President biden
Joe BidenManchin cementes key vote status in the Senate 50-50 The Memorandum: How the year COVID overthrew politics Post-pandemic plans for lawmakers: Chuck E. Cheese, visiting friends, hugging grandchildren MORE Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of the pandemic restrictions, urging Americans to come together and do their part to remain vigilant against the coronavirus in order to return to an appearance of normalcy in the summer.
In his first prime-time speech as president, Biden made an emotional appeal to Americans who lost loved ones to COVID-19 and those struggling with economic and personal difficulties after a year of isolation.
The president balanced his vision of the bleak year with a sense of optimism. He outlined measures that his government is taking to increase the distribution of the vaccine, including a call for states to make all adults eligible to receive the vaccine by May 1.
The country has seen hospitalizations, deaths and cases in general steadily declining in recent months, as the climate warms and more Americans are vaccinated. Many states have begun to lift restrictions, but Biden warned that progress could be lost if Americans do not come together with a sense of national purpose to defeat the virus.
“Even if we dedicate all the resources we have, to beat this virus and return to normal depends on the national unit,” he said. “And national unity is not just how politicians and politicians vote in Washington, what the loudest voices say on cable or online. Unity is what we do as American citizens. Because if we don’t say vigilant and conditions change, we may have to reestablish restrictions to get back on track. “
Biden announced that he would order states to make all adults eligible for vaccines by May 1. The government plans to increase the number of vaccinators and increase the locations where Americans can get their vaccines, and he praised the creation of a government website and call center to help individuals find a vaccination appointment as soon as they are eligible.
The Biden government purchased sufficient doses of vaccine to have an adequate supply for all adults by the end of May, although the president has warned that this does not mean that all Americans will be vaccinated by then.
But with each of these steps and continued masking and social detachment from the public, Biden said, the country can see an environment where it is safe to hold small meetings on July 4 with friends and family.
Biden, who leaned toward empathy during the pandemic, acknowledged the pain and loss felt by the American people in the past year, during which more than 530,000 Americans died of the virus, millions lost jobs and thousands of businesses closed.
“Although it was different for everyone, we all lost something. A collective suffering, a collective sacrifice, ”said Biden. The president then pulled a card from his jacket pocket that he uses to track the number of deaths caused by the virus.
Biden reflected on the loss of birthdays, weddings, graduations and first dates, as well as the loss of lives and jobs experienced by many.
“It is the details of life that matter most, and we have lost those details,” said Biden. “All of this has come at a terrible cost to the psyche of many of us, because we are fundamentally a people who want to be with others.”
However, the speech delivered a clear message of hope for an end to the pandemic.
The president’s speech came after he secured his first major legislative victory by approving his $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan, which he signed on Thursday.
The bill provides financing for direct payments for many Americans, increased unemployment benefits through September, distribution of vaccines and reopening schools. Government officials have rated him as critical in the fight against the virus.
During his speech, Biden also sometimes sought to draw a clear contrast with his predecessor.
Old one President Trump
Donald TrumpThe memo: How the year COVID brought politics down Biden seeks its moment with the pandemic speech One year with the coronavirus: How we got there he was frequently criticized for lack of empathy when discussing the number of victims of the pandemic and for his government’s general response to the pandemic.
Without mentioning Trump’s name, Biden said the United States found “negatives for days, weeks, then months”, a reference to the frequent minimization of the dangers of coronavirus by his predecessor.
Biden continued, repeatedly promising to tell the truth and urging Americans to have confidence in the government’s response to the pandemic.
“You owe nothing less than the truth. And for all of you who are asking when things are going to go back to normal, here’s the truth: the only way to get our lives back, to put our economy on track, is to beat the virus, ”said Biden.