WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden departed the White House on Friday, boarding Marine One bound for Philadelphia, a pivotal city in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
His visit aims to reiterate the message delivered during his recent State of the Union address.
During his departure, Biden responded to questions about a potential debate with former President Trump, stating that it would depend on Trump’s behavior.
As Biden looks strengthens his campaign efforts, there’s growing speculation about a potential rematch against the presumptive Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump.
Biden referenced Trump around a dozen times during his prime-time address but refrained from mentioning his name directly.
Addressing concerns about January 6th, Biden stated, “My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about January 6 – I will not do that.”
However, the President’s speech faced pushback from GOP members for not seeking common ground with their party.
U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, expressed disappointment, highlighting the absence of bipartisan segments in Biden’s speech.
“We were disappointed,” he said. “I mean look usually in the State of the Union. There are segments that were bipartisan, where we can unify and agree on things. President Biden did none of that.”
Instead, Biden emphasized his administration’s accomplishments since taking office, particularly in the economy. The White House welcomed news that US employers added 275,000 jobs in February, a sign of continued strength, according to Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su.
Su emphasized Biden’s commitment to investing in working people as a means to build the economy needed and deserved by the American people.
“The President has been very clear,” she reiterated. “The only way we’re going to build the economy that the American people need and deserve is if we invest in working people.”