Biden will also pitch his social spending agenda, arguing (as he has for months) that it would lower families’ costs for things such as child care and prescription drugs.
“My plan to fight inflation will lower your costs and lower the deficit.”
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) March 1, 2022
PBS livestream on YouTube here. President Biden is scheduled to start speaking at 9pm, and all the major networks should be broadcasting it.
The Guardian‘s usually very good livestream is here.
PELOSI says she will not be wearing a Covid mask at the State of the Union tonight but would if she had a pre-existing condition or young children. She says the speech will be pivotal in terms of timeline of Covid pandemic
— Erik Wasson (@elwasson) March 1, 2022
Biden to say: “We have a choice. One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer. I have a better plan to fight inflation. Lower your costs, not your wages.”
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) March 1, 2022
Among others also joining: FB whistleblower Frances Haugen and Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger https://t.co/jjWqSCx29I
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) March 1, 2022
Biden in State of the Union: Dictators must ‘pay a price’https://t.co/W9EPW8Tb09
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) March 1, 2022
New England politicos, represent:
NEW – Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is the designated survivor, per a source familiar.
— John Bresnahan (@bresreports) March 2, 2022
Martin
Look at California women up there running the show.
David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch
Hard to believe, but elements of the “left” are standing with Tucker Carlson’s and Dump’s appeasement
David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch
@Martin:
I wish they all could be California girls
Gin & Tonic
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: And what if Russia didn’t devastate ordinary Ukrainians’ *lives* to satisfy the desires of a megalomaniacal imperialist?
dmsilev
@Gin & Tonic: That there is crazy talk.
patroclus
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: Yeah, but those Ukraine girls really knock me out.
Suzanne
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: Some elements of the left are addicted to the hot take. It’s dumb.
My hot take right now, in progress: trying to decide who I think will be the one to assassinate Putin.
Mike in NC
I have never watched a SOTU address before but this seems important. I was too young to know anything about the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Martin
This news about Ukraine disrupting an assassination plot against Zelenskyy because of leaks by the FSB who opposed the war is a little too tidy to be plausible, IMO, but I’ll let it sit in a happy place in my brain until it’s debunked.
japa21
@Gin & Tonic: Sometimes the stupidity on both the left (part of it) and the right (all of it) is incomprehensible. Considering your personal situation, I worry about your blood pressure. Take care of yourself.
CaseyL
Is that MTG in the red dress?? Of all the GOPers to boycott the speech, why couldn’t she be one of them
ETA: Maybe it’s Sinema, I think I saw Manchin speaking to her.
No GOPers at all, then? Good!
Martin
Aww, Kavanaugh didn’t wear his beer hat.
Central Planning
My cat is staring at me licking her chops. I suppose I should get some treats for her before I have an unfortunate accident.
steppy
I am so looking forward to a SOTU that does not involve That Fucking Guy. Let ‘er rip!
Brachiator
I like this. I think there is something wrong about the standard economic analyses that finds increased spending and wages to be inflationary, but rising business profits are neutral.
Also, it was nuts that business reporting was worried that the pandemic was suppressing consumer spending, and then to turn around and say that increased consumer spending is inflationary because it spurs demand.
Peale
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: note he didn’t provide the example. I’m assuming it’s due nothing and let Putin March onward to Romania.
steppy
@Mike in NC: So was I. I was born on October 28, the day that the deal was announced to avoid the nuclear war.
SiubhanDuinne
Moved from downstairs:
It is really shocking to see how many Republican seats are vacant. Not that I’ll miss them, but I’m offended by their insulting arrogance.
dmsilev
Enter the Biden.
Peale
@SiubhanDuinne: Joe manchin found his ten senators to support BBB yet?
steppy
@Peale: You know that answer.
dww44
@SiubhanDuinne: I’ve been to tuned out all afternoon. Why are they boycotting?
dmsilev
@Peale: He’s waiting until OJ finishes his search for the real killers.
StringOnAStick
@SiubhanDuinne: They didn’t show because their master Vova is in a snit and he issued an order to his minions. The fucking cowards.
Elizabelle
Thank you for this thread. And thank you, WaterGirl, for being so responsive (even though other SOTU were already in the works).
Eolirin
@SiubhanDuinne: You know what, I don’t even care. The politicians on the right don’t bother me anymore.
It’s the electorate that terrifies and enrages me.
Brachiator
I hope that Biden lays it out plain and simple that the American Rescue Plan is putting significant amounts of money in the hands of middle and lower income Americans, helping families pay for day care and helping small business. And the delayed BBB plan will continue to help make the economy stronger.
Alison Rose
I do still love seeing two women behind him.
HumboldtBlue
@Martin:
Wish they all could be California girls!
Omnes Omnibus
That’s a standing O just for not being TFG.
steppy
Let’s go Brandon, if you know what I mean and I think that you do.
Elizabelle
Please please please let Nancy Smash or another Democrat be introducing the POTUS next year.
Elizabelle
Madame Speaker. Never tire of that.
Redshift
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: I agree it would be better if we could accomplish these goals without hurting ordinary people who have no influence on the policies we’re punishing. The problem is that there doesn’t seem to be any effective way to do that, and those making this argument always seem to be advocating for not trying to punish the people at the top unless we can find these “better alternatives” they can’t name themselves.
David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch
@patroclus: No joke. Bond girl Olga Kurylenko is stunning (photo)
Origuy
The sign interpreter on the WH YouTube channel has an enormous smile. You think she’s proud to have that job?
Elizabelle
@SiubhanDuinne: On their conference call with Putin and his ilk. Priorities.
dmsilev
I’m glad he skipped the trite “The State of the Union is strong” which so many of these speeches start with. Really doesn’t fit here.
Elizabelle
Standing O for Ukraine.
Sure Lurkalot
@StringOnAStick: They have nothing to offer this country so their absence is apt.
schrodingers_cat
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: What a clown.
Martin
@SiubhanDuinne: They have no idea which parts to stand for or not. Their messaging is completely fucked over.
James E Powell
@Martin:
It’s really great to see. The differences between us & them are not trivial.
steppy
This is the first time in God knows how long that both sides are applauding. How about that?
dmsilev
Seizing ill-gotten gains of the oligarchs. I call dibs on a least one luxury flat in London.
SiubhanDuinne
@dww44:
They’re Republicans. It’s how they roll.
Dan B
@Martin: The story I saw was that Ukrainians noticed strangers in their neighborhood, notified Ukrainian military who were impeded in the neighborhood, they arrested the four guys. FSB seemed unnecessary but if it frightens Putin into trying to track down leaks…..
Elizabelle
Job Creation! Going after the Russian oligarchs.
Go after ours too, please. For their fair share of taxes.
David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch
Looks like I picked the wrong week to book a vacation on a Russian yacht
Elizabelle
@SiubhanDuinne:
I thought you wrote:
Martin
Looks like Russia air industry is hosed. Boeing and Airbus won’t send them parts. Their airport leases are all rendered in dollars, so they just doubled in price. Waiting to see if Sabre (HQ in Texas) cuts them off (reservation/ticketing software). They won’t last more than a few weeks.
Elizabelle
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: Yeah. And I’m not coming home on Aeroflot.
dmsilev
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: I dunno. Can you fit a couple of limpet mines into your hand luggage?
Martin
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: You want to borrow my drill? Its a good drill.
Urza
The interpreters have so much fun with Democratic presidents.
Old Dan and Little Ann
I haven’t watched a full SOTU since PBO.
steppy
How does Tuckums and That Fucking Guy square that applause with their well-known position?
Yarrow
I’m loving this Joe Biden.
Redshift
@dww44: Rubio, in his usual weak-ass attempt at pandering, said that he wasn’t coming because he has “better things to do with his time” than take the covid test which is being required. It’s extremely stupid and pointless, so classic Rubio.
dmsilev
@steppy: By aggressively ignoring it, of course. Same as always.
Elizabelle
@Martin: That’s great news. And Boeing can use the positive news.
Ella in New Mexico
I really, truly believe Joe Biden is uniquely prepared by his total life experiences and will do the right things at this time in history.
It’s why I voted for him in 2020.His job is as a healer and a leader. It’s why I continue to be impressed by his Adminstration and his responses. He gets it.
steppy
Pivot. Sell it!!
dmsilev
First raised-middle-finger to the GOP.
steppy
Jobs!! Growth!! Sell it!!
Old Dan and Little Ann
Boo! You talked about tax breaks for the rich! Fucking pikers.
Yarrow
Republicans aren’t clapping for job creation.
SpaceUnit
Joe is winning this.
Omnes Omnibus
Kicking trickle down to death right here on my TV.
cain
Didi GOP assholes, boo the president? Children.
dmsilev
“We’re done talking about Infrastructure Weeks”. God, I hope someone puts that video clip in front of TFG.
Elizabelle
“We’re doing talking about infrastructure weeks. We’re now talking about an infrastructure decade.”
Elizabelle
@dmsilev: I know. It’s a great dig.
Yarrow
@Omnes Omnibus: Love to see it. Tired old broken theory that never worked for anyone but rich people.
HumboldtBlue
@Redshift:
Well, there’s also the fact that he’s taken $1.5 million from Russian affiliated sources at play as well.
steppy
@Elizabelle: Oh yeah. Let’s talk American manufacturing.
Elizabelle
Buy American products. Support American jobs.
Mallard Filmore
@Martin:
There are a lot of Russian tourists and vacationers here. I hope the USA will participate in helping them go home. Getting additional money to stay here might not be possible … food, hotel or rent. Including buying a new ticket back (I think China will fly them, but they are cutthroat capitalists at heart and will want MONEY, lots of it, plus a bonus).
Elizabelle
Listening to this speech; not watching.
It would be GREAT on the radio, or in background for busy people.
cain
@Elizabelle: I think Trump supporters prefer to just get a car magnet while still buying Chinese products.
debbie
That Intel thing sure came out of left field.
Elizabelle
@cain: Maybe. Fuck ’em.
We just saw a visual of Intel executive wearing a Ukrainian flag? (I peeked at the White House feed.). And was it a promise of a $100 million investment in chip manufacturing by them?
Way to go.
cain
@Elizabelle: Did the GOP clap?
I swear the GOP hasn’t gotten up for much to clap even with all this good news. It seems like they are rooting for America to fail.
HumboldtBlue
Joe doesn’t do belligerent well and his “hard guy” tone is sorta grandpappy, but damn when he’s softer of voice and focused on an idea he can really capture your attention. He does “sensible” very well.
dmsilev
@Elizabelle: Billions, not millions. Semiconductor fab plants are obscenely expensive, running several billion dollars each.
cain
“Lower costs, not your wages” – great line.
raven
@cain: Who the fuck cares?
steppy
Where is the part where the president* airs personal grievances? I was told that this is the normal way of doing business these days.
Elizabelle
@dmsilev: Thank you. Was not sure I’d heard the number correctly.
SiubhanDuinne
Dems seem to have reclaimed “USA! USA!” chant.
Good.
cain
@raven: True. i was just hoping to see some shred of decency.
Elizabelle
Insulin. Which reminds me of. … epi pen profiteering. *snicker
steppy
Bobble-throated Slapdick and Concerned Susan can fuck themselves.
Captain C
@Martin: Maybe they still have some old dilapidated Ilyushins hanging around. I rode on one a couple times, it was like a greyhound bus with wings.
japa21
Bad look for GOP to be sitting on some of this.
raven
@cain: Their whole point is to fuck with you. . .
steppy
Keep the pressure on, but how are you going to get Paw-Paw Black Lung and Manic Pixie Dream Senator to sign on?
raven
@japa21: They DO NOT CARE, it’s not for us.
NotoriousJRT
Nancy Smash looks so stoked.
James E Powell
@japa21:
Their brand is hating the rest of us. Nothing else matters to their voters.
Yarrow
I’m loving this SOTU. Joe is doing well.
dmsilev
Biden: “Big and profitable companies should pay their fair share of taxes”
Republicans: “BOOOOOOOO”
Mike in NC
I worked as a contractor at GE for four years and those fuckers didn’t pay a dime in federal income taxes.
Elizabelle
It makes me sad that Biden is the President of a party that supports all these wonderful initiatives, and, the mean party is allegedly favored in the midterms.
A lot of that is MSM messaging. I wonder if we will see a change in their ridiculous reporting and punditing, now that they have gotten a gander at Ukraine and their courage and hope
MSM headlines and press corpse: Mean kids rooting for mean kids and bullies.
Kattails
I pray I have the energy of Nancy Pelosi when I’m her age.
whoa. Pandemic fraud… quite a few Repubs. be involved there.
cain
Going after the bastards who looted the relief funds. Yes!
Mike in NC
Going after pandemic fraud will keep the Trump family lawyers busy for a while.
Central Planning
@Elizabelle:
That’s funny. I’m going to bet Hard No.
Elizabelle
Capitalism without what is exploitation? Sounded like a good line …
Redshift
@cain:
They’ve been pretty openly doing that ever since Biden was elected, so…
James E Powell
@Elizabelle:
We live in a nation of stupid assholes. Anyone working for justice & decency faces a considerable headwind.
cain
@Redshift:
Way before that – they sucked even during Obama.
cope
@Elizabelle: competition
Captain C
Why is Susan Collins shaking her head at increasing Pell Grants?
mdblanche
Competition
Elizabelle
@cope: Thank you.
Regulation would have worked as a word, too.
cain
Apparently, Joe Manchin is sitting with the Republicans.
dmsilev
@Captain C: She’s obviously Very Concerned.
JoyceH
I think McConnell is actually a cardboard cutout – the camera has gone to him several times and each time he looks exactly the same.
Kattails
@Captain C: WTF is wrong with Maine?
Oh, Maddie the immediately divorced.
Yarrow
@cain: Is he? Who’s that person tweeting? Only one reply.
Chief Oshkosh
@Captain C: Because she is a fucking moron.
Next?
owlbrick
What was that Madison Cawthorne furtive look and checking his jacket pocket?
Elizabelle
Slight misspeak: can’t build a wall to keep out a vaccine …
SpaceUnit
Chuck Todd is gonna have his work cut out for him this weekend.
CaseyL
@cain: Possibly because no Democrat wants to sit with him.
cain
@Yarrow: Not an influencer, just a gal who has good insights.
My wife tells me that Beto has won the nomination for Dem candidate for Gov of Texas! Go Beto!
Sebastian
@dmsilev:
There is plenty of iron and nickel in Russia. You can synthesize your own.
cain
@CaseyL: **snort** you’re probably right.
Elizabelle
Good segment on improving policing.
No Defund the Police shit here.
Mallard Filmore
Fund the police. Also need to put a few bad apples up against the wall.
Elizabelle
The answer is not to Defund the Police. It is to fund the police.
Resources and training.
[A lot sure do need different and better training. De-escalation, etc.]
Captain C
“You think the deer wear Kevlar vests?”
cain
@SpaceUnit: It’s ok, I’m sure he’s waiting to read some Russian propaganda and also bring a bunch of Russian supported GOP?
Elizabelle
Repeal the liability shield for gun manufacturers. Hell yeah.
Also: end qualified immunity for police, but he did not bring that up.
Chip Daniels
I posted this elsewhere, but wanted to share my thoughts here as well:
I’ve been reminded of the history of the 1920s and 30s lately.
Specifically how in those eras, political pundits and cultural critics spoke often about fascism, communism, and things like eugenics with glowing admiration. The thing about these people, was that they themselves were almost all living in liberal democracies, even as they waxed favorably about illiberal un-democracies, which in many cases were just hypothetical constructs.
I’m thinking of how in the past decade we’ve seen so many people, from Steve Bannon to Adrian Vermuele to Sohrab Amari, from Rod Dreher to Jason Brennan to the Trumpists all offer various flavored criticisms of democracy and liberalism. And all of these people are of course safely ensconced in liberal democracies.
But just as in the late 30s, now we are witnessing the blitzkrieg, the Rape of Ukraine where suddenly the logical end point of illiberalism is made clear. When people like Ben Garrison and Jon McNaughton draw gauzy heroic portraits of a muscle bound Trump defeating the little people, and when the participants of NIck Fuentes’ white supremacist conference chanted Putin’s name, they are dreaming of an American Putin, the shirtless Man On Horseback who will Make The Rabble Obey.
stacib
@cain: He walked in with Romney and Collins.
Elizabelle
Justice Breyer: Thank you for your service.
[And thank you for retiring!]
SpaceUnit
@cain:
I actually doubt he’s waiting.
Chris
@Elizabelle:
We’ve seen cops maintain exercise perfect restraint time and time again as armed right-wing lunatics not only get into their faces and scream but push them aside and storm buildings.
It isn’t “training.” The problem isn’t that cops don’t know how to exercise restraint. The problem is that they simply don’t want to do it, unless the people protesting vote the same way they do.
Elizabelle
Secure the border. Finally, something the GOP can applaud for.
mrmoshpotato
@JoyceH:
A cardboard cutout of a POS turtle?
ETA – Yertle is an asshole.
Yarrow
Fuckwad Republicans chanting “Build the wall.” Yawn.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Sounded like a woman chanting “build the wall”? MTG? Boebert? Nancy Mace desperately trying to get back on The Beast’s good side?
Elizabelle
Biden is doing a good job of co-opting the Republicans’ talking points (and from the GOP, mostly in bad faith).
Elizabelle
Who is doing the shouting?
Captain C
Seems like Collins was shaking her head again at The mention of Roe v Wade. A little guilt on her part, is she too much of a shameless sociopath? I already know the answer, right?
cain
Ha – I knew the Fund the Police line was going to trigger some of the left. Although I agree that “fund the police” is a little broad – we need training, but we also do not need to send police in, but experts in de-escalation and community work. The police is a big hammer. They aren’t samurai.
Old Dan and Little Ann
Cancel my student loans ferfuck’s sake! : )
Elizabelle
Frances Haugen. Isn’t she the Facebook whistleblower? Good for her.
Doug R
@Elizabelle: The answer is to spend the same money but have more social workers and programs for kids. Then you need less cops.
Alison Rose
Hearing him stand up for trans kids just got me in the feels…
Peale
@Doug R: unless, of course, the Social Workers are coming to take away trans kids….then fewer of those kinds of social workers.
SiubhanDuinne
Fucking FUCKING Republicans, booing Biden’s mention of Beau. Just fuckem.
Yarrow
What did the heckler say as Biden was talking about his son?
Origuy
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Probably Marsha Blackburn. She just “What infrastructure? Build the wall!” Idiot
Elizabelle
@Doug R: Absolutely. That is what will happen, in practice. At least in blue states.
SpaceUnit
If this was on every night I’d cancel Netflix.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Yarrow: “thirteen”, a reference to those killed during the last days of the AFG withdrawal
Peale
@cain: Yeah. Looking at the types of training the small time police pay for, security efforts run a bigger grift than even business inspirational speakers. Ooh, lets go to this mid sized city and talk about how to recognize a muslim terrorist. What we need is to drive out the 3 percenters and oath keepers from the forces. Although I know that that would sound crazy during a SOTU speech.
Gin & Tonic
@Elizabelle: Bipartisan. America works very hard to discourage immigration.
Elizabelle
ARPA. Interesting.
And that is more job creation, too. War on Cancer. R&D.
Lyrebird
@Gin & Tonic: Hey G & T, just wanted to add that it’s almost definitely because of your comments that I learned about the Chalupa sisters’ work. Further appreciation & wishes of support.
Morzer
@Captain C: You wouldn’t know the person Susan Collins was denouncing. She goes to a different Senate.
cain
Great finish! Although when he siad “Go get em” – I was thinking that was a reference to “Go Brandon” lol.
Alison Rose
Was kind of hoping we weren’t going to get a “the state of our union is strong” line, but alas. Overall a great speech.
White & Gold Purgatorian
@Elizabelle:
Maybe now that Russian money has been cut off, at least a few media types will no longer do their bidding. And if there is less propaganda circulating on Twitter, etc., less of it will make it into the MSM. A girl can hope, anyhow.
Elizabelle
Fantastic SOTU. Haven’t watched one for years. Just could not, in recent years.
Go get him. What was that??
Gin & Tonic
What was that in front of Pelosi?
JoyceH
“Go get im” – did he just unleash Seal Team Six against Putin, or what was that?
Elizabelle
@White & Gold Purgatorian: I am hoping for that very facet.
Adam L Silverman
@Yarrow: It was either Taylor Green or Boebert and she got 13 out and trailed off. This was, most likely, an attempt to reference the 13 hours of Benghazi.
Peale
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Hey Hillbilly from Booniefuckton (R) we could probably put all the rural hospitals in your state on secure financial footing for the next 50 years with the money we spent annually doing nothing in Afghanistan…but hey. $100 billion to stay one year longer to save 13 lives. Yeah, worth it. $2.3 trillion on that war alone.
Elizabelle
@JoyceH: Yes, I took that to mean Putin too, especially coming right after the usual commending our troops.
Watch the last 3 words be what the MSM seizes upon, to the detriment of covering the rest of the speech.
JWR
NBC just ID’d the “there were 13” bozo as bozo Lauren Boebert. I’m shocked, I tell you! Shocked!
Lyrebird
@cain: iiuc Val Demings , whose career began in law enforcement before she became a lawmaker, had a hand in the specific Dem proposals – better pay, more training, more actual accountability.
dmsilev
Good speech.
I think I can afford to skip the Deep Thoughts that the governor of Iowa will undoubtedly share with us about why everything bad is Joe Biden’s fault.
Constance Reader
@Elizabelle: Putin. U.S. is sending troops to our NATO allies to bolster their security should Putin get any more crazy ideas into his head. I also wonder if it’s to make sure the Baltic states don’t have to worry about locking the door behind them if they decided they have to move into Ukraine.
Adam L Silverman
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Or this.
CaseyL
That was a considerably more upbeat speech than I was expecting, and had a lot of good stuff in it.
Without intending to minimize the more important initiatives Joe mentioned, I have to say I was very tickled to hear the DoJ will be going after profiteers who scammed the Covid Relief Funds that were supposed to go to small businesses, and didn’t. Between this and defunding Russia, there’s gotta be a lotta GOPers and their donors feeling a little nervous.
Brachiator
@Elizabelle:
Defang GOP claims that the Democrats are anti-police.
Peale
@Constance Reader: Apparently the stupid president of Belarus posted in front of a war map that indicated that they will be invading Moldova. So going right to the border of anoather NATO state. Funny how these “Unaligned Buffer” states keep getting sucked up.
Elizabelle
Good speech. 4:17 am here. Think I am going to have a glass of wine.
Gin & Tonic
If there were an Olympic competition in predictable banality, does Fareed Zakaria beat Tom Friedman for the gold?
japa21
Excellent speech but, unfortunately, he did have a stuttering problem a few times. I couldn’t care less, but watch Fox and others on the right make a big deal of it.
Constance Reader
@Peale: Dear Belarus – it’s time for an intervention, your boyfriend Putin has not made any commitment. He hasn’t offered annexation or reunification, he’s a user like all the other dictators you’ve dated, he’s just not that into you!!
HumboldtBlue
@Gin & Tonic:
An
inkwellinkstand, it has three inkwells. The oldest relic of the Capitol. Estimated to have been cast between 1810-1819.Elizabelle
@japa21: Yeah, I noticed that too. Good people, who are informed it’s due to a stutter, will get right past that.
Fox viewers? Fuck ’em.
steppy
Had to do the dishes for the last 20 minutes or so. Thanks for summarizing.
geg6
@japa21:
Fuckem.
Constance Reader
@japa21: Well, with Ukraine right now, I’m pretty sure the poor man spent far more hours on the phone today than a POTUS usually would before the SOTU. Current conditions did not permit him the luxury of saving his voice for the speech.
Elizabelle
@Brachiator: Exactly.
Also, that Judge (soon to be Justice, please please) Ketanji Brown Jackson has been endorsed by the Federation of Police. Good times.
Gin & Tonic
@HumboldtBlue: Thank you.
Adam L Silverman
@Gin & Tonic: Zakaria just plagiarizes the banality from Friedman.
Elizabelle
I like Intel annoucing a $100 Billion initiative to step up US chip manufacturing/development, whatever it was.
No heading for outer space in a phallic rocket for them. At this point.
I rather like that we will have a task force to go after Russian plutocrats’ ill gotten gains. And then, with those honed skills in hand …
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Twitter says it was Boebert who yelled out “13”, some debate over whether Lindsey Graham was caught on camera mouthing “shit” or “shut up”
Sebastian
@CaseyL:
Tucker Carlson got a few million.
Frosty Fred
@Elizabelle: I guess I noticed it, but really my recurring thought was They claim this man’s not eloquent?!
SpaceUnit
PBS post-speech analysis is completely incoherent
ETA: It’s like they’re awaiting orders from the American Enterprise Institute.
Elizabelle
@Frosty Fred: Yep. Or compassionate.
Good speech.
Kent
@SpaceUnit: I’m watching MSNBC. They are basically giving him lots of good positive coverage. Not surprising as it is Maddow. Right now Maddow is interviewing Klobuchar about how good of a speech it was and then talking about Ukraine.
zhena gogolia
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: They really keep trying to relive the glory days of “You lie!,” don’t they? But they can never recapture the original frisson.
zhena gogolia
@Frosty Fred: I know! Or in cognitive decline? It’s ridiculous!
Elizabelle
@SpaceUnit: Who is PBS using as mouthpieces this evening?
SpaceUnit
@Kent:
Good, I’ll switch over.
CaseyL
@Sebastian: That should be fun to watch.
Kent
OK, TV off. I can’t stand listing to this horrid GOP governor.
HumboldtBlue
Oh sweet Jesus beating a white woman with a stick, I am not watching this fucking husk of a woman drone her way through a list of grievances entirely fictional.
mrmoshpotato
@Kent:
Is it the “rebuttal?”
Kent
@HumboldtBlue: Exactly. I’m off to the basement to work out and I’m going to put on Vikings Valhalla and watch Leif Erickson kick some ass.
Kent
@mrmoshpotato: Yes, governor of Iowa. She says Biden wants to bring us back to the 1970s or something. I turned it off.
dww44
@Adam L Silverman: good one, Adam!
SpaceUnit
@Elizabelle:
I don’t even know. They’re just jabbering like a bunch of corporate-media idiots who are waiting for their marching orders from above.
They’re in complete disarray.
HeleninEire
Who the fuck is this idiot from Iowa? Thanks for the props for not saying bitch.
Alison Rose
Of course, Obama had the best clapback during any SOTU.
Elizabelle
@SpaceUnit: You had a good point about waiting for the AEI.
JWR
Kim Reynolds is doing her “It’s Opposite Day” act.
Gin & Tonic
@Kent: Some things don’t need to be shared.
Central Planning
@JWR: Every accusation is an admission.
Elizabelle
NY Times banner headline: Biden Condemns Russia and Promotes Domestic Agenda
JoyceH
Republican response is right on brand – petty, dishonest, and divisive.
Mallard Filmore
@Peale:
I wonder if a counter attack will drive into Belarus.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
remembering all the future presidents who took this rebuttal spot during the Obama years. Rubio, Jindal, McDonnell (sp?)… I wonder what the political employment rate is of those 8 people.
Damn me if there isn’t a Wiki page: Mitch Daniels, Nikki Haley, Joni Ernst, Paul Ryan, Cathie McMorris-Rogers.
for the Spanish rebuttal: Ileana Ros-Lehiten (twice) and Carlos Curbelo, both now never-trumpers I believe, and Mario Diaz-Balart, who’s kind of fallen off my radar.
So three, maybe four (MDB?) still in elective office
Elizabelle
I cannot get the WaPost to load. What’s up with that? Can someone else put up their headline on the SOTU??
HumboldtBlue
@Gin & Tonic:
Hahahaha…
Touché
Elizabelle
Seriously. WaPost will not load. Other sites will, even CNN. Anyone else having trouble getting the WaPost?
Gin & Tonic
@Elizabelle: “Biden pledges ‘unity agenda’ for nation”
Subhed “President offers support and praise for Ukraine, says Putin will pay ‘high price’ for invasion”
JoyceH
Someone needs to ask Kim Reynolds ‘who won the 2020 election?’ Because you know she wouldn’t answer.
mrmoshpotato
@Elizabelle:
STATE OF THE UNION
Biden pledges ‘unity agenda’ for nation
Central Planning
@Elizabelle: WaPo says “Biden pledges ‘unity agenda’ for Nation”
bbleh
@SpaceUnit: @Elizabelle: PBS coverage overall was lousy. Very disappointed.
Kent
Jessica Cisneros
13,328
49.8%
Henry Cuellar*
12,139
45.4%
Tannya Benavides
1,284
4.8%
Texas House District 28 primary with 59% reporting. This is significant.
Chetan Murthy
@bbleh: the pregame show on PBS had Pete Wehner. I tuned that shit out. Wehner. FFS.
bbleh
@Elizabelle: Nope. Cleared your cache recently?
cain
@Elizabelle: Speaking of Intel, after 2016 layoffs, they finally removed the lock on my record on getting re-hired. So I can find a job at Intel again.
I’m not interested.
coin operated
@Alison Rose:
Obama had a great sense of comedic timing and this was just *smooch* chef’s kiss!
Geminid
@mrmoshpotato: That reminds me of Stacey Abrams’ “One Georgia” theme.
Elizabelle
@bbleh: Can one clear a cache for just one site?
and:
Thank you to those who put up the WaPost headlines. FWIW, LA Times did not have much of one. Just always curious how major dailies cover the SOTU.
coin operated
deleted…duplicate
Jeffro
I didn’t plan on watching, but watch I did and wow.
It’s almost like this guy, facing a 3x pandemic and psycho Republican opposition and the threat of a world war…it’s almost like he knows what he’s doing.
Eat shit and die, Republicans. We aren’t giving any ground on Democratic priorities OR trying to get things done for the American people.
Misterpuff
Biden really hit on Ohio more than a couple of times. The WH must think that’s a winnable Senate seat.
Geminid
@Kent: Cisneros needs to clear 50% to avoid a June runoff. There definitely will be one on the Republican side.
bbleh
@Alison Rose: This
Elizabelle
Boston Globe headline:
A+ to the Boston Globe.
bbleh
@Jeffro: Also this
Aussie sheila
@Adam L Silverman:
Yes. Yes he does.
Burbling Reader’s Digest pablum to the Morning Joe set.
Anne Laurie
Note: I’m not starting a post-SotU thread, because I can see that Adam is working on his nightly Ukraine update.
Elizabelle
Another Boston Globe headline. “Huge car carrier bound for Rhode Island sinks in mid-Atlantic.”
I wonder if that’s the same one that burned off the coast of Portuguese islands. Or another?
bbleh
@Elizabelle: There is probably some deep way, sorting through item by item, but I don’t know what it is. I “clear history” occasionally anyway, just to reduce clutter (and confuse the ad algorithms).
debbie
@Misterpuff:
If you saw the candidates, you’d understand why. ?????
Gin & Tonic
@Elizabelle: That’s the same one. I’m afraid my Lamborghini was on it.
bbleh
@Elizabelle: The same. It was being towed to a less ecologically sensitive area when it “became unstable.” Apparently it tipped before it sank, and a bunch of those scorched Bentleys and Porsches came rolling out the side.
I realize it makes me a bad person, but I totally got a grin out of the whole episode.
Kelly
Biden: I’ve ordered more pills than anyone in the world has
maybe
https://twitter.com/mikenelson586/status/1498853574343811078?cxt=HHwWjICz0c7Y_8wpAAAA
Elizabelle
@Gin & Tonic: Drats.
@bbleh: The essence of first world problems. And I will try the WaPost later this morning. Need my Jennifer Rubin and Alexandra Petri. (Still not loading. Might just reboot my laptop, too.)
cain
Tom Nichols has been covering the Republican response which he distilled down to “white republican airing of grievances” Of course, the usual suspects will cheer.
cain
@Elizabelle:
Gosh, I wonder what the Grey Lady is gonna say. For that we will need to go to NYT Pitchbot I suspect.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@Kent: You might enjoy Drawn of History’s take on Lief “I want to be exiled just like dad” Erickson and his family then
marcopolo
@Elizabelle: Yes. On my Mac I go into the preferences for my browser (Safari), then to manage website data, type in (like twitter) my target, it pops up the two twitter caches & I delete them. Dunno what browser you use but there should be something similar for each one.
On my phone, I go to phone preferences, then Safari, then manage website data (just smidge different).
Jeffro
on Fox News dot com it looks like (via the live feed) Hannity is attempting a point-by-point rebuttal, while the main headlines are “Biden tells Russia to fuck off” and related.
no wonder their viewers are so addled all the time…
Kent
@Geminid: She will do better in a June runoff without the other progressive spoiler candidate in the race who is drawing about 5%.
Another Scott
@David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: I think that’s a poor summary of what Attackerman is saying. He’s not an international finance guy, and he’s not a reflexively America-always-does-wrong type. He’s seen lots of US wars up-close-and-personal and hates what it does to the people actually doing the fighting. He’s saying the US and the EU should think carefully about the impact of sanctions on normal people who don’t have a few billion in the bank and the ability to weather them.
I think Biden’s people have thought about that, and do know the history, and that’s why, e.g., the SWIFT cutoff is targeted at the biggest banks, not everything Russian. Biden’s people should be able to explain and answer Spencer’s criticisms pretty easily, and doing so could help increase understanding of the whys and wherefores of the policies. While also recognizing that lots of ordinary Russians are going to suffer (but Ukrainians are suffering much, much more).
My $0.02.
Cheers,
Scott.
Librarian
Rick Wilson tweeted about Reynolds “She sounds like a cat in a blender.”
O. Felix Culpa
Adam’s Ukraine post is up.
Jinchi
@Kent: We were told that the Cisneros/Cuellar matchup would define the Latino Democratic identity: do they embrace AOC-style liberalism or is an anti-immigrant/pro-life agenda more compelling to them?
I guess if it’s in the margin of error that means they’re all … centrists?
RaflW
@SiubhanDuinne: It is really shocking to see how many Republican seats are vacant.
What will remain unshocking, though deeply irritating, is that the “bipartisanship” fetishists in the press will let this slide.
Jay
@Another Scott:
yurp, sanctions on Iraq prior to Dubya Dubya Me Too, no pencils for kids because “graphite” and 500,000+ excess deaths, mostly kids.
Remember Madeline Allbright?
Jim, Foolish Literalist
rikyrah
@Ella in New Mexico:
Truth
James E Powell
@Jinchi:
Would really like to see that ~1000 vote gap widen, but if it holds up, I will be thankful.
Kent
No, it’s really San Antonio (Cisneros) vs Rio Grande Valley (Cuellar): Look at the map: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/03/01/us/elections/results-texas-us-house-district-28.html
Elizabelle
@marcopolo: Thank you for the cache-clearing info. About to have some coffee and try it.
Kathleen
@cain: Pitch Bot could have pre written NY Slimes response! Or crowd sourced it.
TriassicSands
I think Biden is doing a reasonably good job, but I live in the US and I listened to the SOTU address. I don’t think it reflected the current actual state of this country. At all. Yes, I know, presidents always use the SOTU address to prove that their party’s senators and representatives can scream like adolescents at a pep rally.
sab
@TriassicSands: I have forgotten where in US you live.
sab
@TriassicSands: Big country.
Urban Ohio things are much better under Biden. Job postings everywhere. Look for a job, and you will have one within a week, instead of the months of plodding it used to take. Plus actual decent pay. All sorts of jobs, not just the odd obscure ones. And they are actually hiring minorities. The employers might notice the good workers in that long ignored subset of prospective workers.
JR
@TriassicSands: I’ll admit that I have watched two SOTUs — total — Bush II and Obama. They have never reflected anything close to reality, IMHO.
JR
@TriassicSands: I’ll admit that I have watched two SOTUs — total — Bush II and Obama. They have always been very spinny.
Geminid
@Geminid: Four hours ago the Texas Tribune reported that it was still not certain whether Jessica Cisneros would reach 50% plus one, the vote total neccesary to win the Texas 28th Congressional District primary outright. I guess we’ll find out today if she and incumbent Henry Cuellar will face off in a May 24 runoff.
Republicans are hopeful of flipping the 28th, and thry will have a runoff between Casey Garcia and the second place finisher.
Kay
@Geminid:
She did well. His Trumpy counties may have saved him, but not by much.
Booger
@bbleh: …outside the environment, one would hope.
Geminid
@Kay: Cisneros lost by 4 points last time, won by 4-5 this time. Some of that swing may be due to the FBI searches of Cuellar’s home and office last month.
It would be good if Cisneros can avoid a runoff. Cuellar has been hitting her hard in ads for her association with the “Squad.” The Republicans will too, so it’s better if Cuellar can’t anymore.
Kay
@Geminid:
I can live with Right wing Democrats, but I think there should be some issues that are non-negotiable. Also not a fan of re-electing someone who is currently under FBI investigation. He’s the incumbent. He shouldn’t be this weak in a D primary.
Kay
The Right wing anti-abortion position is unpopular with both Democrats and Independents. Judging by the (complete lack) of news coverage, political media has decided a right to basic bodily autonomy for half the population is unimportant, but this is not now and has never been reflected in polling.
Kay
There should be a country song for all the people who still believe Joe Manchin. Just betrayal after betrayal, and they still request and repeat his lies.
He’s protecting the Trump tax cuts. That is all this has ever been about. It was always about the billions and billions the wealthiest people in this country were handed by Donald Trump. They’d do just about anything to keep that windfall rolling in and Manchin and Sinema will do anything neccessary to get that result.
Manchin’s number was always the number that would allow the Trump tax cuts to remain untouched. Find that number, ensure the tax cuts remain in place, and you’ll have Joe Manchin.
Geminid
@Kay: Cuellar shouldn’t have been so weak last time. Jessica Cisneros comes across as a nice person* but she was a 26(?) year old unkown her first time ’round. The national exposure she got through her Justice Democrats endorsement brought a lot of national publicity and donations. Still, I wondered if Cuellar took Cisneros too lightly.
Cuellar wouldn’t have taken her too lightly this time. I think his problem generally is that he hasn’t gotten past his generation’s social attitudes, while younger south Texans have.
*The Justice Democrats’ seem to have an advertising rule: no smiling! Whereas more conventional politicians, like Representatives Sharice Davids (KS) and Cathy Houlihan (PA), typically are smiling in their ads, those poor Justice Democrats have to frown, like they’re pondering all the injustices they have to set right. So Ms. Cisneros looks very stern in her Justice Democrats advertising.
Kay
@Geminid:
Some of that is age. Younger people often adopt a stricter “I am serious!” approach because they feel they will not be taken seriously if they relax. I see it with new lawyers.
I think it’s great she’s 28. I don’t have any hard and fast “age” rules but I think a much older caucus becomes a representation issue if the D electorate is skewing younger. I just think that’s common sense politics.
Geminid
@Kay: I also like the fact that Cisneros is only 28. I worry that she is too left for to win that district, though. Not that Cuellar would be a shoo-in.
South Texas used to vote reliably Democratic, but Republicans have been making gains there and will try hard to flip that district. Casey Garcia, their likely nominee, sounds like a dynamic, industrious person. At least from what I read of her in a Politico article about women who were leading the Republican charge in South Texas.
Geminid
@Kay: Some of the stern look might be generational. If you check out Justice Democtat’s advertising, though, you will see their candidates consistently looking sober and determined, and seldom smiling Some, like Corey Bush, scowl. But that is certainly generational in that they want to appeal to disaffected young people by projecting toughness..
Kathleen
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: They’ll hastily conduct another poll “Do you approve of Joe Biden kicking puppies”