By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Political Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
President Biden delivered his third State of the Union Address in the U.S. Capitol on March 7.
“My purpose tonight is to both wake up this Congress and alert the American people that this is no ordinary moment,” said Biden.
Biden’s address was largely a campaign speech for his re-election campaign.
Dems shouted “four more years” several times throughout the night.
Biden said he will continue to support Ukraine, discussed the January 6th insurrection and said he will guarantee the right to in vitro fertilization (IVF).
“My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth of January 6th. I will not do that,” said Biden. “I ask you all, without regard to party, to join together and defend our democracy. Respect free and fair elections. Restore trust in our institutions and make clear –political violence has absolutely no place in America.”
Biden repeatedly mentioned “his predecessor,” Donald Trump (R) several times throughout his speech.
“My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy. A future based on the core values that have defined America: honesty, decency, dignity equality. To give hate no safe harbor,” said Biden. “Now some other people my age see a different story. An American story of resentment, revenge and retribution. That’s not me.”
In a released prebuttal on Biden’s address, Trump largely criticized Biden’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border.
During Biden’s speech, he said, “we can fight about the border, or we can fix it. I’m ready to fix it.”
Biden also recognized the Uvalde, Texas school shooting from 2022 where 19 children and two teachers were killed.
“Jill and I went to Uvalde and spent hours with the families. We heard their message and so should everyone in this chamber – do something,” said Biden. “I did do something by establishing the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention in the White House that Vice President Harris is leading.”
Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) plans to follow suit by introducing legislation this Maryland General Assembly session to create a Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention in the Maryland Department of Health.
“I have never been more optimistic about the promise of our future. But the future we seek is only possible if we work together,” said Moore in a statement shortly after the address. “I believe that we must move in partnership if we want to meet this critical moment in our history. The president’s speech tonight reaffirmed my deep belief that we can.”
HB583/SB 475 would go into effect on Oct. 1 if passed by the Maryland General Assembly and signed by the governor this year.
“We commend President Biden for the work he has done to create a more inclusive and equitable America,” said Mount Vernon, N.Y. Mayor Shawyn-Patterson Howard, African American Mayors Association president, in a statement. “We look forward to working with his administration in the coming months to build upon his investment in America and strengthen the state of our union.”
Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.-04) highlighted the state of the economy in his reflection on the president’s address.
“I thought he did a great job of laying out the positive things he did in his first term. You know, 15 million new jobs, cutting unemployment down under four percent,” said Ivey.
When asked how he thinks Biden can reassure the African-American vote he pointed back to the economy.
“Bringing manufacturing back to the country, those are the kinds of things that can resonate with folks,” said Ivey.
Tashi McQueen is a Report For America corps member.