Amazing that COVID hasn't come up at all yet in this Biden press conference, his first one as president.
Someone just asked if he's running for reelection though.
"My plan is to run for reelection."
Another question about whether Biden will run again in 2024 (yes). And with Harris (yes). And if he expects he'll run against Trump.
"I have no idea."
I get that people think Biden is handling COVID well, and that vaccinations are happening, that people are finally seeing a light at the end of this awful tunnel.
But we're still losing hundreds of Americans every day. Surely someone will ask for a progress report + path fwd.
Nearly an hour later, no questions on COVID for Biden in his first press conference.
"But folks, I'm goin."
LOL
That's the end of the press conference.
No COVID Qs.
In related news, 1,454 Americans died yesterday from COVID, per STAT news' COVID tracker. statnews.com/feature/corona…
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For years, Elizabeth Warren has been a lonely voice in the Senate on the need to pick people with all kinds of legal backgrounds -- not just corporate lawyers and prosecutors -- to be lifetime federal judges.
For all the historic court appointments Obama made, he didn't contribute much to professional diversity.
Warren called him out over it 2014, saying the courts badly needed more public defenders and civil rights attys on them.
She's got a new ally on this now: Joe Biden.
Biden's WH counsel wrote to Dem senators in Dec urging them to recommend court picks to the White House ASAP, and emphasizing Biden wants "public defenders, civil rights and legal aid attorneys, and those who represent Americans in every walk of life.”
New Schumer letter to Dems lays out agenda for the Senate's April work period.
3 areas of focus: "Voting rights and civil rights, economic recovery and jobs with an emphasis on climate change and building back better, and health and gun safety."
"We will try to work with our Republican colleagues on a bipartisan basis when and where we can," says Schumer. "But if they choose to obstruct, rather than work with us to deliver for American families, we must make progress nonetheless. Failure is not an option."
No mention of getting moving on judicial nominations, though I have to believe this will be happening too.
Deb Haaland, Biden's Interior Secretary pick poised to make history as the first-ever Native American cabinet sec, got her confirmation hearing this week.
She also got a bunch of lectures from science-denying Republicans about the need to follow science. huffpost.com/entry/gop-sena…
"Republicans, by the way, are guided by science," Sen. Bill Cassidy insisted to Haaland in her confirmation hearing.
In a stunning 2015 vote, Cassidy + other GOPers rejected legislation stating that human activity is “a significant contributor” to climate change. AKA science.
“I do hope you’ll respect the science,” Sen. Steve Daines told Haaland in her hearing.
Daines, who previously advocated teaching creationism in public schools, blames lawsuits from anti-logging enviro "extremists" for upticks in wildfires, not climate change. AKA science.
Day 2 of Deb Haaland's confirmation hearing begins.
Newly elected Sen. Mark Kelly is up, but as he talks, there's a weird echo and woman's voice reverberating in the room.
Manchin: "There's a female voice coming through."
😂
Kelly talking about how "special" the Grand Canyon is. Says he and Sen. Sinema intro'd a bill to ban uranium mining outside the park and asked if she would support their proposal for a permanent ban.
Haaland: "I look forward to discussing this issue with you."
Risch is up. Asks Haaland whether she supports Biden's plan to stop the Keystone Pipeline.
"I have to respect it sir," she says. "He is the president of the United States."
Sen. Barrasso is up. He has said Haaland’s “radical views are squarely at odds with the responsible management" of public lands.
I wonder why a guy who's taken $1.14M from the oil/gas industry would think protecting public lands from drilling is radical? huffpost.com/entry/gop-sena…
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), who is about to testify in support of Haaland's nomination, just laughed out loud at Barrasso dramatically talking about how big Wyoming is.