5/01/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | May 1st, 2021

 White House News in Chinese - About (weebly.com)

President Joe Biden's pet, a German Shepard dog named Major, is walked on a leash by the South Portico of the White House minutes before the president departs for travel to Ohio from the White House in Washington, on March 23, 2021. 
First Dog Major Back at White House After Post-Bite Training

May 1 - WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden’s younger dog, Major, is back at the White House after extra training—including spending time with some cats—to address biting incidents, first lady Jill Biden said in an NBC interview broadcast on Friday.

Major, a German Shepherd rescue, received training outside the White House this month after two biting incidents.


“He’s back,” Jill Biden said in the interview, conducted on Thursday. “He is such a sweet, lovable dog, he really is.”

The Bidens are expecting to bring a cat—a female—into their fold soon, she said, and Major has been prepped for that.

​“That was part of his training, they took him into a shelter with cats,” she said. “He did fine.”     source from

Remarks by Vice President Harris on the Progress Made During the First 100 Days in Office
APRIL 30, 2021

...​So, it is wonderful to be back in Baltimore, and especially on this, our 100th day of our administration.  I would say, today is a good day, Baltimore.

You know, 100 days ago, just after President Joe Biden and I were sworn in, I stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial.  And I talked about what I call “American aspiration.”  American aspiration.

I talked about how, in America, we not only dream; we do.  We not only see what has been; we see what can be.  We shoot for the moon, and then we plant our flag on it.

So, for a minute, let’s go back to where our nation was 100 days ago.  About 2 out of 330 million Americans, at that time, were fully vaccinated.  More than 10 million Americans were out of work.  Schools were closed.  Businesses were closed.  And beyond the pandemic, our democracy was under assault.  And our Capitol had just been attacked by insurgents.

All of that was going on when the President and I took our oath of office.  But as daunting as these challenges were, we were not deterred.  And our nation was not deterred.

We had a plan to get America back on track.  We had faith
that the American people, when given the opportunity, would come together and would rise to meet the moment.  And you have.  You have...     more


APRIL 30, 2021
President Biden Remarks on Amtrak's 50th Anniversary and American Jobs Plan
President Biden made remarks on Amtrak’s 50th anniversary and his American Jobs Plan during a visit to Philadelphia. The president spoke about his years of riding Amtrak between Washington, DC and Delaware and called Amtrak employees “family.” President Biden also spoke about the importance of investing in rail and expanding service as part of the American Jobs Plan. 

Remarks by President Biden at an Event Marking Amtrak’s 50th Anniversary
APRIL 30, 2021

...You know, folks.  The fact is that, if I — in the past when I’ve ended up at the 30th Street Station — Amtrak station — it’s probably because I took the late train back from Washington and I slept through the Delaware stop — literally, not figuratively.  I only did it about four times.  But — but I would have — I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. 

It’s an honor to celebrate Amtrak’s 50th anniversary.  And I look forward to a bright future for all of American rail...   
  more

APRIL 30, 2021
Vice President Harris Holds Roundtable on Public Transit
Vice President Harris participates in a roundtable discussion on the Biden administration’s investments in public transit.
Remarks by Vice President Harris in a Roundtable Discussion on Public Transit
APRIL 30, 2021

...Can they raise their families, get to work, get to the grocery store, satisfy their basic responsibilities and functions to raise a family and to be productive in their community and in their lives?  And so, that’s the context in which I think about this very important subject, which is the subject of public transit. 

And, you know, when I think about it, I think about: Good transit equals vibrant communities.  Right?  So if we think about it in terms of an investment in public transit, it is an investment in job creation.  It is an investment in improving communities.  It is an investment increasing access to opportunity... 
    more
Picture
US President Joe Biden stops to pick a dandelion for first lady Jill Biden near the White House in Washington.
Feline great: Bidens getting cat for White House

'She is waiting in the wings,' first lady Jill Biden said of a White House cat

​May 1 - Stand by for a major power shift in the White House: the dog-loving Bidens are getting a cat.

"Yes that is true ... she is waiting in the wings," first lady Jill Biden told NBC's Today show, in an interview broadcast on Friday.


The long-rumoured arrival of a first feline, which Press Secretary Jen Psaki once warned would "break the internet," means a new challenge for the Bidens' rambunctious German Shepherd Major.

He has already experienced teething problems in settling into America's most famous address.

The young former rescue dog, a faithful companion to the far older German shepherd Champ, was sent away for training in April after several biting incidents.

President Joe Biden said Champ's unpresidential behaviour was down to the way he gets surprised by Secret Service agents and others appearing around every corner in the busy White House complex.

​Now the over-eager Major will have to use his new coping skills with a cat too.

​"That was part of his training. They took him into a shelter with cats and he did fine," Ms Biden said.     source from
Radical stance: President Joe Biden in the House with fellow Democrats Maxine Waters and Bernie Sanders on Wednesday
Biden’s first 100 days: US president starts fast and aims high


The Democrat has begun his term with a radicalism that belies his party’s thin congressional majority. His $6trn spending plans and global ambitions are the mark of a man who knows the clock is ticking, writes Robert Schmuhl

May 1 - ...This March 11 — 50 days into his term — Biden signed the $1.9trn American Rescue Plan to provide relief to millions disrupted by the pandemic and to stimulate the country’s economy.


Twenty days later, he proposed the American Jobs Plan, a $2.3trn initiative to modernise infrastructure and improve an array of climate-focused or quality-of-life concerns. In an address to Congress this Wednesday, he unveiled another, near-$2trn programme, the American Families Plan, as he passed 100 days in the White House. Its measures include enhancing the US’s “social infrastructure”, including education and healthcare.


Roosevelt’s early accomplishments occurred in his first 100 days, a milestone he acknowledged in a radio broadcast. His designation of that period became an enduring yardstick for presidential beginnings.

In Biden’s case, he has prioritised the pandemic and undoing policies of Donald Trump’s administration. Immediately after taking the oath of office, he approved 17 measures that, among other things, brought the US back into the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organisation. He also halted his predecessor’s signature undertaking: the Mexican border wall.

​Before entering the White House, Biden set a goal of delivering 100 million vaccine jabs during his first 100 days. That number was reached 42 days early, so he declared a new target: 200 million by day 100, which was surpassed on April 21, eight days ahead of schedule...     more


Newsmax Media CEO Christopher Ruddy
Newsmax settles Dominion lawsuit, issues apology over election conspiracy theories

The network apologized to a voting machine company executive after being sued for defamation


May 1 - Newsmax has apologized to a voting machine company executive after being sued for defamation.

"An executive at Dominion Voting Systems moved to dismiss Newsmax as a defendant in a defamation lawsuit Friday after reaching a settlement with the right-wing media organization," Business Insider reported Friday. "It's the first such settlement from a news organization in a defamation lawsuit filed over 2020 election conspiracy theories"...     more


NBC Nightly News Broadcast (Full) - April 30th, 2021 | NBC Nightly News
May 1, 2021
U.S. will restrict travel from India amid the Covid crisis, at least 45 killed in stampede at a religious festival in Israel, plus a look at President Biden’s first 100 days and exiting the ‘forever war’ in Afghanistan.

4/30/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Apr. 30, 2021

 White House News in Chinese - About (weebly.com)

APRIL 29, 2021
President Biden Delivers Remarks at Drive-In Rally in Duluth, Georgia
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden delivered remarks at a drive-in rally in Duluth, Georgia, on the 100th day of the president’s administration. The First Lady introduced her husband, saying she has “always believed that he would be the president that we need.” 

Seoul said Moon and Biden's decision to hold an in-person summit despite the pandemic demonstrates the importance of the two nations' alliance
South Korean President Moon to visit White House on May 21


Meeting will mark the only second in-person summit with a foreign leader from Asia highlighting US president’s focus on the region.

Apr. 30 - South Korean President Moon Jae-in will visit the White House on May 21 for talks with US President Joe Biden, highlighting the “ironclad alliance” between the two countries, the White House said on Thursday.
“President Biden looks forward to working with President Moon to further strengthen our alliance and expand our close cooperation,” the White House said in a statement.

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South Korea muscles in on global arms trade
U.S. Marines board a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
US Begins Afghanistan Withdrawal, Deploys Military Assets to Protect Troops

  • Date published on  Apr. 30 , 2021
White House says the U.S. military has begun its withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Pentagon deploys temporary security assets to protect forces in the region.

​Earlier this month, Biden announced a full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, ending America's longest war.


The White House confirmed Thursday that the U.S. military has begun its withdrawal from Afghanistan and proactively deployed additional troops and military equipment to protect forces in the region.

​"Potential adversaries should know that if they attack us in our withdrawal, we will defend ourselves, [and] our partners, with all the tools at our disposal," White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters traveling on Air Force One.     more
Tim Scott says 'America is not racist country'
GOP Senator Scott says the racial hypocrisy of the left has been 'exposed' after he was attacked for his Biden rebuttal and says they are 'fighting bigotry with bigotry'

Date published on Apr. 30, 2021
  • Tim Scott, Republican senator for South Carolina, was appeared on Hannity on Fox News on Thursday
  • Scott discussed backlash to his rebuttal of Joe Biden's Congressional speech
  • The black senator was called 'Uncle Tim' - a reference to the 'Uncle Tom' slur
  • The insult is used to describe a black person who is too deferential to whites
  • Scott on Thursday night said the insults exposed the left's 'hypocrisy'
  • He told Sean Hannity the left was about to face a significant backlash
  • Earlier Scott told another Fox show he was being attacked for his skin color 

​...'They have expose their hypocrisy and their true motivation,' he said.

'It has nothing to do with ending prejudice. It has everything to do with claiming or getting more power.

'I have never seen such power grab and using people in such a despicable way.' 

Speaking directly after Biden's maiden address to Congress, Scott gave his party and its former leader, ex-President Donald Trump, credit for the COVID response - saying Biden had 'inherited a tide that had already turned' - while blasting Democrats for prolonged closures of schools and churches. 

Scott also defended the GOP-backed Georgia voting bill, blasting Democrats for lying about the controversial legislation and labeling it 'mainstream.'  

The South Carolina Republican started out his remarks, delivered elsewhere in the U.S. Capitol, by saying Biden 'seems like a good man,' and adding that his 'speech was full of good words.'   


'But President Biden promised you a specific kind of leadership. He promised to unite a nation. 

'To lower the temperature. To govern for all Americans, no matter how we voted. That was the pitch. You just heard it again,'

Scott said. 'But our nation is starving for more than empty platitudes.' 

Scott blasted Biden and the Democrats for 'pulling us further apart.'      quoted from
Host/executive producer Sunny Hostin speaks in Investigation Discovery’s “Truth About Murder with Sunny Hostin” panel at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour on Thursday, July 25, 2019, 
'View' co-host Sunny Hostin: Tim Scott 'knows' he's being 'used' by Republicans


Apr. 30 - “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin said she was “very disappointed” in Sen. Tim Scott‘s rebuttal to President Biden’s address to Congress Wednesday night, alleging that the Black Republican is allowing himself to be “used” by his party because of his race.

“I was disappointed that he said America is not a racist country without also talking about the systemic racism that is plaguing this country,” Ms. Hostin said on the show Thursday morning. “I mean, why was he chosen to give this rebuttal? He was chosen because he is the only Black Republican senator. He is that person. He is the person that Republicans want to put out front because of the problem of racism in this country, and he knows that. 


“And so I was sort of disappointed that he was used in that way and didn’t take that opportunity to address this type of issue head on,” she added. “That was a disappointment to me”...     more

TOP STORIES
'View' co-host Sunny Hostin: Tim Scott 'knows' he's being 'used' by Republicans
Biden's first speech before Congress drew 22.6 million viewers; Trump enjoyed 43 million in 2017
Texas coronavirus cases fall after mask mandate is lifted


Trevor Noah Is Over Republicans’ Tired Complaints About Biden’s Speech
“When did we decide that you can only judge a policy proposal based on how entertaining the performance of it is?”

Apr. 30 - Trevor Noah thinks President Joe Biden’s address to Congress on Wednesday was dull, and he’s cool with it.
In a joint session of Congress, Biden laid out a sweeping vision for the future of the country and highlighted his accomplishments 100 days into his presidency.


A number of conservatives took issue with Biden’s delivery. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called it “boring, but radical.” Fox News’ Sean Hannity compared Biden to a “corpse.” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said it “could have been an email.”

“Ted Cruz was so bored at that speech, he fell asleep,” Noah said. “And I know what you’re thinking right now, you think I’m going to say something like ‘Oh that’s weird, I thought lizards slept with their eyes open,’ but I’m not going to say that. Because honestly, that was the most relatable thing that Ted Cruz has ever done. Because that speech was boring.”

“And when you consider that almost none of Biden’s goals are going to get past Congress, I mean, we basically just listened to an old man talk for an hour about his dreams,” he added. 
I
f it were up to Noah, he’d scrap the delivery altogether.

“Just print it out, let the people read it,” he said. “I mean, when did we decide that you can only judge a policy proposal based on how entertaining the performance of it is?”

Watch his roast below.     source from

Related Articles:


New project: Lena Headey, 47, has lined up a main role in HBO's Watergate limited series The White House Plumbers, according to Variety; seen in 2019 in LA
Lena Headey joins Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux in HBO's Watergate limited series The White House Plumbers

Apr. 30 - Lena Headey is adding to her packed list of upcoming projects with a new high-profile limited series about the Watergate scandal.

The 47-year-old Game Of Thrones star will join Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux in HBO's five-episode series The White House Plumbers, about the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committees headquarters, Variety reported on Thursday.

She'll be appearing in the show as Dorothy Hunt, the wife of Nixon administration 'plumber' E. Howard Hunt.

The White House Plumbers will focus on Hunt and fellow Watergate break-in mastermind G. Gordon Liddy.

​Harrelson will play, Hunt, a former CIA officer and the husband to Headey's character.      source from
NBC Nightly News Broadcast (Full) - April 29th, 2021 | NBC Nightly News
Apr 30, 2021
New York City to fully reopen on July 1, mayor says, eight fraternity members indicted in student’s alleged hazing death, and President Biden pitches largest expansion of government programs in decades.

4/29/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Apr. 29, 2021

 White House News in Chinese - About (weebly.com)

Biden asks Congress for police reform bill by George Floyd death anniversary

Apr. 29, WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday urged Congress to pass a police reform bill in the name of George Floyd - a Black man killed under the knee of a white police officer - by the anniversary of his death on May 25.

​Biden, a Democrat, told a joint session of Congress the reform was broadly supported by the American people, and that he knew Republicans were "engaged in productive discussions" with Democrats.


"We need to work together to find a consensus," Biden said. "Let’s get it done next month, by the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death."

The Democratic president drew a bipartisan standing ovation when he praised the police, saying "most men and women in uniform wear their badge and serve their communities honorably."

But he said Congress needs to restore trust in law enforcement, end racism in the criminal justice system, and give meaning to the words of Floyd's daughter, who Biden said told him "Daddy changed the world."

"After the conviction of George Floyd’s murderer, we can see how right she was – if we have the courage to act," he said. "Now is our opportunity to make real progress."     more

APRIL 28, 2021
President Biden Addresses Joint Session of Congress
President Biden delivered his first address to a joint session of Congress. He discussed his actions over the first 100 days of his presidency, highlighting the number of people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and the economic aid package. He also outlined his agenda for the rest of the year, including his plans for child care assistance, jobs, combating climate change, and other issues.
Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by President Biden — Address to a Joint Session of Congress
APRIL 28, 2021


Madame Speaker.  
Madame Vice President. 
No president has ever said those words from this podium, and it’s about time. 
The First Lady. 
The Second Gentleman. 
Mr. Chief Justice. 
Members of the United States Congress and the Cabinet – and distinguished guests. 
My fellow Americans. 
While the setting tonight is familiar, this gathering is very different – a reminder of the extraordinary times we are in.  
Throughout our history, Presidents have come to this chamber to speak to the Congress, to the nation, and to the world. 

To declare war. To celebrate peace. To announce new plans and possibilities. 
Tonight, I come to talk about crisis — and opportunity.  
About rebuilding our nation — and revitalizing our democracy. 
And winning the future for America. 
As I stand here tonight — just one day shy of the 100th day of my administration. 
100 days since I took the oath of office, lifted my hand off our family Bible, and inherited a nation in crisis. 
The worst pandemic in a century. 
The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. 
The worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War. 
Now, after just 100 days, I can report to the nation: America is on the move again.  
Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setback into strength. 
Life can knock us down. 
But in America, we never stay down. 
In America, we always get up. 
And today, that’s what we’re doing: America is rising anew. 
Choosing hope over fear. Truth over lies. Light over darkness. 
After 100 Days of rescue and renewal, America is ready for takeoff. 
We are working again. Dreaming again. Discovering again. Leading the world again. 
We have shown each other and the world: There is no quit in America. 
100 days ago, America’s house was on fire.  
We had to act...     more
Biden praised for delivering 'the most honest closing line of any presidential speech'

Apr. 29 - President Biden received praise Wednesday night for the closing line to his first address to a joint session of Congress in which he said, "Thank you for your patience."


​Robert A. George, a writer for Bloomberg Opinion, tweeted Biden's ending line, calling it "possibly most honest closing line any president has delivered in one of these addresses to Congress!"

"Thank you for your patience!" Possibly most honest closing line any president has delivered in one of these addresses to Congress!
— Robert A George (@RobGeorge) April 29, 2021


Biden wrapped up his speech, which lasted a little more than an hour, by saying: "We're the United States of America. There is not a single thing — nothing, nothing beyond our capacity. We can do whatever we set our minds to if we do it together. So let's begin to get together. God bless you all and may God protect our troops. Thank you for your patience."

Todd Zwillich, deputy D.C. bureau chief for VICE News, shared George's assessment, calling Biden's last sentence "probably the most honest line I’ve ever heard at a presidential address."

“Thank you for your patience” was probably the most honest line I’ve ever heard at a presidential address.
— Todd Zwillich (@toddzwillich) April 29, 2021

more


“We have lots of other things to do,” Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters Wednesday. 
Democrats struggle to get infrastructure plan off the ground

Apr. 29, WASHINGTON -- President Biden and congressional Democrats accomplished their primary checklist during their first 100 days in control of Washington. They enacted a historic pandemic rescue package, shot 200 million COVID-19 vaccines into Americans’ arms and confirmed a Cabinet.

But now the reality of how difficult the next steps of Biden’s presidency will be is crashing down on Democrats.

The infrastructure bill is struggling to get off the ground. Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) is not budging on his refusal to support progressive Democrats’ plan to scrap the filibuster and its 60-vote threshold.

With a 50-50 split Senate, Democrats are just one seat away from returning to minority status; in the House their majority is down to just a few seats.

“We have lots of other things to do,” Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday ahead of Biden’s speech to Congress. “I would remind you that people were skeptical when we took office — our majority — that we could get three things done at once: the Cabinet, impeachment, the [American Rescue Plan]. … We’re going to do many more things together.”

But Democratic control of the trifecta — the White House, House and Senate — doesn’t mean that any of this will be easy.     more