Live coverage: President Biden's 2024 State of the Union

President Joe Biden is delivering his third State of the Union address, previewed here by Mark Sumner.

The White House provided advance excerpts in which Biden promises he “will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again,” and touts the economic gains under his presidency.

“America’s comeback is building a future of American possibilities, building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up,” he will say, “to make sure everyone has a fair shot and we leave no one behind.”

Biden is also prepared to take on Donald Trump. “My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy,” Biden will say. “A future based on the core values that have defined America: honesty, decency, dignity, equality.” 

Follow along with us right here at Daily Kos. 

UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 3:17:52 AM +00:00 · Kaili Joy Gray

Our live coverage continues here.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 3:14:23 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Finally! Mike Johnson finally has to stand up in remembrance of the great Rep. John Lewis.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 3:13:11 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

“I will not demonize immigrants saying they ‘poison the blood of our country’ as he said in his own words. I will not separate families. I will not ban people from America because of their faith.”

“We can fight over fixing the border, or we can fix it.”

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 3:10:45 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Now he’s engaging with Republicans again on the border bill they killed. It would have added 1,500 more border security agents and officers, 100 more immigration judges, 4,300 more asylum officers, 100 more high-tech drug detection machines to significantly increase the ability to screen and stop vehicles from smuggling fentanyl into America. 

Republicans are getting really obnoxious on this one, and Biden is hitting back strong. 

"Look at the facts. I know you know how to read."

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 3:07:44 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Biden talks about how he’s made banks mad at him on credit cards. “I’m saving American families $20 billion a year with all of the junk fees I’m eliminating.”

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 3:06:38 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

 "Oh, you guys don't want another $2 trillion tax cut? I thought that's what the plan was. Well, that's good to hear." He couldn’t goad them into standing up for Social Security this year. But he made his point very well.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 3:05:32 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Social Security and Medicare get their shoutout. “If anyone here tries to cut Social Security or Medicare or raise the retirement age I will stop them!”

And they’re falling into his trap again on giving huge tax breaks to the wealthy at the expense of seniors, sharply engaging with Republicans.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 3:03:50 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Calls for restoring the Child Tax Credit. They way to do all this, “is to make big corporations and the very wealthy finally pay their share.”

“It’s time to raise the corporate minimum tax to at least 21% so every big corporation finally begins to pay their fair share.  I also want to end the tax breaks for Big Pharma, Big Oil, private jets, and massive executive pay!”

Now he’s hitting the billionaires paying 8% taxes. “No billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a teacher, a sanitation worker, a nurse! That’s why I’ve proposed a minimum tax of 25% for billionaires. Just 25%.” Good idea.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 3:01:34 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

“While we’re at it,” Biden says, leaning in, “I want to give public school teachers a raise.”

That provides a good pivot to tax policy: “A fair tax code is how we invest in the things that make a country great, health care, education, defense, and more.”

”For folks at home does anybody really think the tax code is fair? 

Do you really think the wealthy and big corporations need another $2 trillion in tax breaks? 

I sure don’t. I’m going to keep fighting like hell to make it fair!”

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:59:14 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

“I fixed student loan programs to reduce the burden  of student debt for nearly 4 Million Americans including nurses firefighters and others in public service,” Biden says, then introdcues Keenan Jones, “a public-school educator in Minnesota who’s here with us tonight.”

”He’s educated hundreds of students so they can go to college now he can help his own daughter pay for college.”

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:58:06 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

This is some great red meat, economic populist stuff in support of American families. “To remain the strongest economy in the world we need the best education system in the world. 

“I want to give every child a good start by providing access to pre-school for 3- and 4-year-olds.” He follows with a great extemporaneous bit about meetings with corporations who back his education plans.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:55:13 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

He’s going a little fast here, but his housing stuff is great. “For millions of renters, we’re cracking down on big landlords who break antitrust laws by price-fixing and driving up rents.” That sure didn’t get any GOP applause.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:54:17 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Biden announces new program for housing affordabililty: “I want to provide an annual tax credit that will give Americans $400 a month for the next two years as mortgage rates come down to put toward their mortgage when they buy a first home or trade up for a little more space.”

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:52:43 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

“Folks Obamacare, known as the Affordable Care Act is still a very big deal.” Yes, yes it is. 

“But my predecessor and many in this chamber want to take that protection away by repealing the Affordable Care Act I won’t let that happen! 

We stopped you 50 times before and we will stop you again!”

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:50:50 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Republicans won’t even clap for the deficit savings realized by allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drugs.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:50:09 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

More on what his policies are doing for the people: “Americans pay more for prescription drugs than anywhere else. It’s wrong and I’m ending it. With a law I proposed and signed and not one Republican voted for we finally beat Big Pharma!”

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:48:30 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Johnson does not stand when Biden declares, "The state of our union is strong—and getting stronger."

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:48:11 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

“Wall Street didn’t build this country! The middle class built this country! And unions built the middle class!” It really is not a good look for Johnson to sneer at economic success for middle America.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:46:03 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Telling the “great comeback story is Belvidere, Illinois. Home to an auto plant for nearly 60 years,” strengthened by his policy and by the UAW. “The UAW worked like hell to keep the plant open and get those jobs back. And together, we succeeded!”

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:44:36 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

He’s strong on his economic record, and hits Republicans who are happy to take his infrastructure money after he got it passed.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:42:57 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

“On my watch, federal projects like helping to build American roads bridges and highways will be made with American products built by American workers creating good-paying American jobs!” Biden says.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:41:54 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Here’s Biden’s strong economic message. “We leave no one, no one behind.” We “turned setback into comeback… That’s what America does.” Touts record job growth, record employment, small businesses growing. Speaker Mike Johnson shakes his head through out, putting on his own embarrassing display.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:39:12 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Tells the American people to send him a congress that will support abortion rights and he will sign it. "Women are not without electoral or political power." He says they can show that in 2024.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:37:15 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

He thanks Vice President Harris "for being an incredible leader for reproductive freedom,” and blasts Trump for bragging about ending Roe v. Wade. 

Biden tells the horrific story of Kate Cox, the Texas woman who had to flee the state for life-saving abortion care.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:35:54 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

“History is watching,” Biden warns. Now pivots to the Alabama Supreme Court decision that threatened IVF. Republicans as a whole don’t even clap for American families. Bad look.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:34:00 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Biden pivots to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Johnson refuses to clap when Biden exclaims democracy prevailed.  "Here's the simple truth: You can't love your country only when you win."

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:32:47 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Makes reference to his “predecessor” who has invited Putin to invade Europe.

“My message to Putin is clear: We will not walk away!”

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:30:03 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

“Good evening! If I were smart, I’d go home now.” Nice sharp opening, Mr. President. Starts out with reference to FDR’s 1941 speech, with WWII raging. “This is not ordinary moment either,” Biden says. “Freedom and democracy are under attack here and overseas.” Calls for immediate aid to Ukraine, putting Johnson just a little on the spot.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:26:42 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

And President Biden is on, to raucus cheers from the Democrats.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:24:21 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:21:42 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Remember, Speaker Mike Johnson asked his caucus to try to behave this year. Good luck with that.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:21:10 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

President Biden enters, where the Freedom Caucus crowd and has a hard time getting away from Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee. MTG tried to force her way to the front of the crowd in her MAGA hat. Biden ignored her. 

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:12:58 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Someone let this guy back in. 

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:10:18 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

The Democratic women, sticking together.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:07:59 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

The maniacs are, as usual, bunched together at the back of the chamber. That’s where to look for the nonsense.

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UPDATE: Friday, Mar 8, 2024 · 2:00:31 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Speaker Mike Johnson has gaveled them in and Biden is about to enter. There’s a large bloc of Democratic women wearing white to signify their support for reproductive rights, including IVF.

The Supreme Court has entered, and it looks like Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito chose not to attend.

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