My 10 yo went to bed but not before some commentary: https://twitter.com/RameshPonnuru/status/1387570737372925952
Ted Cruz applauds Biden's line urging Americans to go get vaccinated now.
Biden opens by saying “America is on the move again,” which I read as an allusion to a John F. Kennedy line from the 1960 campaign. I happened to mention that very line in a column about Kennedy's political heirs today: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-04-28/housing-shortage-is-progressives-problem-to-fix?sref=XcONO5zf
Biden presents his themes: “tonight, I come to talk about crisis, and opportunity.”
“America is on the move again. Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setback into strength.”
Biden begins: “It's good to be back!”
More like Arena Football.
A much smaller, much quieter, spaced-out crowd, only one Supreme Court justice, only a few cabinet officials in attendance… this feels like the preseason football of joint addresses of Congress.
CNN reporting White House delayed the address — which for the last six presidents happened in January or February — by design.
Tonight's speech from President Biden is more than two months late. The WH is making no apologies–it was by design. Biden vowed to address Congress in Feb, but the pandemic got in the way and created an opportunity. “The pandemic gave us some running room,” an official tells me.
— Jeff Zeleny (@jeffzeleny) April 29, 2021
There will be no “Designated Survivor” tonight; most of Biden's cabinet will be watching from home. Fewer members of Congress will be in attendance, and only Chief Justice John Roberts.
See, terrorists, don't even bother tonight!
Despite universal vaccination of attendees, they are only allowing 200 people in the room, and everybody is masked. Message sent: If you get vaccinated, it doesn't make any difference.