Biden Holds First Campaign Rally of His 2024 Campaign: ‘This Is Not a Campaign Speech’
RNC makes issue out what senator wore to greet the president at the airport
President Biden kicked off his effort to win a second, four-year term Saturday, rallying with members of organized labor in Philadelphia, Pa.
Biden made his bid for reelection official earlier this spring, in what is shaping up as a potential rematch with his 2020 rival, Donald Trump.
Trump — despite having been indicted twice on scores of criminal charges — is leading about a dozen other Republicans for the party's 2024 nomination to challenge the incumbent president.
"Folks, I’m looking forward to this campaign. I want you to know why. We have a story to tell. We have a record to run on. Most importantly we are not only change in this country, we are transforming it,” Biden said to the crowd of union members. “Think back, remember what it was like when I came into office. When we came into offense. Remember the mess we inherited? The pandemic was raging. Think about this, I mean this sincerely. This is not a campaign speech. This is a speech about the future of this country.”
Biden touted the recent deal he completed with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to gain the Republican-led House's vote to raise the federal debt ceiling so the government could continue to pay its bills.
Ultimately, Biden was forced only to make relatively modest cuts in federal spending compared to what McCarthy and other Republicans first demanded.
“The budget agreement I just negotiated cuts the deficit by $1 trillion and didn‘t give up anything as a consequence. That‘s on top of my first two years as president, I cut the deficit by more than any president has in American history, $1.7 trillion cut from the deficit,” the president said. “I‘ve been able to cut the deficit while protecting critical investments.”
Prior to the rally, Biden was met at Air Force One at the airport by, among others, Pennsylvania's newest US senator, John Fetterman.
Almost immediately, the Republican National Committee (RNC) tried to make an issue out of Fetterman’s attire of shorts and a hoodie with a post on social media.
“Biden is greeted in Pennsylvania by Democrat politicians — including Senator John Fetterman, who showed up wearing basketball shorts and a hoodie,” the message said.
Fetterman last year defeated celebrity Republican Dr Mehmet Oz after having suffered a serious stroke.
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