9/22/2021

Biden in UN | Sep. 22, 2021

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Remarks by President Biden Before the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

SEPTEMBER 21, 2021SPEECHES AND REMARKSUnited Nations Headquarters

New York, New York

THE PRESIDENT:  Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, my fellow delegates, to all those who dedicate themselves to this noble mission of this institution: It’s my honor to speak to you for the first time as President of the United States. 

​We meet this year in a moment of — intermingled with great pain and extraordinary possibility.  We’ve lost so much to this devastating — this devastating pandemic that continues to claim lives around the world and impact so much on our existence. 


​We’re mourning more than 4.5 million people — people of every nation from every background.  Each death is an individual heartbreak.  But our shared grief is a poignant reminder that our collective future will hinge on our ability to recognize our common humanity and to act together. 

​Ladies and gentlemen, this is the clear and urgent choice that we face here at the dawning of what must be a decisive decade for our world — a decade that will quite literally determine our futures.

a global community, we’re challenged by urgent and looming crises wherein lie enormous opportunities if — if — we can summon the will and resolve to seize these opportunities. 

we work together to save lives, defeat COVID-19 everywhere, and take the necessary steps to prepare ourselves for the next pandemic?  For there will be another one.  Or will we fail to harness the tools at our disposal as the more virulent and dangerous variants take hold?

Will we meet the threat of challenging climate — the challenging climate we’re all feeling already ravaging every part of our world with extreme weather?  Or will we suffer the merciless march of ever-worsening droughts and floods, more intense fires and hurricanes, longer heatwaves and rising seas?

Will we affirm and uphold the human dignity and human rights under which nations in common cause, more than seven decades ago, formed this institution? 


Will we apply and strengthen the core tenets of inter- — of the international system, including the U.N. Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as we seek to shape the emergence of new technologies and deter new threats?  Or will we allow these universal — those universal principles to be trampled and twisted in the pursuit of naked political power? 
In my view, how we answer these questions in this moment — whether we choose to fight for our shared future or not — will reverberate for generations yet to come.

Simply put: We stand, in my view, at an inflection point in history.  And I’m here today to share with you how the United States intends to work with partners and allies to answer these questions and the commitment of my new administration to help lead the world toward a more peaceful, prosperous future for all people.

Instead of continuing to fight the wars of the past, we are fixing our eyes on devoting our resources to the challenges that hold the keys to our collective future: ending this pandemic; addressing the climate crisis; managing the shifts in global power dynamics; shaping the rules of the world on vital issues like trade, cyber, and emerging technologies; and facing the threat of terrorism as it stands today.

We’ve ended 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan.  And as we close this period of relentless war, we’re opening a new era of relentless diplomacy; of using the power of our development aid to invest in new ways of lifting people up around the world; of renewing and defending democracy; of proving that no matter how challenging or how complex the problems we’re going to face, government by and for the people is still the best way to deliver for all of our people.

And as the United States turns our focus to the priorities and the regions of the world, like the Indo-Pacific, that are most consequential today and tomorrow, we’ll do so with our allies and partners, through cooperation at multilateral institutions like the United Nations, to amplify our collective strength and speed, our progress toward dealing with these global challenges.
There’s a fundamental truth of the 21st century within each of our own countries and as a global community that our own success is bound up with others succeeding as well.

To deliver for our own people, we must also engage deeply with the rest of the world...     more 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2021
President Biden Addresses U.N. General Assembly
​President Biden delivered remarks at the U.N. General Assembly in New York City. Topics he touched on included the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. military power, climate change, human rights and emerging technologies.
Readout of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s Meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia

SEPTEMBER 21, 2021STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
​President Biden met today with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia and celebrated the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-Australia Alliance. The leaders affirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, based on shared values and mutual interests, and agreed on the importance of working with allies and partners around the world, including through historic partnerships and organizations and new configurations, to defend against threats to the international rules based order. They discussed the critical role European allies and partners, including NATO and the EU, play in the Indo-Pacific and ways to deepen that cooperation and joint work. The President and Prime Minister Morrison committed to take steps to strengthen the resilience of our respective economies and their mutual commitment to work through the Quad. They also discussed the upcoming Quad Leaders Summit, including efforts to expand access to vaccines in the Indo-Pacific and to cooperate to address the climate crisis.

Joe Biden, Boris Johnson stress action on climate change, advancing cooperation in Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific
NEWS AGENCIES| Updated on: 22 September 2021, 8:03 IST

US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday (local time) stressed upon climate change and agreed to continue cooperation in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific in Oval Office meeting on the sidelines of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly meeting.


"Earlier today I addressed the United Nations General Assembly and I made clear the climate has to be the core area of action for all of us, and as we look ahead to the UK hosted COP26, which I'm really anxious to attend in Glasgow in November," Biden said.

"Our economies have to work together, including through our build back better world initiative that we launched in Cardiff Bay, and today we're going to discuss the next steps on all of this and as well as how the US and UK can continue our cooperation in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific and around the world and I want to thank you again, Boris, for making the effort to be here," he added.


Johnson thanked President Biden for America's cooperation on a number of fronts including lifting a ban on British beef, travel restrictions and most importantly climate change, reported CNN.

"I think the most important thing today has been your speech Joe to UNGA where you made a commitment on supporting the world to adapt to climate change, doubling the American commitment," Johnson said, calling it fantastic to see the US stepping up and leading on the issue.

Johnson also discussed the new trilateral partnership among the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines, saying it "has great potential to benefit the whole of the world with security."
Asked if Britain was still at "the back of the queue" for a free trade deal, the President said he would talk about trade with Johnson today and they will "have to work that through." Biden said he does feel very strongly about the Irish Accords and keeping those in place amid Brexit.

"We spent an enormous amount of time and effort in the United States. It was a major bipartisan effort made and I would not at all like to see, nor I might add would many of my Republican colleagues, like to see a change in the Irish Accords, the end result having a closed border again," Biden said, drawing an agreement from Johnson.

Biden also briefly weighed in on the possible extradition of Anne Sacoolas, the US woman accused of killing 19-year-old Harry Dunn in August 2019 while she was driving on the wrong side of the road in England, saying the case is being worked on and he believes there had been a civil settlement reached. He said he doesn't know the status of the case right now but he would follow up, reported CNN.     source

Readout of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s Meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom

SEPTEMBER 21, 2021STATEMENTS AND RELEASES

President Biden met today with Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom at the White House. This meeting reaffirmed the strong bond between the United States and the United Kingdom, as the leaders agreed to continue working together to fulfill the vision set forward in the Atlantic Charter. President Biden and Prime Minister Johnson reviewed our cooperation on shared global challenges, including building consensus for action to address the climate crisis, promoting global health security, supporting democracy and human rights, and developing a more inclusive economic future for all countries. The leaders also discussed our ongoing work on Afghanistan, as well as developments in the Indo-Pacific and the critical role of European allies and partners, including NATO and the EU, in the region. They also discussed Northern Ireland, and President Biden reiterated his longstanding support for a secure and prosperous Northern Ireland in which all communities have a voice and enjoy the gains of the hard-won peace.

Hit by Afghan Crisis, Covid Surge, Biden’s Quad Summit Aim is to Bring Back Focus on China

The September 24 summit was announced in March this year when the first-ever Quad summit took place virtually, writes Maha Siddiqui from Washington DC.

Sep. 22 - It’s been a tough time for US President Joe Biden. The botched-up troop pull-out from Afghanistan has seen him be criticised not just by political rivals but has also led to a dip in his approval ratings. A move that was meant to cater to the domestic constituency didn’t yield desired results with visuals of desperate Afghans trying to flee finding their way across the world and in America too.

The Covid-19 numbers have been rising in America once again, leading to record hospitalisations. This, despite the fact the US has vaccinated a vast majority of its population. Many argue that the numbers are being driven by the anti-vaxxers. Nonetheless, it has put a question mark on the Biden administration’s ability to control the raging pandemic.

So, despite the Covid crisis, President Biden has pushed through an in-person Quad Summit. The summit which is to take place on September 24 was announced in March this year when the first-ever Quad summit took place virtually and the leaders came out with some concrete proposals – one in fact on countering China’s indigenous vaccine push as well. As the four important leaders of the Indo-Pacific region – President Biden, PM Narendra Modi, PM Yoshihide Suga and PM Scott Morrison meet in Washington DC, clearly the US effort would be to take the focus away from Afghanistan and back to China...     more

9/19/2021

J6 | Sep. 19, 2021

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

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 18: A view of the National Mall as supporters of those charged in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol attend the 'Justice for J6' rally near the U.S. Capitol September 18, 2021 in Washington, DC. The protestors gathered in Washington, DC on Saturday to support over 600 people arrested and charged in connection with the January 6 attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

​The Crisis Management Lesson From ‘Justice For J6’ Rally At U.S. Capitol

The Capitol Police were ready this time. Unlike the Jan. 6 resurrection at the U.S. Capitol, law enforcement agencies were well-prepared for any eventuality at Saturday’s “Justice for J6” rally where there were more police than participants.

The crisis management lesson for business leaders from today’s event was “better safe than sorry.” The rally that drew hundreds of people ended Saturday afternoon after about an hour of speeches. There were no known incidents, according to news reports.

The Washington Post said the event was, ‘… the most anticipated visit by right-wing demonstrators to the nation’s capital since Jan. 6, and unease had settled across the city as the day began. Among other things, police were worried about the risk of violent clashes between the pro-Trump protesters and others on a busy Saturday in Washington…’

Taking No Chances
Police officials took no chances. On Saturday morning, the U.S. Capitol Police deputized outside law enforcement personnel as special officers...     more


Governor Gavin Newsom celebrates victory in the California recall election.


US politics

California recall vote show Trump’s big lie is now Republican playbook

Sep. 19 - ...“This is the Republican party playbook. It’s going to be hard to find, moving forward, any Republican candidate who loses and accepts the results of his or her election. They’re all going to be a big sore loser like Trump.”


Walsh, who challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination last year, added: “To be a viable Republican today, you have to lie or you have to deny the truth. You cannot say that Joe Biden won fair and square. You cannot say that January 6th was an insurrection. You’ve got to be careful saying the vaccines work.

“To be a Republican today, you’ve got to pretty much call into question every single election that you lose. This is Trump’s legacy and you’re going to see it again big time in 2024.”

But relentlessly trashing the electoral process could prove counterproductive. Last year Republicans feared that Trump’s claims about widespread fraud due to an expansion of mail-in voting during the pandemic would persuade many Republicans to stay at home. His constant crying foul in Georgia may have cost Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue their seats in a Senate runoff last January...     quoted from 
File image of Imran Khan. Reuters
Joe Biden faced 'unfair criticism' over Afghanistan withdrawal, says Imran Khan

The prime minister also called upon the US to devise a strategy if a humanitarian crisis broke out triggered by a feared halt in international help to Afghanistan.

Sep. 19 - Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said he believed US President Joe Biden was targeted with "unfair criticism" over troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and termed his decision as the most sensible thing to do, according to a media report.


In an interview to Russian broadcaster RT, Khan said he wasn't sure whether the US had any coherent policy on what they were going to do in the war-ravaged country, the Dawn newspaper reported on Saturday.

Referring to the US pulling out troops from Afghanistan and commending the American president for his decision, he said, "There was so much unfair criticism of President Biden, and what he did was the most sensible thing to do"...     more



Afghanistan and climate change on agenda as Johnson to meet Biden at White House

It will be the Prime Minister's first visit to the White House since Joe Biden succeeded Donald Trump as US president

Sep. 19 - Prime Minister Boris Johnson is heading to the White House next week and is expected to push president Joe Biden on the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the potential of reopening UK-US travel and climate change.

​In what is billed as an environment-focused trip to the United States, he will urge world leaders to take greater action on their commitments to tackle the climate crisis.

With around 100 world leaders expected in New York at the United Nations General Assembly later this week, Mr Johnson will seek to galvanise action during a series of high-level meetings.


The PM sees the annual UN meeting as an excellent opportunity to impress on major polluters the need to meet their commitments as he prepares to host the Cop26 summit in Glasgow in November.

Many had hoped the president’s arrival would restore the UK and US relationship to full health, but the crisis in Afghanistan has recently put it under strain.     source from

NBC Nightly News Full Broadcast - September 17th, 2021
Sep 18, 2021
FDA advisory panel votes against vaccine booster for most Americans, Pentagon says 10 Afghan civilians killed in drone strike “mistake,” and Robert Durst found guilty of murder.
00:00 Intro 02:13 FDA Rejects Booster Plan 06:44 Afghanistan Civilians Killed 09:26 Border Chaos 12:52 U.S. Capitol On High Alert 14:38 Desperate Search For Gabby Petito 16:47 The New Space Race

9/11/2021

Philippines | Sep. 11, 2021

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SEPTEMBER 10, 2021
​White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held a press briefing to discuss the administration’s policy priorities. She responded to a variety of questions on the president’s newly announced vaccine mandates, a phone call between President Biden and Chinese President Xi, increasing the debt ceiling, and news that flights from Afghanistan have been paused because of health concerns

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, September 10, 2021

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021PRESS BRIEFINGSJames S. Brady Press Briefing Room

MS. PSAKI:  Hi, everyone.  Thank you for your patience.  I know you’re all thrilled to be sitting here at 3:00 on a Friday afternoon, but here we are together.

Okay, so I have two items for all of you at the top.  Today, the White House Competition Council, which includes eight Cabinet Secretaries and the Chairs of seven independent agencies,  held its inaugural meeting here in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.

The Council’s first meeting focused on the actions agencies have already taken to promote competition and help lower costs for American families in just the two months since the President issued the competition executive order.  The members of the Competition Council have met every deadline in the executive order so far and delivered even more than what was required ahead of schedule. 

The agencies’ actions cover a broad range of industries and are aimed at reducing the prices people pay when they shop at the grocery store, when they travel to visit their loved ones, when they’re choosing an Internet plan, and when they purchase the prescription drugs they need.  

During the meeting, several agencies, including HHS, DOT, USDA, DOJ, and FTC — and the FTC, briefed the other councilmembers on the important work they’ve done. 

This includes a major effort by the Department of Transportation to get refunds for thousands of travelers whose flights were cancelled due to COVID-19.  DOT published a new report highlighting how it is helping secure refunds for thousands of those passengers, including by investigating the refund practices of 18 airlines, filing a formal complaint against Air Canada for refund delays, and getting 9 airlines to change their refund policies so that passengers can get refunded more quickly.

This is just the beginning; obviously more work ahead.

A quick preview of the week ahead:

You know a lot of this already, but tomorrow, the President and First Lady will honor and memorialize the lives lost with travel to all three sites of the 9/11 attacks, visiting New York City; Shanksville, Pennsylvania; and the Pentagon. 

On Monday, the President will travel to Boise, Idaho, where he will visit the National Interagency Fire Center.  He will also head to Sacramento, California, to survey wildfire damage that has affected the region.  Then the President will head to Long Beach, California, to participate in an event with Governor Gavin Newsom. 

On Tuesday, he will travel to Denver, Colorado, to participate in a Build Back Better infrastructure event.  We’ll have more details, I expect, over the coming days.  More to come in the schedule for the week ahead...     more 

https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2771098/austin-says-philippines-is-vital-ally-with-shared-goals/
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III Meeting With Philippines Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana​

​Sep. 11 - Austin III met with Philippines Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana at the Pentagon today to commemorate the 70th anniversary year of the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty and discuss ways to deepen this vital alliance.

​In recognition of this important anniversary, the Secretaries affirmed the enduring nature of the U.S.-Philippines alliance, as well as their shared commitment to building an even stronger foundation for future alliance cooperation.

Secretary Austin reiterated that the U.S.
commitment to Philippine security is ironclad, and that U.S.
treaty commitments extend to Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea.

He expressed his appreciation for the Philippine decision to restore the U.S.-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement, which signals a commitment by both sides to enhance the scale and scope of alliance cooperation.

The Secretaries also discussed the importance of increased military and security cooperation to support Philippine defense modernization efforts and build alliance interoperability.

The Secretaries agreed to undertake a number of new initiatives that will ensure the bilateral alliance is postured to address new and emerging challenges.

These include:
  • developing a joint vision statement on shared priorities for the next phase of our alliance cooperation;
  • concluding a bilateral maritime framework that advances military activities and cooperation in the maritime space;
  • resuming infrastructure improvement projects at Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement agreed locations in the Philippines; and
  • Re-convening the Bilateral Strategic Dialogue later this year.

The Secretaries closed the meeting by reiterating their commitment to supporting the security, stability, and prosperity of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and to building an even more capable alliance that is based on a shared foundation of common interests and values.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin N. Lorenzana Opening Remarks at Bilateral Meeting

SEPT. 10, 2021

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III: Well, Secretary Lorenzana, thanks for making the trip, and welcome to the -- welcome back to the Pentagon. I know you've been here many times before, but we're especially glad to have you back now, so thanks for making the trip.

We've had a terrific meeting on my recent visit to Manila, and I really want to thank you for your tremendous hospitality. And it's really great to be able to reciprocate your warm welcome and your hospitality by hosting you here today.  


​Your visit is especially significant, since we've just celebrated the 70th anniversary of our Mutual Defense Treaty, which remains the bedrock of our alliance. We built on those decades of partnership during my visit to Manila, and President Duterte's decision to restore the U.S.-Philippines Visiting Force Agreement puts our alliance on an especially strong footing. That's the way it should be. The Philippines is a vital treaty ally. Our countries face a range of 21st century challenges, and our cooperation is key to the security, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.

So I'm looking forward to continuing our discussions on several priority areas for the alliance going forward, including maritime cooperation, modernizing the armed forces of the Philippines and interoperability, information sharing and investments. All these efforts underscore our promise to modernize our historic alliance to address future challenges.


Mr. Secretary, America is committed to a sovereign and secure Philippines, and to building an even stronger alliance based upon our foundation of common interest and common values, and I look forward to discussing ways that we can deepen our partnership.  

So again, we're awfully glad to have you here, sir, and thanks for coming...     more
U.S. marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacks

Sep 11  - The U.S. is set to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks Saturday with commemorations at New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The milestone anniversary takes place just weeks after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the return to power of the Taliban, the faction that sheltered the Muslim militant group founded by Osama bin Laden that carried out the attacks.
 It was also happening amid continuing concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, which has now killed more than 11 times as many people in New York City as the nearly 3,000 that perished in the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center.
President Joe Biden is scheduled to travel to all three sites of the 2001 attacks.

Former President George W. Bush is expected to speak at the Pennsylvania memorial. Other observances are planned around the country...     more on this topic

DOD Leaders Recall Americans' Resilience After 9/11

The 9/11 attacks made most Americans who are old enough to remember both confused and angry about what had happened. The attacks weren't just on people or buildings, but on the nation's guiding ideals of freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Sep. 10 - Early that morning, two aircraft hit the tallest towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York City. At 9:37 a.m., another plane hit the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., killing 184 innocent individuals both onboard the plane and in the building. Less than 30 minutes later, another plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen H. Hicks was working at the Pentagon that day, and her son was enrolled in the child care center there, as well. She said she and her son were lucky to get home that night, adding that it took hours to make the trip. But the following day, she said, she knew America was back on its feet.

"On 9/11, the next day, and in the months and years that followed ... we saw this Pentagon community respond to that attack with incredible resiliency," she said during a memorial event in the Pentagon courtyard today. "We saw resiliency through acts of selflessness: Pentagon employees and first responders on that day who worked to rescue survivors and fight through an inferno. Incredibly, they rushed into danger, just as they did in New York, into the suffocating black smoke and unbearable intense heat."

Even after the attack on the Pentagon, Hicks said, the building never closed.

"That night, Secretary Rumsfeld held a press conference to let the American people know that the Pentagon would continue to operate," she said. "There was the resiliency through duty. That next day, like many other employees, I headed back into this building. The Pentagon, in fact, has never closed its doors fully since the completion of its construction."

While planners in the Pentagon worked out America's response, construction crews worked endlessly to put the building back together, Hicks said...     more

Related Articles:
Afghanistan Evacuation: DOD Response
​​Remembering September 11, 2001

Related Speech: 
Deputy Secretary of Defense Hicks Remarks at 9/11 20th Anniversary – Pentagon Employee Observance Ceremony (As Prepared)


President and first lady Biden welcome DC middle schoolers back to classrooms
"We owe them a promise to keep their schools open as safe as possible. We owe them a commitment to follow the science."

Sep. 10 - President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, who has a doctorate in education, joined D.C. middle school students and families Friday, welcoming them back to classrooms and honoring the educators who made it all possible.
The first lady spoke at Brookland Middle School and delivered words of encouragement while acknowledging the challenges of the last year and highlighting goals to come.

"We are going to partner with you because we don't always know what the future holds, but we do know what we owe our children," Dr. Biden said while affirming that the administration will ensure schools like Brookland have the resources and support to continue in-person learning. "We owe them a promise to keep their schools open as safe as possible. We owe them a commitment to follow the science. We owe them unity so that we can fight the virus, not each other."

The first lady then went on to introduce an eighth grader and editor of the school's paper, the Brookland Buzz. The young man shared his experience as a scholar who has thrived academically but was nonetheless affected by the immense challenge of virtual school.

​"It was announced we were going on an early spring break due to the pandemic. What kid wouldn't be excited to go on an early spring break?" he recalled of the emotions and commotion surrounding spring, 2020 at the middle school. "What was supposed to be one week turned into 18 months of virtual learning. I'm not gonna lie, that was really hard"...     more

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021
President Biden and First Lady on School Safety
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden spoke about the coronavirus pandemic and keeping children safe at Brookland Middle School in Washington, DC. The president urged parents to get their children vaccinated if they’re eligible.

Remarks by President Biden on How the Administration Is Helping to Keep Students Safe in Classrooms

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021SPEECHES AND REMARKSBrookland

Middle School
Washington, D.C.


THE PRESIDENT:  What an impressive young man. 

THE FIRST LADY:  Yeah.

THE PRESIDENT:  You know, when I was your age — are you — are you going to sit down, babe, or are you going to stand?

THE FIRST LADY:  Oh, yeah.  We’re going to sit down.  I forgot.  (Laughs.) 


THE PRESIDENT:  No, you don’t have to.  (Laughter.)

Elijah, when I was your age in eighth grade, I wasn’t a bad student, but — and I wasn’t a bad athlete, but I’ll tell you what: I could no more do what you just did than fly.  Because I used to talk — t- — t- — talk — talk like — like that.  I stuttered, and especially when I had to do something in public or read aloud.  And I am amazed when I see young women and men like you who can stand up and speak with such grace and ease.  It’s really impressive — really, really impressive.  (Applause.) 

Well, folks, this is not like the school I went to.  (Laughter.)  When they said we were going to speak outside, I — I wondered, “Why the hell are we going up all these stairs?  (Laughter.)  I thought we’d be out in the parking lot.  I mean, for real.  That’s where I thought we were going to be.

Elijah, thank you for the introduction.

And Jill and I, along with Secretary Cardona and Mayor Bowser, are here because we want you to know how very proud — how very proud of you and your classmates we all are.

I also want to thank Principal Richardson.  I was kidding him.  I was saying, “I — this school is really something else.”  (Applause.)  And the way we talked about the interfacing of all the students and the social education that’s taking place and how things are changing.  And, Chancellor Ferebee, I — I told you, I think that’s — may be the harder job than about anything I can think of.  But thank you.  You’re doing a heck of a job.  

We know the start of a school year is an excellent time to mix anticipation and nervousness, and the pandemic adds to that mix of emotions.

And I think — I think about all of the parents I’ve talked to since the start of this pandemic, worried about the loss of learning of their child, of missed opportunities their child is having because so many of them had to stay at home.  We all had to stay at home.  But so many of them didn’t have access to the Internet, didn’t have access to — I mean, it just was — didn’t have the equipment, worried about whether or not the School Lunch Program was going to still be available.  There was so much anxiety.

And it’s not just academics, it’s the friendships and the socialization that may be equally as consequential.  You know, it’s access to critical services, like meals, school counseling that helps the students stay physically and mentally alert.

But I want to — I want folks to know that we’re going to be okay.  We’re going to be okay.  We know what it takes to keep our children safe and our schools open, and we have the tools to do it...     more

NBC News NOW Full Broadcast – September 10, 2021
Sep 11, 2021