them, don't you? The folks at home remember them.

You wonder whether the path even exists anymore for your children to get ahead without having to move away. Well, that's why I get that. That's why we're building an economy where no one's left behind. Jobs are coming back. Pride is coming back because choices we made in the last several years. You know, this is my view of blue-collar bluefin to rebuild America and make a real difference in your lives at home. For example, too many of you laying in.

bed at night like my dad did, staring at the ceiling, wondering what in God names happens if your spouse gets cancer or your child gets deadly ill or something happens to you. What are you going to get you getting money to pay for those medical bills? Or you're going to have to sell the house or try to get a second mortgage on it. I get it. I get it. With the Inflation Reduction Act that I signed in the law, we're taking on powerful interest to bring health care costs down.

Are you? So you can sleep better at night. Like what? With more security. Which was? You know, we pay more for prescription drugs than any nation in the world. You're not allowed to tout your prescription drug stuff. We pay more for prescription drugs.

It's literally 10 drugs that Medicare can negotiate the prices for, but it won't go into effect until 2026. I'm sorry, you don't get to tout that. That's not something to brag about. But every day, millions need insolent. control their diabetes so they can literally stay alive. Insulin's been around for over 100 years. The guy who invented didn't even patent it because he wanted to be available for everyone.

It cost the drug companies, roughly $10 of vial to make that insulin. Packaging in all, you may get up to $13. But big pharma has been unfairly charging people hundreds of dollars, four to $500 a month, Making record profits, not anymore. That's such a lie. And the media lets him get away with it. As Anna said, only it affects 10 drugs. The insulin is so well known.

So they did that one now. He came into effect this month or last month. But all of the rest of them wait till 2026. It's 0.01% of the drugs. This whole thing is total fraud. Yeah, he doesn't get a win when it comes to healthcare. Okay? And if you don't get medical,

We said we were doing this, if you're uninsured, you don't qualify for Medicare. People didn't know because it does nothing to lower drug prices for you, any drugs. We capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors on Medicare. For seniors on Medicare, exactly. One tiny slice of the country. I'm sure you're getting the same calls I'm getting. Look, there are millions of other Americans who do not or are not on Medicare. including 200,000 young people with type 1 diabetes and need this insulin to stay alive.

Let's finish the job this time. Let's cap the cost of insulin for everybody at $35. But it's done that when you had control of Congress. You to fight for it? Yeah, but zero percent chance that happens. So all those clapping is BS. And by the way, a lot of the Democrats clapping now will vote no if they were forced to vote. machine. They're going to do very well. This law also caps and won't go into effect on the

2025 costs out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors on Medicare at a maximum of $2,000 year. You don't have to pay more than $2,000 no matter how much your drug costs are. Because you know why? You all know it. Many of you, like many of my family, have cancer. You know the drugs can range from $10, $11, $15,000 for the cancer drugs. If drug prices rise, faster than inflation, drug companies are going to have to pay Medicare back the difference. Or finally, that's a good for me. And finally giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices. Yeah, that's not true.

Pretend drugs. Get out of here. It doesn't just save seniors money. it cuts the federal deficit by billions of dollars by hundreds of billions of dollars. Thank God, I was up at night really concerned about the federal deficit. By Medicare. That was the number one thing on my mind. Keep their commitment to the seniors. Well, guess what?

Instead of paying four or five hundred bucks a month, you're paying 15. That's a lot of savings for the federal government. And by the way, why wouldn't we want them? Now some members here are threatening, and I know it's not an official party position, so I'm not no, don't do PR for them, Biden. To repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, as my coach, that's okay, that's fair. As my football coach used to say, lots of luck in your senior year, make no mistake. If you try anything to raise the cost of president of jobs, I will veto it.

This is good. This is good. Call out the Republicans for fighting for drug companies. More Americans have health insurers now than ever in history. A record, 16 million people are enrolled in the Affordable Care Act. And thanks, thanks for the law signed last year, saving millions. Billions are saving $800 a year on their premiums. And by the way, that law was written and the benefit expires in 2025.

So my plea to some of you, at least in this audience, let's finish the job and make these savings permanent. Expand coverage on Medicaid. Why would it, why would it end in 2025? The one really good provision where it caps the prices. We know why. Same reason why tax cuts for the middle class. to expire while the tax cuts for the rich, corporations are permanent. Ever.

That's not. More utility bills. Creating an American job, leading the world to a clean energy future. I visited the devastating aftermath of record floods, droughts, storms, and wildfires from Arizona and Mexico to all the way up to the Canadian border. More timber has been burned that I've observed from helicopters than the entire state of Missouri. And we don't have global warming, not a problem. In addition to emergency recovery from Puerto Rico to Florida to Idaho,

we're rebuilding for the long term. New electric grids that are able to weather major storms and not prevent those forest fires. Roads and water systems will stand the next big flood. Clean energy to cut pollution and create jobs and communities often left behind. We're going to build 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations installed across the country by tens of thousands IBW workers.

And we're helping families save more than a thousand dollars year with tax credits to purchase electric vehicles and efficient appliances, energy efficient appliances. Historic conservation efforts to be responsible stewards of our land. Let's face reality. The climate crisis doesn't care if you're in a red or blue state. It's an existential threat. We have an obligation, not to ourselves, but to our children and grandchildren to confront it. I'm proud of how America at last is stepping up to the challenge.

Are we? We're still going to need oil and gas for a while. But guess what? No, we do. But there's so much more to do. We've got to finish the job. We pay for these investments in our future by finally making. the wealth is and biggest corporations begin to pay their fair share.

How exactly? How exactly? How? I mean, you talk a good game, but let me see it. There was no increase in corporate taxes. I'm a capital for pay your fair share at all under Biden's leadership. I think a lot of you at home, a lot of you at home agree with me and many people that you know

the tax system is not fair. It is not fair. Fair. Someone should do something about that. Only you were present. Look. The idea that in 2020,

55 of the largest corporations in America, the Fortune 500, made $40 billion in profits and paid zero in federal taxes? Zero? Folks,

simply not fair. But now, because of the law, I signed, billion-dollar companies have to pay a minimum of 15%. God love them. 15%. That's less than the nurse pays. Many of me crystal clear, I said in the very beginning, under my plans, as long as I'm president,

nobody earning less than $400,000 will pay an additional penny in taxes. Nobody, not one penny. Let's finish the job. There's more to do. We have to reward work, not just wealth. Pass my proposal for the billionaire minimum tax. You know, there's a thousand billionaires in America. It's up from about 600 in the beginning of the term.

But no billionaire should be paying a lower tax rate than a schoolteacher or firefighter. I mean, think about it. None of the repulsans are standing, meaning, anything to billionaires should pay less as a tax rate than teachers and firefighters. None of them are standing. So they've now defended oil and gas companies, drug companies, and billionaires. Think about it. Have you noticed Big Oil just reported as profit record profits?

Last year they made $200 billion in the midst of a global energy crisis. I think it's outrageous. Why? They invested too little of that profit, increased domestic production. And when I talked to a couple of them, they say, we're afraid you're going to shut down all the oil wells and all the oil refineries anyway. So why should we invest in them? I said, we're going to need oil for at least another decade. And that's going to exceed. And beyond that. We're going to need it. Production. If they had, in fact, invested in the production to keep gas prices down, instead,

They use the record profits to buy back their own stock, rewarding the CEOs and shareholders. Corporations ought to do the right thing. No, corporations should be regulated by the government. They're not going to do the right thing. They're corporations who have fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. We're not stupid. We know how this works. Except everyone in mainstream media is stupid.

They repeat stuff like that. They're wealthy to avoid paying their taxes. Instead of cutting a number of orders for wealthy taxpayers, not interesting in your moral arguments. Corporations are not moral. They're profit making machines. That is what they are supposed to do. That's being fiscally responsible.

In the last two years, my administration has cut the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion. The largest deficit reduction in American history. in American history. Under the previous administration, the American deficit went up four years in a row because those record deficits, no president added more to the national debt

in any four years than my predecessor. Nearly 25% of the entire national debt that took over 200 years to accumulate was added by just one administration alone, the last one. Why? So mention the tax cuts. mention the tax cuts. Check it out.

How did Congress respond to that day? They did the right thing. They lifted the debt ceiling three times without preconditions or crisis. They paid American bill to prevent an economic disaster of the country. So tonight I'm asking the Congress to follow suit. Let's commit here tonight to the full faith in credit of the United States America will never ever be questioned. So my many some of my Republican friends want to take the economy hostage. I get it unless I agree to their economic plans.

All you at home should know what those plans are. Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans. Some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset. I'm not saying it's a majority. Yes. Hit them, hit them on this. Yes. Let me give you.

This is good. This is good. Hit him at this. I'll give you a copy. I'll give you a copy of the proposal. Yes. That means Congress doesn't vote. Sit down.

I tell you, I enjoy conversion. You know, it means if Congress doesn't keep the programs away, they are, they'd go away. Other Republicans say, I'm not saying it's a majority of you. I don't even think it's the majority of you. It is. What are you lying on their behalf for? for, God damn it, you're annoying. I'm not politely not naming them, but it's being proposed by some of you.

What are you debating them for? It's your speech, give the speech, you loseer, come on. That we're not going to be, we're not going to be moved into being threatened to default on the dead if we don't respond. Yeah, that's right, yeah, go cry about it. That's exactly who you guys are. Dude, bud, you finally had a great moment in your speech. Don't let them freak you out. So folks, as we all apparently agree, Social Security and Medicare is off the books now,

right? They're not to be fine. All right. God, damn, you didn't expect them to boo. You didn't have a plan for that. And now you're giving them better for saying that they're not going to cut it. Jesus Christ, man. Shut up and sit down. I'm speaking. Okay, how about that?

Americans have to pay into them from the very first paycheck they started. So tonight, let's all agree, and apparently are, let's stand up for seniors. You're gonna let the Republicans pretend that they're standing up for seniors. After they proposed to cut Social Security and Medicare, why did you just bring them in? Why are you giving them false credit? He started the speech right, but he doesn't have the nerve to fight Republicans. Benefits belong to the American people, they earned it. And if anyone tries to cut Social Security, which apparently no one's going to do.

And if anyone tries to stop Medicare, I'll stop them. I'll veto it. I'm not going to allow them to take away, be taken away. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. But apparently it's not going to be a problem. Next month, when I offer my fiscal plan, I ask my Republican friends to lay down their plan as well. I really mean it. Let's sit down together and discuss our mutual plans together.

Yes, New Republicans are not going to do a plan because their plan would involve cutting everything and giving everything to rich. And so you'll see them delay and delay and delay. They probably will never give a comprehensive plan because they know how unpopular it will be. I'll cut the deficit by another $2 trillion. And I won't cut a single bit of Medicare or self-security. In fact, we're going to extend the Medicare trust fund at least two decades. Because that's going to be the next argument. How do we make keep it solvent, right? Well,

we'll not raise tax anyone making under 400 grand, but we'll pay for it the way we talked about by making sure that the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share. Look, look, look, here's a deal. They're not just taking advantage of the tax code. They're taking advantage you of the American consumer. Here's my message to all of you out there. I have your back. we're already preventing Americans and receiving surprise medical bills stopping $1 billion surprise bills per month so far

for protecting seniors life savings by cracking down in nursing homes that commit fraud endanger patient safety prescribed drugs that are not needed. Millions of Americans can now save thousands of dollars because they can finally

get a hearing aid over the counter without a prescription. Look, capitalism, without competition is not capitalism. It's extortion, it's exploitation. Last year, I cracked down with the help of many of you on foreign shipping companies that were making you pay higher prices for every good coming in the country. I signed a bipartisan bill to cut shipping costs by 90%, helping American farmers, businessmen and consumers. Let's finish the job. pass the bipartisan legislation of strength and strengthen and trust

enforcement and for big and prevent big online platforms giving their own products an unfair advantage my administration is also taking on junk fees those hidden surcharges too many companies used to make you pay more for example like at hotels by an airline show you you the full ticket price up front. That's unacceptable. Refund your money. Just tell me if your flight is canceled or delayed.

We've reduced exorbitant bank overdrafts by saving consumers more than $1 billion a year. We're cutting credit card late fees by 75% from $30 to $8. So those are good provisions. Junk fees may not matter to very wealthy. They matter to most other folks in homes like the one I grew up in, like many of you did. They add up to hundreds of dollars a month. They make it harder for you to pay your bills or afford that family trip. I know how unfair it feels when a company overcharges you and gets away with it.

Not anymore. We've written a bill to stop at all. It's called the Junk Fe Prevention Act. We're going to ban surprise resort fees that hotels charge on your bill. Yes, highlight of the speech. hotels that aren't even resorts. Yes. Yes.

More on that. The cable internet and cell phone companies can charge you 200 or more if you decide to switch another provider. Give me a break. Yeah. We can stop service fees on tickets to concerts and sporting events. He makes companies close all the fees up front. Yeah, he loves the fees. And we'll prohibit airlines from charging $50 round trip for family just to be.

be able to sit together. Baggies fees are bad enough. Air lines can't treat your child like a piece of baggies. Yeah. Americans are tired of being. We're tired of being played for suckers. So a lot of that is good, but they are not that tough on airlines. No, no, they're not. They're definitely not. For too long, workers have been getting stiffed, but not anymore. We're beginning to restore the dignity of work. For example, I should have known this, but I didn't until two years ago. 30 million workers have to sign non-compete agreements with the jobs they take. 30 million. So a cashier at a burger place can't walk across town and take the same job in another burger place and make a few bucks more. It just changed. But they just changed it

because we exposed it. That was part of the deal, guys. Look it up. But not anymore. We're banning those agreements, so companies have to compete for workers and pay them what they're worth. This is true.

The FTC banned companies from these, implementing these non-computed agreements. And the Republicans are booing because they wanted the republic to the companies to be able to crush. On my left with the right. 100%.

I'm so sick and tired of companies breaking the law by preventing workers from organizing. Pass the pro act. Yeah, the pro act. You're right, zero percent chance, at least for now. But to Biden's credit, his National Labor Relations Board is one of the best, relatively speaking, because previous administrations had an awful board. So, affordable childcare.

That's an incredible for that. That's going to enable millions of more people to go. and stay at work. And let's restore the full child tax credit, which gave tens of millions of parents. We didn't fight for it. So let's move on. And cut child poverty in half to the lowest level in history. And by the way, when we do all these things, we increase productivity. We increase economic growth. So let's finish the job and get more families access to affordable quality housing. Let's get seniors to want to stay in their homes and care of the need to do so. Right. Let's give more breathing room to millions of

family caregivers looking after their loved ones. Pass my plan so we get seniors and people with disabilities, the home care and services they need. That would be nice. To support the workers who are doing God's work. I would love if he called out Manchin and cinema for defeating those provisions. We can afford to do them.

But there's friends. Restoring the dignity of work means making education an affordable ticket to the middle class. You know, when we made public education, 12 years of it universal in the last century, we made the best educated, best paid, we became the best educated, best paid nation in the world. But the rest of the world is caught up. It's caught up. Jill, my wife, who teaches full time, has an expression. I hope I get it right, kid. Any nation that out educates us is going to out compete us.

Well, any nation outeducates is going to out compete us. There's a lot of countries that out educate us. 12 years of education is not enough to win the economic competition of 21st century. Finland has the best education system in the world, and they banned private education. They're socialists. They're providing access to preschool for three and four years old. Studies show that children to go to preschool are nearly 50% more likely to finish high school and go on to earn a two or four year degree, no matter their background that came from.

Let's get public school teachers a raise. Oh, the Republicans do not want to do that. They're like, no, let's call them brewers and attack them. Oh, public school teachers, boo. They made $40,000 a year. Reducing student debt, increasing Pell Grants for working in middle class families. Let's finish the job

and connect students to career opportunities starting in high school, provide access to two years of community college, the best career training in America, in addition to being a pathway to a four-year degree. Let's offer every American a path to a good career, whether they go to college or not. And folks, folks in the midst of the COVID crisis, when schools were closed, and we were shutting down everything, let's recognize how far we came. in the fight against the pandemic itself. While the virus is not gone,

thanks the resilience of the American people and the ingenuity of medicine, we've broken the COVID grip on us. COVID deaths are down by 90%. We've saved millions of lives and opened up our country, we opened our country back up, and soon we'll end the public health emergency. But that's called a public health emergency.

health emergency. But we'll remember the toll and pain that's never going to go away. More than a million Americans lost their lives of COVID. A million. Families grieving, children and orphaned, empty chairs at the dining room table constantly reminding you that she used to sit there. Remembering them, we remain vigilant. We still need to monitor dozens of variants and support new vaccines and treatments. So Congress needs to fund these efforts and keep America safe. And as we emerge from this crisis, stronger,

we're also gotta double down on prosecuting criminals who stole relief money meant to keep workers and small businesses. Mayor Garland, the idea that you prosecute anybody's kind of laughable. But he's like, oh, those are relatively small fish. I can do that, I can do that. Powerful people, no, I'm not going to ask you. Before I came to office, you remember, during that campaign, the big issue was about inspector generals who would protect taxpayers' dollars over sideline.

They were fired. Many people said we don't need them. And fraud became rampant. Last year, I told you the watchdogs are back. Since then, since then, we've recovered billions of taxpayers' dollars. Now let's triple the answer. anti-fraud strike force going after these criminals, double the statute of limitations on these crimes, and crack down an identity fraud by criminal syndicates stealing billions of dollars, billions of dollars from the American people. The Republicans, most of them are not applauding cracking down on internet crap. The tax rate gets back at least ten times as much. It matters. It matters. Look, COVID left his scars like the spike in violent crime in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, we have an obligation to make sure all people are safe. Public safety depends on public trust, as all of us know. But too often that trust is violated. Join us tonight are the parents of Tyree Nichols. Welcome.

We had to bury Tyree last week. As many of you personally know, there's no words to describe the heartache or brief of losing a child. But imagine. Imagine if you lost that child at the hands of the law. Imagine having to worry whether your son or daughter came home from walking down the street playing in the park or just driving a car most of us in here

have never had to have the talk the talk that brown and black parents have had to have with their children or hear your son calling out for you as he's being beaten to death I never had to have the talk with them I never had to tell them if a police officer pulls you over

turn your interior lights on right away don't reach for your license keep your hands on the steering wheel imagine having to worry like that every single time your kid got in a car here's what Tyre's mother shared with me when I spoke to her

when I asked her how she finds the courage to carry on and speak out the faith of God she said her son was quote a beautiful soul and something good will come of this imagine how much courage and carry that takes it's up to us to all of us we all want the same thing

neighborhood's free of violence law enforcement of enforcement who earns the community's trust just as every cop when they pin on that badge in the morning has a right to be able to go home at night so does everybody else out there our children have a right to come home safely

Equal protection under the law as a covenant we have with each other in America. We know police officers put their lives in the line every single night and day. And we know we ask them in many cases to do too much to be counselors, social workers, psychologists, responding to drug overdoses, mental health crises, and so much more. In one sense, we ask much too much of them. I know most cops and their families are good, decent, honorable people, the vast majority. They risk. The Republicans didn't stand for any part of that, except to applaud Tyree Nicholas' parents until he started applauding the cops.

Every time they put that shield on. What happened to Tyree and Memphis happens too often. We have to do better, give law enforcement the real training they need, hold them to higher standards, help them succeed in keeping us safe. We also need more first responders and professionals to address the growing mental health substance abuse challenges. More resources reduce violent crime and gun crime. More community intervention program. More investment in housing, education, and job training. All this can help prevent violence in the first place.

When police officers or police departments violate the public trust, they must be held accountable. With the support. Oh, McCarthy is standing for accountability for cops and a little surprise about it. He's me about the Capitol Police. The law enforcement, I signed an executive order. For all federal officers, banning chokeholds, restricting no-knock warrants, and other key elements of the George Floyd Act. Let's commit ourselves to make the words of Tyler's mom true. Something good must come from this.

Something good. And all of us. All of us. Yeah, it's not going to happen, yes. It's a nice moment, but the Republicans will vote it down 100%. There's no chance that George George George was going to pass. Zero. And everybody knows it.

They've given themselves. Folks, it's difficult, but it's simple. All of us in this chamber. We need to rise to this moment. We can't turn away. Let's do what we know in our hearts that we need to do. Let's come together to finish the job on police reform. Do something. Do something. That was the plea of parents who lost their children in Yuvaldi.

I met with every one of them. Do something about gun violence. Thank God. I have less hope about doing anything about gun violence. Yeah, there'll be no court act, there'll be no government. No, with police reform, I think people are better off in fighting on a local level. They're probably going to have a lot more impact on a local level, waiting for the federal government to do something about reforming policing, he's keeping guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves and others. But we know our work is not done. Join us tonight is Brandon say, a 26-year-old hero. Brandon put his college dreams on hold to beat his mom's side.

His mom's side when she was dying from cancer. Hold on, hold on, we don't even know what he did yet. I know it's the Monterey shooting. But you got to introduce her first. Brandon now works in the dance studio, started by his grandparents. Two weeks ago, during a lunar New Year celebrations. He heard the studio door closed. He saw a man standing there pointing a semi-automatic pistol at him. He thought he was going to die.

But he thought about the people inside. In that instant, he found the courage to act. wrestled a semi-automatic pistol away from the gunman who had already killed 11 people in another dance studio. 11. He saved lives. It's time we do the same. Band assault weapons now. Ban them now. All right, that is a strong statement. Half the Republicans try to bring an assault weapon to the speak. They literally had assault weapon pins, though, no joke. In 10 years, that ban was law, mass shootings went down. After we let it expire in the Republican administration, mass shootings tripled.

Let's finish the job. Let's finish the job. And ban these assault weapons. And let's also come together on immigration. Make it a bipartisan issue once again. We know we now have a record number of personnel working to secure the border. arresting 8,000 human smugglers, seizing over 23,000 pounds of fentanyl in just the last several months. We've launched a new border plan last month on lawful migration from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela has come down 97% as a consequence of that.

But American border problems won't be fixed until Congress acts. If we don't pass my comprehensive immigration reform, at least pass my plan to provide the equipment and office. to secure the border. You don't like that. For dreamers, those on temporary status, farm workers, essential workers. Here are the people's house. It's our duty to protect all the people's rights and freedoms. Congress must restore the right and the...

Ignore that. That's what he's saying. Don't respond to them. respond to them, please. Congress must restore the right that was taken away in Roe v. Wade and protect Roe v. Wade. Ms. Roe. Kamala Harris is trying to own, and so she's more emphatically is standing up right away, more energetic.

And safe car, patient safety. But already more than a dozen states are enforcing extreme abortion bans. abortion bans. Make no mistake about them. If Congress passes a national ban, I will veto it. I know, but that's not the issue. Can you guys actually pass legislation to protect the women's right to choose? And the answer is no. It's your LGBT, Americans, especially transgender young people, can live with safety and dignity. Our strength. Sit down, sit down.

Sit down, please. Sit down. You're not a warrior for anyone other than yourself and your corporate donors, you hack. Let's remember the world's watching. I spoke from this chamber one year ago, just days after Vladimir Putin unleashed his brutal attack against Ukraine. A murderous assault, invoking images of death and destruction, Europe suffered in World War II. Putin's invasion has been a test for the ages.

for America, the test for the world. Would we stand for the most basic of principles? Will we stand for sovereignty? We stand for the right of people to live free of tyranny. Will we stand for the defense of democracy? For such defense matters to us because it keeps peace and prevents open season on would be aggressive and threatens our prosperity. One year later, we know. We need know the answer. Yes, we would and we did. We did. We stood to defend Ukraine. We did what America always does it our best. We led. We united NATO. We built a global coalition. We stood against Putin's aggression. We stood with the Ukrainian people to tonight. We're once again joined by Ukrainians ambassador to the United States. She represents not her and just our nation,

The courage of her people, ambassador, is our ambassador is here. We're in uniting our support of your country. Will you stand so we can all take a look at you? Thank you. Some of the Republicans are not in favor of further aid in Ukraine. But half the Republicans are. So that splits the party. It's a rare issue that splits the Republican Party.

Our nation is working for more freedom, more dignity, more peace, not just in Europe, but everywhere. Before I came to office, the story was about how the People's Republic of China was increasing its power, and America was failing in the world. Not anymore. Now we're beating them. We made clear, and I made clear my personal conversation, which have been many with President Xi, that we seek competition, not conflict. But I will make no apologies that we're investing and to make America stronger. Investing in American innovation and industries will define the future that China intends to be dominated. Investing in our alliances and working with our allies to protect advanced technologies.

Did you see McCarthy try to shush Marjorie Taylor Green there? Modernizing our military to safeguard stability and deter aggression. Today, we're in the strongest position in decades to compete with. China or anyone else in the world, anyone else in the world. So I couldn't be positive that if that was a female voice I heard, but it sounded like Marjorie said he'd be shouting something about China. I'm going to get that on China where we can advance American interests and benefit the world, but make no mistake about it. As we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty,

we will act to protect our country, and we did. Yeah, this whole weird war-mongering against China is disastrous. Medium and economic competition, great. When in the competition should unite all of us? We face serious challenges across the world. But in the past two years, democracies have become stronger and not weaker. Autocracy has grown weaker, not stronger. Name me a world leader who changed places with Xi Jinping.

Name me one. Name me one. America's rallying the world to meet those challenges from climate to global health to food insecurity to terrorism to territorial aggression I don't know allies are stepping up spending more

and doing that I don't know the bridges were forming between partners in the Pacific and those in the Atlantic and those who bet against America are learning how wrong they are it's never ever been a good bet to bet against America

never I think you were saying maybe one leader that replaced Xi Jinping. No, of course, yeah, and she decided to stay longer, do a third term. It was unprecedented. I think he's criticizing the fact that they're basically a dictatorship. But it was a weird way of doing it. Yeah. It was impossible.

But never believed it. That's why a year ago, I offered a unity agenda to the nation as I stood here. here. We made real progress together. We passed the law making easy for doctors to prescribe effective treatments for opioid addiction. We passed the gun safety law, making historic investments in mental health. We launched the ARPA-H drive for breakthrough in the fights against cancer, Alzheimer's, and diabetes, and so much more. We passed the Heath-Robinson Pact Act, named after the late Iraq War veteran whose story about exposure to toxic burn I shared here last year.

A lot of difficulty coming from Republicans. I mean, you should definitely call them out on that. They didn't want to do it. Basically, John Stewart embarrassed them into it. Exactly. But there's so much more to do. We can do it together. Join us tonight is a father named Doug from Newton, New Hampshire.

He wrote Jill, my wife, a letter, and me as well. about his courageous daughter Courtney, a contagious laugh, his sister's best friend, her sister's best friend. He shared a story all too familiar to millions of Americans and many of you in the audience. Courtney discovered pills in high school. It spiraled into addiction and eventually death from a fentanyl overdose. She was just 20 years old. Oh my god. Describing the last eight years without her, Doug said, there's no worse pain yet their family has turned pain to purpose

working to end the stigma and change laws he told us he wants to start a journey toward American recovery Doug were with you fentanyl is killing more than 70,000 Americans a year you got it

It's your fault. Somebody said it's your fault. Jesus. So let's launch a major surge to stop fentanyl production in the sale and trafficking. With more drug detection machines, inspection cargo, stop pills and powder at the border. Nearly 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2020 alone, most of which were opioid-related. That was when Trump was in charge. So really it's Biden's fault?

You crack down on fentanyl trafficking. Second, let's do more on mental health especially for our children. Medicare for all. How about that? Bullying, violence, trauma. We have them greater access to mental health care at their schools. We must finally hold social media companies

are accountable for experimenting they're doing running children for profit. There's time to pass bipartisan legislation to stop big tech from collecting personal data on our kids and teenagers online. All of us.

Did targeted advertising the children. And impose stricter limits on the personal data that companies collect on all of us. Third, let's do more to keep this nation's one's fully sacred obligation to equip those we send in the harm's way and care for them and their families when they come home. Job training, job placement for veterans and their spouses as they come to return to civilian life. helping veterans afford the rent because no one should be homeless in America, especially someone who served the country. Right, no one should be homeless in this country.

How about stopping private equity firms for buying residential property? Stopping foreign nationals from investing in single family homes in the United States to launder their money. How about that? We had a first real discussion when I asked him to take the job. I'm glad he did. We were losing up to 25 veterans a day on suicide. Now we're losing 17 a day to the silent scourge of suicide. 17 veterans a day are committing suicide. More than all the people being killed in the wars. Folks, VA is doing everything you can,

including expanding, mental health screening, proven programs of recruits veterans, to help other veterans understand what they're going through, get them the help they need. We got to do more. And fourth, last year, Jill and I reignited the cancer moonshot that I was able to start with President Obama asked me to lead our administration on this issue. Our goal is to cut the cancer death rates at least by 50% in the next 25 years. Great, Medicare for all. Turn more cancer from death assistance to treatable diseases. provide more support for patients and their families. It's personal with so many of us, so many of us this audience.

Joining us from Morris and Candice, an Irishman and a daughter of immigrants from Panama, they met and fell in love in New York City and got married to the same chapel as Jill and I got married in New York City. Kindred spirits. He wrote us a letter about his little daughter, Ava, and I saw her just before I came over. She was just a year old when she was diagnosed with rare kidney disease, cancer. After 26 blood transfusions, 11 rounds of radiation, eight rounds of chemo, chemo, one kidney removed, given a 5% survival rate. He wrote how in the darkest moments he thought, if she goes, I can't stay.

Many of you have been through that as well. Gillian, I understand that like so many of you. He read Jill's book describing our family's cancer journey and how we tried to steal moments of joy where we could with Bo. For them, that glimmer of joy was the half-smile of their baby girl. They meant everything to them.

They never gave up hope. Little Ava never gave up hope. She turns four next month. Oh, thank God. Yeah, he said he talked to him before to speak. Oh, yeah, that's right. It wasn't. I was like,

and she's watching from the White House tonight and she's not asleep already. For the lives we can save. The lives we can say in the lives we've lost, let this be a truly American moment. moment. The rallies the country and the world together and prove that we can still do big things. Twenty years ago, under the leadership of President Bush and countless advocates and champions, he undertook a bipartisan effort through PEPFAR to transform the global fight

against HIV-A's. It's been a huge success. He thought big, he thought large, he moved. By the way, that's true. That was the one good thing, George W. Bush did. And I, and I gave him credit the entire eight years of his administration and we covered it. Cure some cancers, once and for all. Folks, there's one reason why we were able to do all of these things. Our democracy itself. He's given credit to Bush and they should Bono. It's the most fundamental thing of all.

With democracy, everything's possible. Without it, nothing is. The last few years, our democracy has been threatened. threatened an attack, put at risk, put to the test in this very room on January the 6th. And then just a few months ago, McCarthy once agreed with you, an unhinged, big lie. Trump put him back in his place. Assail and unleashed a political violence, the home of the then speaker of the House representatives. Using the very same language, the insurrectionists used as they stalked these halls enchanted

on January 6th. Here tonight in this chamber is a man who bears the scars of that brutal attack. But it's as tough and as strong, as resilient as they get. My friend Paul Pelosi, Paul Stanley. Let's see if the Republicans stand these songs of pictures. And obviously he's wearing a hat because he had to get significant stitches in his head after getting hit with a hammer. Republicans lied about it and pretended it was a day trist. So, hey, Ted Cruz, where are you, slime ball?

We must all speak out. There's no place for political violence in America. We have to protect the right to vote, not suppress the fat fundamental right. Honor the results over our elections, not subvert the will of people. We have to uphold the rule of law and restore trust in our institutions of democracy. We must give hate and extremism in any form, no safe harbor. The Republicans is not applauding that. They want to give safe harbor to hate.

Look guys, you can applaud that and then oppose the law. oppose the legislation. They won't even applaud. I know. I think they're worried that their daddy Trump might say mean things about them on truth social. Call to protect our democracy.

Defend it, stand up for it. And this is our moment. My fellow Americans, we meet tonight in a reflection point. One of those moments that only a few generations ever face with the direction

we now take is going to decide the course of this nation for decades to come. We're not bystanders of history. We're not powerless before the forces to confront us. It's within our power of we, the people. We're facing the test of our time. We have to be the nation we've always been at our best,

optimistic, hopeful, forward-looking. A nation in the braces light over dark, hope over fear, unity over justice, stability over chaos. We have to see each other. They're not as enemies, but as fellow Americans. We're good people. The only nation in the world build on an idea, the only one. The only one.

I don't think there's anything inspiring about that. Other nations. A nation built on an idea. Yeah. You like that one? Depends on what the next line is. that all of us, every one of us, is created equal in the image of God, a nation that stands as a beacon of the world,

a nation in a new age of possibilities. So I've come to fulfill my constitutional obligation to report in the state of the union. And here's my report. Because the soul of this nation is strong, because the backbone of this nation is strong, because the people of this nation are strong, state of the union is strong. I like that Tomlin Harris like jumped up and Kevin McGrath is like, nope, not buy it.

His slow blinks are kind of hilarious. Like how many of these did he do tonight? I'm not new to this place. I stand in and read. I've been served as long as about any one of you have ever served here. But I've never been more optimistic about our future, about the future in America. Just to remember who we are. We're the United States of America. And there's nothing, nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together. God bless you all, and may God protect our truth. All right.

Less than an hour and a half. Nice job, Joe Biden. Now I'll pull an end. Oh, no, hold on. Okay. That's what Anna did on the resort fees. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I shouldn't have done that.

Can't get the chair back. No, the resort fees are ridiculous. Totally ridiculous. It's all right. You got it? No, no, no. Of course I got it. I just, yeah.

So I am happy that he mentioned that. Okay. So apparently I dropped I FB and we're done with that. All right. So interesting speech. I kind of mixed thoughts about it. Me too. I have a list of good and bad.

We have lists of good and bad. Okay, so let's start it. Okay, so Joe Biden gives the state of the union tonight and a bit of a mixed speech. There's a bunch of positives. He mentioned a lot of things he did that were positive that were true. Whoa, okay, so I'm gonna list some of those for you. And then a bunch of things that of course we were discouraged by, some of them fall in

the bucket of things he didn't get done and almost kind of pretended that he got done. No, definitely pretended he got done. And then like tax increases for the rich, he didn't get that done. Yeah, and drug reductions in prices, et cetera. So we'll get to that too. And the same part that was discouraging about the speech is how much he needlessly embraced Republicans. And so he gave them half credit for all the positive things he did.

That's right. When he got maybe like 12 votes on all of those bills from all of those Republicans. So it's just totally needless. And that's what he does all the time. And I can explain why in a second too. But first, let me just list a couple of quick things. He bragged about the best unemployment rate we've had since 1969. That is true.

And a lot of jobs have been created. He bragged about reducing deficit by $1.7 trillion in the last two years. That's a pretty great job, right? And then on top of that, and this is very rare for Joe Biden, he then mentioned that no one in history has ever increased it more than Donald Trump. Yeah, that was fantastic. And that was true. And the Republicans lost, they're like, boo, we don't like facts.

Yeah, we're anti-facts, okay? So that's indisputably true. Real quick, just a caveat to that, it would have been nice if he also added the fact that part of what made the deficit explode under Trump's leadership was the tax cuts for the rich and corporations. Yeah, but of course he didn't do that. So on the infrastructure bill, he had the second time where he tweaked the Republicans, where he said, I'll see you at the, you know, ribbon cutting ceremonies, basically, because he's making fun about how they're trying to take credit for it after voting against it, right?

So that was a nice little jab there, and it was right to talk about the infrastructure bill, and he mentioned some of the positives of it, which are very true. And then they passed provisions saying that companies that are over a billion dollars have to pay at least 15% in taxes. Look, I would do a lot more. It's the bare minimum, but good, good, good. And the Republicans are like, no, boo, boo, that's our beloved corporations, don't do it. And so, look, I can give you more of the list. I want to go to Anna in a second.

But one of the interesting things about this speech was what the Republicans applauded and what they didn't applaud. So they refused to applaud holding oil company executives accountable. They refused to applaud when he was talking about lowering drug prices. So, I mean, there was a moment there were, it looked like the Republicans were basically saying it was, bad to reduce drug prices. It was unbelievable, right? And then when he said, billionaire should at least pay the same tax rate

as teachers and firefighters, no Republican applauded, none of them stood. And so that is like, they have a pro-billionaire person. Billionaires should pay less than teachers. Do they think that's a popular position? At least pretend you're on the average American side. So either, and then the Republicans started booing.

At one point, McCarthy shushed some female voice on his side. It sounded like Marjorie Taylor Green because they were getting out of control. And then Biden started debating them a little bit. He shouldn't have done that. No, don't engage with them. Yeah, that kind of devolved. So I've got more banana. What do you think?

Yeah, so let me expand on the moment where the speech devolved because he was addressing the hyenas in the audience like Marjorie Green, who lost it when Biden accurately called out the Republican Party. wanting to cut or privatize Social Security and Medicare. First off, look, I love that Biden brought that up. And he had such a great opportunity to like hit it out of the park. There were a few fumbles within that moment that I wish didn't happen. Like don't get distracted by them losing their minds. You're calling them out accurately. Don't try to lessen the blow to the Republican Party by pretending like,

oh no, it's only half the Republican Party that wants to privatize Social Security. cut Medicare. No, it's all of them. All of them want to do it. They use different terminology. They use different framing. But at the end of the day, whether you're raising the retirement age or literally privatizing social security, it's the same thing. It's cutting social security because Republicans want to assist their donors in avoiding tax increases to keep social security well funded, right? So there's that. Don't pretend like there are any Republicans who are interested in protecting these social spending programs, they don't want to do that. So like, my biggest issue with Biden in this speech was when he mentioned his clear wins,

and they do exist, he needlessly decided to give some credit or some positive PR to the Republican party, which has fought him every single step of the way. So to respond to one of our viewers, the comment from liberal Dan is, did Anna Casparian and Jank Uger not see how brilliant POTUS was in getting the GOP to say he was lying and then say, well, I guess that's a commitment to protect Social Security and Medicare. No, I don't think that it was a perfect moment because, again, he did some positive PR for Republicans pretending that like some portion of them actually want to protect these programs. They don't.

And you think that Biden's playing 3D chess. We'll see. Remember, he met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Wednesday of last week. to negotiate for the whole debt ceiling issue. You don't need to negotiate. There's no need to negotiate. And by the way, after the meeting, Biden was glowing. Oh, it was such a great meeting.

That's not a good sign. No, it was not a great meeting. Whenever Kevin McCarthy wants to cut in spending is irrelevant. Okay, they're going to vote to increase the debt limit or the debt ceiling because if they don't, the entire world economy collapses along with their stock portfolios. Call their bluff, don't negotiate with them, and don't do positive PR on their behalf. Go ahead, Shank. Yeah.

So guys, the things that they say here aren't necessarily going to happen. I need you to know that, right? So if the Republicans go, oh, we're not going to cut Social Security and Medicare, and Biden goes, oh, good, like they have a deal, they don't have a deal. And Biden cuts terrible deals with Republicans all the time. He shouldn't ever even met with McCarthy. He should have said, I dare you, go ahead, don't raise his debt stealing. And that's all 100% on you.

And that winds up embarrassing the Republicans. And if anything goes south now, they'll say, oh, Biden and us agreed. Or Biden and I, we are equally at fault. If you clearly say from day one, I'm not cutting Social Security and Medicare and these other important programs, you have to raise the debt ceiling, and that's non-negotiable, then you're strong, you put them in a tough spot. Instead, he's sitting there playing patty cakes with them. And guys, the speech is for marketing, okay, he's running for president, and he's touting

his accomplishments. As usual with Biden, he does it sometimes positive, in a good way, and we're fair about that. And sometimes in a ham-handed way, and we're fair about that. So let me give you a couple of examples. So he keeps saying, let's finish the job. That's his campaign slogan. Let's finish the job, okay. But George Bush, when he was running for re-election, kept emphasizing, don't switch horses midstream. Okay. So this is Biden's version of that. There was a good line about regulators, and he said, the watchdogs are back. Are they? Well, I mean, that would be great, but I like the line.

I like the line, right? And, oh, great line that he kept emphasizing in the beginning about economic dignity. Absolutely. The ones they, like, not only have they stripped us of health care, paid family leave, higher wages, et cetera, but they've also stripped us of our dignity. And I like that he framed it that way. Now, when it gets to the other stuff, though, he said all these things as if they passed them. Yep.

And as if the Democratic Party even agreed with them when a lot of them they didn't, right? So Pro Act has no chance of passing. Paid family leave. Paid family leave has over 80% popularity. And he can't even get all the Democrats lined up. They pretend, but then they wouldn't pass you get rid of the filibuster in the Senate. And that's what cost us. And so none of the Republicans are in favor of it.

The child tax credit, bring it back. Come on, what are you bringing that up for? You know you're not going to bring it back. You know the Republicans aren't going to vote for it. You know you're not going to fight for it, right? So that part is just marketing. And then there was confusing parts when he was talking about not one person foreign leader will replace Xi-Shang-Ping in China.

That didn't make any sense at all. There was like, name me one. I'm like, what are you getting excited for? I don't even know what you're talking about. There was also a super awkward moment. I don't know if you caught it, but he was talking about, you know, Tyree and he accidentally called Tyree Tyler. Oh, I didn't catch that.

Yeah, there were a few moments like that, whatever, it's Biden. He has gaffs like that all the time, so I'll just chalk it up to another one of his gaffs. But, you know, when it came to some of his touting of labor protections, so look, it's, there's a difference between how he might appear during this speech. So if someone isn't really fully informed on what he did and didn't accomplish, maybe it all looks great, right? But for everyone else, they know it's a mixed record. So his National Labor Relations Board has been pretty good, especially when it comes to protecting some of these union organizers at places like Starbucks per se, who were

retaliated against by Starbucks as a result of them wanting to organize their workplace. So he definitely deserves credit for that. The NLRB under his leadership deserves credit for that, absolutely. But at the same time, it's really hard for me personally to forget the fact that he could have intervened on behalf of rail workers to force the employers to provide paid leave so these workers could deal with family emergencies, deal with personal matters. Right now they get penalized. They don't get some of those rail workers don't even get a single day of paid leave. And when they were about to strike, Biden crushed them.

And I have an issue with that. I can't forget about that. 100%. So finally, when you look at the summary of this, you've got, you know, the frustrating parts where he's kind of misleading folks. For example, when he says corporations should do the right thing. That's not a thing. No corporation goes, you know what? I'm going to turn down billions or millions of dollars in profit because I want to do the right thing. Corporations are profit maximizing machines. They're not human beings, treating them as if they're humans you could appeal to is absurd, and it feeds into their lack of action in Congress to hold

them accountable. But so there's the, just in summary, yes, there were good parts. I liked also, by the way, when he pretty much yelled out, let's ban assault weapons. The right wing is going to hate that, but he was strong about it and I appreciate that, right? And then, but the appeasement of the Republicans was maddening. So when he talks about here, I'll give you last two examples here, the non-competing agreements, okay? So that's another good proposal. Hey, why are you making it? Somebody working at Burger King sign a non-compete agreement.

That's absurd. Non-competing agreements should be for people with unique talents. And you say, okay, look, I'm paying you all this money, but I don't want you to go over that movie studio or that other team, et cetera, right? It shouldn't be for regular average Americans. That's crazy and it's very oppressive. Okay, so you got a good proposal, then you're supposed to put the Republicans on the spot and say, hey, wait a minute, are you going to say that the companies should be allowed to take away their job opportunities? Is that what the Republicans are going to say? Say it, I dare you to say it, right?

Whenever they push back with all the yelling, whether it was on Social Security or Medicare, or here, here's the last one, the $35. cap on insulin. Now most of it is a fraud. They protected the drug companies. We can't negotiate with 99.9% of them, right? But on insulin, because it's so prominent and get so much attention, they did do the right thing. For Medicare recipients, specifically. Right, it's a fig leaf. It's just for Medicare recipients and it's just insulin, right? But at least that is good, right? And the Republicans even oppose that, that's perfect. That's when a strong leader has to say, all right, Republicans, you're not even applauding to this. Do you want people to pay more than $35 for their insulin?

Then stand up and say it. Tell them what you really want. You're fighting me on it, aren't you? You fought us tooth and nail because you wanted that insulin company to be able to charge hundreds of dollars and bankrupt these senior citizens. Say it. Say it loud and say it proud because I see you doing it and I see you voting that way. But Biden does not have that fight in him and he's never going.

to. No, it's not his style. So he is not combative. And look, while the social security moment, in my opinion, was mixed. The part of it that bothered me was, it looked like when Republicans started losing their minds after he called them out on wanting to privatize social security or cut social security. Like, he let them get in his head. And he was starting to fumble and bumble in the middle of his speech. No, ignore them. You do have the moral high ground here, right? You want to protect Social Security and Medicare. Hopefully you're being honest about that. They don't. They want to cut it. You called them out. So stick to what you're doing here. Call them out and don't cower as soon as they start yelling. So you'll see

flashes of strong Joe Biden and dark Brandon, if you will. Yeah. But it's actually not dark Brandon. It's strong Joe Biden when he says ban assault weapons, make sure that insulin is only $35, et cetera, right? But there actually is no dark Brandon where he actually goes and fights Republicans on your behalf. Right. Right. So that's where he gets super, that's where he becomes Putin, right? And he melts and he's like, hey, hey guys, guys, no, okay, all right, good, good.

All right, let's not cut it. See, we all agree, we all agree. I mean, on half the bills that he passed, he got no Republican votes and he made it appear like that they all voted with him. That was all bipartisan. Oh, by party. My Republican friends and I appreciate that a lot of, by the way, there's a reason why he did it because he promised bipartisanship in his 2020 campaign.

Right. So he's trying to take credit for bipartisanship, but that's beneficial to him. Maybe, maybe, maybe, but it hurts the rest of the Democratic Party because it gives Republicans credit they don't deserve. It's actually a very selfish act. Plus at the end of the day, it's not going to help him anyway. It's counterproductive because fighting the other side is a much better way to win than to give them false credit they didn't even earn. Listen, feeling like you need to be obsessed with a campaign promise that the majority of ordinary Americans don't care about is crazy. Ordinary Americans care about their lives improving, their financial stability existing, because a lot of Americans don't even have that, right? They don't care about whether or not you can be friends with the Republican Party.

Okay, they don't care about that at all. Corporate media cares about that because bipartisanship typically means handouts to corporate interests, okay? ignore the corporate media, serve the people who you claim to serve, the voters. They don't care about the unity and the bipartisanship. They want results. And if you're going to put bipartisanship and unity above getting results, I think it's actually a terrible strategy, right? 100%.

All right, guys, we've got to take a quick break here. But the Republican response by Sarah Huckabee Sanders is coming up. So if you thought we were tough on Biden, wait until you get a load of us on the Republican. response and then the working families party has got a progressive response from representative delia ramirez so we're going to try to give that to you as well so come right back and we'll give you more announcements of that thanks for listening to the full episode of the young turks support our work listen ad-free access members only bonus content and more by subscribing to apple podcast at apple dot co slash t yt i'm your host jank yugar and i'll see you soon