I was gonna wait until the end to give Lenny Ghoul a shout-out for making the Christmas Countdown Memes. But…
President Biden’s Public Schedule for Thursday, December 1st 2022:
| 7:10 AM | In-Town Pool Call Time In-Town Pool |
| 8:00 AM | The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing Closed Press |
| 9:00 AM | The President and The First Lady will greet President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs. Brigitte Macron of France for the Official Arrival Ceremony; The Vice President and The Second Gentleman attend South Lawn Open Press |
| 10:00 AM | The President holds a bilateral meeting with President Emmanuel Macron of France Oval Office Restricted In-House Pool Spray |
| 11:45 AM | The President hosts a joint press conference with President Emmanuel Macron of France East Room Pre-Credentialed Media |
| 7:00 PM | The President and The First Lady greet President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs. Brigitte Macron of France on arrival for the State Dinner North Portico Pre-Credentialed Media |
| 7:30 PM | The President and The First Lady participate in a photo opportunity with President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs. Brigitte Macron of France at the Grand Staircase on the occasion of the State Dinner In-House Pool |
| 8:50 PM | The President and The First Lady host President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs. Brigitte Macron of France for a State Dinner; The Vice President and The Second Gentleman attend South Lawn In-House Pool |
On Tuesday, the White House released the background press call previewing the upcoming state visit:
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL 1:
Thanks, [moderator]. And good evening to everybody. We are very excited to welcome President and Mrs. Macron and the delegation from France to the United States this week.
As you all know, it’s the first state visit of the Biden-Harris administration, and we view this as an opportunity to highlight a foundational component of the administration’s approach to foreign policy, strengthening our alliances.
And so in that case, it is fitting that France is the first country to receive a state visit. France, of course, is our oldest ally. It is one of our most capable partners and is a critical partner for the United States on the full range of global challenges.
It really has been an incredible year of partnership, particularly in response to the crisis in Ukraine, including through our collaboration together within the G7, on the U.N. Security Council, as Allies in NATO, and working in close partnership with the European Union.
Events over the course of the state visit will emphasize both our long-shared history as allies as well as our deep partnership in confronting many of the most urgent global challenges currently facing both of our countries.
In addition to these foreign policy elements, I do also want to give a shout-out to the strong people-to-people ties that we have between our countries. Our economic ties span established and cutting-edge sectors with major investments in both directions supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs in each country. And our cultural ties remain a source of strength and importance to our bilateral relationship, with France remaining a top destination for American students, creators, and tourists, as well as vice versa. And I think many of the richness of our economic and cultural ties will be on display at the state dinner later this week.
So, first and foremost, this visit is an opportunity for the two presidents to coordinate on the most urgent global issues. I would expect discussions about Ukraine will be front and center to their conversations, as it has been through so many of the meetings and phone calls that they have had over the last year.
Expect that they will also be discussing the challenges posed by China, as well as other challenges in Iran, in the Middle East, and the Sahel.
And also expect that they will be discussing our shared economic cooperation, our energy cooperation. And my colleague will have more to say on the economic and the energy components of the relationship and the visit.
We will be releasing a joint statement coming out of the visit, which is going to lay out, I think, in clear detail the breadth and the depth of our bilateral relationship, both in terms of setting out information on the many areas in which our countries are cooperating, on everything from clean energy and cyber to defense, economic, and commercial ties, as well as space and science and technology, as well as our shared views to many of the pressing foreign policy issues that our countries are facing today.
So let me leave it there and turn it over to [senior administration official], and then I’m happy to answer specific questions.
White House.gov. 11/29/2022.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL 2:
Thanks, [senior administration official], and thanks, everyone, for joining. Maybe a few observations about the U.S.-France economic partnership.
One, you know, just that the most important point is that it’s a strong economic partnership, that it’s going to be a core focus of conversation during the visit, recognizing the expansive set of economic ties that bind our two countries across both established and cutting-edge sectors, major investments traveling in both directions, and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs in each country.
We’ve worked closely together under this administration to tackle the biggest challenges we face, whether that’s the impact of Putin’s war on energy and food prices, whether that’s clean energy and creating good jobs, whether that’s coordinating on the non-market practices of the People’s Republic of China.
To maybe just give a few examples under each of those headers: You know, first, on the rise in gas prices in Europe caused by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and Putin’s energy war against Europe, the U.S. has risen to the occasion in terms of our partnership with Europe and France, and increased dramatically, enabled Europe to diversify away from Russia.
The U.S. has more than doubled its liquid natural gas exports to the EU27 this year compared to 2021. That increase in global LNG supplies led by the United States helped Europe and its economies get to storage levels that have put the continent in an encouraging place ahead of the thick of winter. And we will continue to work with France and Europe to ensure sufficient supplies will be available not just for this winter, but beyond.
To maybe make one more point on the energy issue, you know, we’ve seen articles out there stating that the U.S. is profiting off of its LNG sales to Europe. This is a false claim. In fact, the U.S. has mobilized LNG to help Europe prepare for winter, and that is what is happening. As you heard me say, our exports this year to the EU27 have more than doubled versus what they were in 2021.
And let’s be clear: The vast majority of U.S. LNG is exported to Europe via transparent, long-term contracts with foreign energy trading firms, including several European companies. And those exports are then onsold to end European consumers by energy trading firms.
So just wanted to be sure that we set the record straight on some of what we’re seeing out there and the fact that this isn’t — this is nothing but a false claim.
Second, moving on from energy to the Inflation Reduction Act, I would just make the point that Europe is one of our strongest economic partners, and we share a commitment to addressing the climate crisis.
The IRA, of course, as the most ambitious piece of climate legislation in U.S. history, has a number of provisions that will contribute to the growth of the clean energy sector globally. Obviously, combating the climate crisis is a shared goal of the United States and France. And the IRA is a substantial — is a substantial accomplishment from the United States, doing its part to help deliver on those climate goals.
But beyond that, the IRA presents significant opportunities for European firms, as well as benefits to EU energy security by accelerating the energy transition and realigning clean energy supply chains to trusted partners.
This is not a zero-sum game. The IRA is going to grow the pie for clean energy investments the world over, not split it up.
We are committed to continuing to work with the EU to help them better understand the IRA; to do what we can to address their concerns through the U.S.-EU Task Force on the Inflation Reduction Act, which I am [redacted] but more broadly has a lot of involvement from the White House broadly, as well as from the European Commission. The task force has already met several times this month, and we expect these productive conversations to continue.
Third, [senior administration official] referenced the strong sense of alignments between us and France on China and the challenges presented by China’s non-market practices. I would just observe, you know, in my own role around the G7 Summit, we really observed the way in which the G7 as a whole, including France, really has come to align around a shared diagnosis of what China’s non-market practices mean and can do, and the fact that we as a G7 need to align around a set of steps to address those challenges presented by the PRC in common across the G7. Again, so it’s really calling out the work that France did as part of the G7 to align on those objectives.
Lastly, we are working on a range of other economic issues like resilient supply chains. We’ve done a lot of work with France alongside the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment that was on display at the G7 this summer, as well as the G20 a couple of weeks ago. And that is, of course, an effort to help close the infrastructure and investment gap in emerging economies around the world.
So, the bottom line being we look forward to a substantive conversation on each of these individual economic and energy elements, and underscore the extent and strength of the partnership between the U.S. and France.
And with that, I’ll hand it back to the moderator.
White House.gov. 11/29/2022.
President Macron of France met with Vice President Harris on Wednesday. Their before meeting remarks can be found here.
The White House posted the following meeting readout:
Vice President Kamala Harris and President Emmanuel Macron of France met today at the headquarters of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in Washington, D.C. as part of the State Visit, to highlight the strong U.S.-France partnership in outer space.
White House.gov. 11/30/2022.
This meeting builds on their November 2021 meeting in Paris where they agreed to strengthen space cooperation across all sectors. Since that meeting, France has signed the Artemis Accords to guide civil use of space, the United States has joined the Space for Climate Observatory (SCO) to develop accessible tools for climate monitoring and adaptation, and the United States and France held the first Comprehensive Dialogue on Space to discuss cooperation on civil, commercial, and national security space initiatives. France announced yesterday the same commitment that the Vice President announced in April 2022 not to conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing.
The Vice President and President Macron agreed to strengthen U.S.-France space cooperation across civil, commercial, and national security sectors. They received a briefing from French and U.S. experts on climate science, and discussed how to better utilize space data to address the climate crisis. They also discussed expanded participation of the United States in SCO, and the upcoming launch of the U.S.-France Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission that will make the first-ever global survey of Earth’s surface water and comprehensively track changes over time.
The Vice President and President Macron also discussed space exploration with U.S. and French astronauts, including the continued importance of a crewed presence in low Earth orbit, including International Space Station operations, and the continued strengthening of joint investments in the exploration of the Moon and Mars.
President Biden has already welcomed President Macron of France to the White House.
The live stream YouTube is cued to the 31 minute and 16 second mark when the welcome ceremony begins.
Their joint-presser is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. D.C., time.
President Biden has tweeted…
He has tweeted 4 times so far for Thursday.
The White House posted the following Proclamation on Wednesday:
On World AIDS Day, we recommit to ending the HIV epidemic in the United States and around the world and rededicate ourselves to fighting the discrimination that too often keeps people with HIV from getting the services they need and living the full lives they deserve.
It was long hard to imagine, but today, we are within striking distance of eliminating HIV transmission worldwide. Thanks to the incredible dedication of scientists, activists, health care workers, caregivers, and so many others, we have made enormous progress preventing, detecting, and treating HIV; reducing case counts and AIDS-related deaths; and freeing millions of people to enjoy long, healthy lives. Still, not everyone has equal access to that care. And for the more than 38 million people around the world now living with HIV — especially members of the LGBTQI+ community, communities of color, women, and girls — a diagnosis is still life-altering. We can do better.
When I became President, we reestablished the White House Office of National AIDS Policy and released a roadmap to accelerate efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030. Federal agencies have committed to nearly 400 related actions, working with stakeholders across the country to make the latest advances in HIV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment available to everyone. I have asked the Congress for $850 million to increase the use of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), expand treatment, and fight the stigma that stops many people from getting care. We are working to remove barriers to employment, with our Armed Forces, for example, ending blanket restrictions on HIV-positive service members being deployed or commissioned. And we are calling on States to repeal or reform so-called HIV criminalization laws, which wrongly punish people for exposing others to HIV. These outdated laws have no basis in science, and they serve to discourage testing and further marginalize HIV-positive people.
Our important work to end HIV extends far beyond our borders too, with continued support for the game-changing, bipartisan President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Since 2003, PEPFAR has helped at least 12 high disease-burdened countries bring HIV under control and has saved over 25 million lives. Its efforts to make HIV prevention and treatment services more accessible have achieved a 65 percent reduction in new HIV cases in males 15 to 24 years old and a 50 percent reduction in new HIV cases among females the same age since 2010. And its flagship Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) public-private partnership has reached millions of adolescent girls and young women, reducing new HIV infections in areas where the program operates. My Administration has also pledged up to $6 billion to the Seventh Replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria — an initiative that has saved an estimated 50 million lives to date. I am asking other international donors to match that commitment so we can together deliver on the promise of health and well-being for millions around the world.
We still have a hard road ahead, especially in addressing racial and gender gaps in our health systems, which have long driven inequitable HIV outcomes at home and abroad. But as we today honor the 700,000 Americans and 40 million lives lost worldwide to AIDS-related illnesses over the years, we have new hope in our hearts. We finally have the scientific understanding, treatments, and tools to build an AIDS-free future where everyone — no matter who they are, where they come from, or whom they love — can get the care and respect they deserve.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 1, 2022, as World AIDS Day. I urge the Governors of the United States and its Commonwealths and Territories, the appropriate officials of all units of government, and the American people to join the HIV community in activities to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS and to provide support, dignity, and compassion to people with HIV.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-seventh.
White House.gov. 11/30/2022.
On Thursday the White House posted the following fact-sheet; The Biden-Harris Administration’s Efforts to End HIV/AIDS At Home and Abroad
On World AIDS Day, we reflect on all those lost globally and in the U.S. from AIDS-related illnesses, honor the more than 38 million individuals living with HIV, and celebrate the remarkable gains we have made battling this disease. The Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to implementing the updated National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) announced last year and achieving the bipartisan goal of ending the HIV epidemic at home and abroad. The Administration is also releasing a new strategy to guide the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) globally. Over the past year, the Administration has taken action to:
White House.gov. 12/01/2022.
Accelerate our Domestic HIV Efforts
- Launching the NHAS Federal Implementation Plan. In August 2022, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) released the NHAS Federal Implementation Plan, detailing more than 380 actions agencies are implementing to meet NHAS goals.
- Implementing the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) in the U.S. initiative. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiated EHE in 2019 to provide a targeted infusion of funds and resources to populations and regions with the greatest need. EHE advances innovative, community-driven solutions that leverage scientific advances in HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outbreak. It also works to address racial, ethnic, and geographic disparities. As part of EHE implementation, federal agencies have been awarded funding to support equitable access to HIV services for people with and at risk of HIV.
- Requesting unprecedented investments to end the HIV epidemic. In his FY2023 budget proposal, President Biden requested $850 million to aggressively reduce new HIV cases by increasing access to HIV prevention and care programs and ensuring equitable access to support services. The budget also proposed the creation of a 10-year $9.8 billion National PrEP Program to guarantee PrEP at no cost for all uninsured and underinsured individuals, provide essential wrap-around services through states and localities, and establish a network of community providers to reach underserved areas and populations.
Respond to HIV/AIDS Globally
Over the last 20 years, PEPFAR has saved 25 million lives and helped pave a brighter future for people living with HIV/AIDS. The Administration has taken action over the past year to build on that impact, including:
White House.gov. 12/01/2022.
- Releasing a new five-year strategy. Ahead of its 20th anniversary in 2023, PEPFAR is releasing a new five-year strategy to reinvigorate the U.S. global HIV/AIDS response. The strategy, Fulfilling America’s Promise to End the HIV/AIDS Pandemic by 2030, will focus on enhancing collaboration and partnership to confront the challenge of fighting HIV/AIDS as a security threat in the wake of other emerging health threats.
- Leading the largest ever Global Fund Replenishment. President Biden led an historic seventh replenishment for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, raising $15.7 billion in donor pledges to date. Those resources will be used to get the world back on track toward ending HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria by 2030 and building more resilient health systems around the world.
- Leveraging PEPFAR to support public health and fight COVID-19 and mpox. PEPFAR platforms are helping countries and communities protect and advance global HIV/AIDS gains while building more resilient health systems and supporting the global COVID-19 and mpox responses. These investments have: supported more than 70,000 facilities and community health clinics, including 3,000 laboratories; trained nearly 340,000 healthcare workers; enhanced disease surveillance, supply chain, health and laboratory information systems; built community capabilities; and applied routine and rapid analysis of data for decision making.
Address HIV Stigma and Discrimination
- Affirming the U=U message. At the 2022 International AIDS Conference, the Administration joined global partners in affirming the evidence-based message that “undetectable=untransmittable” (U=U), meaning that people with HIV who take HIV medicine as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load will not transmit HIV to their HIV-negative partners through sex. In addition, HHS launched “I am A Work of ART,” a community-informed campaign to encourage people with HIV to seek care, stay in care, and achieve viral suppression through anti-retroviral therapy (ART).
- Hosting a White House forum on HIV criminalization. In 2022, ONAP brought prosecutors, public health officials, and legal and infectious disease experts to the White House to discuss the need to modernize HIV-specific criminal laws and their prosecution, ensuring they are supported by the latest scientific evidence.
- Safeguarding the rights of people with HIV. The Biden-Harris Administration has strengthened protections against discrimination based on HIV status. For example, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) continues to vigorously enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to combat HIV discrimination, and the Department of Defense (DoD) has updated its policies on HIV-positive personnel serving within the military in light of significant advances in HIV diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has supported the Assessing Donor Variability And New Concepts in Eligibility (ADVANCE) study to evaluate alternatives to the FDA’s blood donor deferral policy for men who have sex with men (MSM), ensuring any potential future policy is based in science, not stigma.
Ensure Equity
- Diversifying PACHA membership. President Biden added new members to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA), representing the full diversity of the HIV epidemic, to share their knowledge and help further inform our HIV response.
- Engaging with the HIV community. PACHA held numerous “PACHA-to-the-People” community engagement sessions to hear from local communities. Federal leaders also visited EHE jurisdictions and participated in virtual town halls and discussions with people with lived experience of HIV, community-based organizations, state and local health departments, HIV advocates, and others.
- Advancing equity for marginalized and underserved Americans. On his first day in office, President Biden signed an executive order on advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities, and in February 2021, he signed a memorandum on advancing the human rights of LGBTQI+ individuals around the world. To mark Pride Month 2022, the President signed the most significant executive order on LGBTQI+ civil rights in history. Among other actions, this order strengthened federal coordination to improve health equity by protecting LGBTQI+ individuals’ access to health services, addressing the risks of so-called conversion therapy, and driving better data collection on individuals’ sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) to increase visibility of LGBTQI+ populations and better serve their needs.
- Promoting access to gender-affirming care. In June 2022, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released a letter encouraging Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) service providers to leverage their infrastructure to provide access to gender-affirming care and treatment services for transgender and gender-diverse people with HIV.
- Addressing violence against transgender women of color. The Administration launched the first-ever White House Interagency Working Group on Violence Against Transgender Americans, which released a federal report and blueprint of actions agencies are taking to address the root causes of violence against transgender women of color.
Support and Treat People At-risk for “Syndemic” Illnesses
- Supporting people affected by HIV during COVID-19 and mpox public health emergencies.Recognizing that infectious diseases don’t exist in isolation, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken significant action to support and treat individuals affected by HIV and other interacting epidemics, or “syndemic” infections, such as COVID-19 and mpox. The Administration is: providing funding to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19, including resources specifically for organizations that serve people with HIV; updating CDC guidance regarding the use of HIV self-tests and PrEP; publishing new clinical guidelines on COVID-19 and people with HIV; and providing consumer information on COVID-19 and mpox for people with HIV. Led by the White House Mpox Response Team, the Administration has worked to make mpox tests, vaccines, and treatments equitably available to communities at-risk, including people with HIV. This work has included creating resource flexibilities so organizations that serve people affected by the HIV and mpox syndemic can test, treat, and vaccinate against mpox while they address HIV and sexually transmitted infections and support housing and mental health.
Advance New Research
- Releasing a multiyear HIV research plan. The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office on AIDS Research issued its five-year NIH Strategic Plan, which serves as the guiding framework to allocate funds that advance the NIH-wide HIV research agenda and ensures investment of resources in the highest priority areas of scientific opportunity.
- Using new technologies to develop an HIV vaccine. NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) launched a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating three experimental HIV vaccines based on a messenger RNA (mRNA) platform—a technology used in several approved COVID-19 vaccines.
The live feed for the welcoming is posted above.
The sky in the picture is beautiful.
Ben Casselman says:
President Biden’s full statement:
Today, we learned that inflation moderated and incomes grew in October, following yesterday’s news that our economy grew at an even stronger pace from July to September than we previously thought. We are seeing initial signs that we are making progress in tackling inflation, even as we make the transition to more steady, stable economic growth. That’s good news for the American people, and further evidence that my economic plan is working. It will take time to bring inflation back to normal – and there could be setbacks along the way – but the American people should have confidence that our plan to tackle inflation, without giving up all the historic economic gains American workers have achieved, is working.
White House.gov. 12/01/2022.
Reminder: Tomorrow is jobs report Friday.
When the post was posted for Wednesday, President Biden had tweeted 3 times. He added 9 tweets giving him a Wednesday Tweeting Total of 11 tweets and 0 retweets.
The YouTube is 20 minutes and 15 seconds long. President Biden begins his remarks at the 3 minute and 41 second mark. His full remarks can be found here.
President Biden’s full statement:
I am grateful to Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats and Republicans for taking urgent action to prevent a rail shutdown. This overwhelming bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives makes clear that Democrats and Republicans agree that a rail shutdown would be devastating to our economy and families across the country. The Senate must now act urgently. Without the certainty of a final vote to avoid a shutdown this week, railroads will begin to halt the movement of critical materials like chemicals to clean our drinking water as soon as this weekend. Let me say that again: without action this week, disruptions to our auto supply chains, our ability to move food to tables, and our ability to remove hazardous waste from gasoline refineries will begin. The Senate must move quickly and send a bill to my desk for my signature immediately.
White House.gov. 11/30/2022.
From his remarks on Wednesday:
President Biden: I made a commitment when I ran for President. As a matter of fact, I made a commitment when I was basically a 30-year-old senator and a student of Danny Inouye, the senator from the state of Hawaii, who made it clear to me — because I said “Indian Country.” He said, “No, Indian nations.” Indian nations. You know, I — I made a commitment that my administration would prioritize and respect nation-to-nation relationships. And I’m — I’m going to make sure that happens.
President Biden: When I talk about respect, here is what I mean by respect: respect for Tribes as nations and treaties as law.
President Biden: Respect for Indigenous knowledge and Tribal consultations as a key part of the federal agency decision-making. (Applause.) Respect means we’ll defend Tribal sovereignty and self-government and self-determination. And we’ll supp- — (applause).
President Biden: On my watch, we’re ushering in a new era of — and advancing a way for the federal government to work with Tribal nations. And it starts by appointing Native Americans to lead the frontlines of my administration.
President Biden: Together — I emphasize the word “together” — together, my entire administration is advancing the economic agenda and making historic investments in Indian Country — and, I might add, that are long overdue.
President Biden: And respect means being there in person to show it. (Applause.) You’ve seen Jill. You’ve seen my wife, Jill, in Indian Country. She’s at a funeral this morning for the mother of a friend of ours. And — but I’ve spent a lot of — she’s spent a lot of time — I’ve spent a lot of time in Indian Country as a senator and vice president. But I can say here today I intend to make official presidential visits to Indian Country to make it official. (Applause.) Let’s do it.
President Biden: I hope our work in the past two years has demonstrated that we’re meeting that commitment. And that’s why I re-launched this convening and elevated an event into a White House Tribal Nations Summit because — after the previous administration failed to convene any events, anything on this scale. On my watch, we’re ushering in a new era of — and advancing a way for the federal government to work with Tribal nations. And it starts by appointing Native Americans to lead the frontlines of my administration.
The video is 22 seconds long. The first 8 seconds feature remarks President Biden gave in June of 2022. The YouTube of his remarks is 13 minutes and 7 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.
President Biden: Look, I get the easy politics of the attack. I get that. But the simple truth is gas prices are up almost $2.00 a gallon because of Vladimir Putin’s ruthless attack on Ukraine, and we wouldn’t let him get away with it. And we’re doing everything we can to reduce this pain at the pump now.
At the 9 second mark it switches gears from June 2022 to just “this week”…
It shows a montage of headlines. I googled the headlines and found:
Why have gas prices dipped so much since all-time high in June? (Fox Dakota News Now segment posted on 11/28/2022).
US gas prices have fallen to their lowest since February and could drop below $3 by Christmas, GasBuddy says. (Business Insider 11/30/2022). Business Insider got their info from a blog posted by GasBuddy on 11/28/2022.
Most Common U.S. Gas Prices Now $2.99 As Prices Keep Plunging. (Forbes 11/28/2022). They use a Gas Buddy Guy tweet from the same date as the article was posted:
Gas prices dip for second straight week in Bay State. (The Sun Chronicle 11/28/2022).
Houston gasoline prices fall; 70 cents a gallon below national average (Houston Chronicle 11/28/2022; paywalled). I did glimpse the words “gas buddy” but have no idea the context.
Capital Region gas prices drop nearly 10 cents in past week. (The Record 11/29/2022).
AAA: TN gas prices drop ten cents. (Elizabethton Star 11/28/2022).
Gas prices fall to pre-Ukraine invasion levels, White House says. (Spectrum News NY 1 11/29/2022).
US oil prices hit lowest level in nearly a year. Gas is down 6% in a month. (CNN Business 11/28/2022).
Some gas prices dip below $3 for first time since last winter; more drops to come. (Dayton Daily News 11/28/2022).
As of today Gas Buddy Guy says:
And this…
On Tuesday, President Biden offered remarks on the economy. The YouTube is 36 minutes and 9 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.
President Biden: My approach to building the economy of the future is working because of the strong support of your delegation. Our economy grew at 2.6 percent the last quarter while inflation started to slow and unemployment stayed low.
The YouTube is 8 minutes and 49 seconds long. The tree is lit at the 2 minute and 37 second mark.
His full remarks:
This won’t take more than half an hour. (Laughter.)
Thank you, Secretary Haaland, for that introduction. And Merry Christmas to everyone.
On behalf of Jill and Kamala and Doug and I, we welcome you all to the National Christmas Tree lighting.
Thanks for tonight’s host, LL Cool J. (Applause.) Give him a — and all the great, incredible performers who are here. As a matter of fact, I don’t know how they did it with — just that one beautiful lady coming out. Anyway. It’s a long story. (Laughter.) Freezing.
And a special thanks to the National Park Service and the National Parks Foundation, which take such great care of our national parks, including right here tonight at President’s Park.
For 100 years, Americans have gathered at the White House
to celebrate the holiday season with the lighting of the National Christmas Tree.
Through seasons
and[of] struggle and strife, progress and prosperity, for a century and counting, we’ve come together in a spirit of unity and joy, hope and light — and so we do today, with an eternal spirit of our nation as well.Earlier this week, Jill unveiled the theme of this year’s
holiday at the White House: “We the People.” The very idea of America. (Applause.) The first words of our Constitution. The beating heart of our democracy. An enduring reminder that
America has many, many strengths, but our greatest strength is
America standing united.
And during this holiday season, we reflect on our blessings that, despite our differences, there are far more things that unite us as one America — common values like liberty, opportunity, dignity, respect and honor, and compassion.
In this season of fellowship and goodwill, we remember those values, and we seek to make them real for each other.
We also hold in our hearts everyone who is missing a loved one tonight and through this Christmas season. We’re grateful for all those who console and give them comfort.
That’s America — a nation full of talent and aspirations, daring and undaunted. A nation that hurts and heals but never, never, never, ever gives up.
We’re the only nation in the world that comes out of every crisis we’ve encountered stronger than we went in. That’s “We the People.”
And so on this sacred season of joy and hope, let’s join together with confidence in a singular American belief in anything is possible, because that’s what I see in the American people.
You’re the reason why I’ve never been more optimistic in our — about our future. And we just have to remember who we are. We’re the United States of America. And there’s nothing, nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together. (Applause.)
So, from the Biden family to yours, Merry Christmas, America!
God bless you all, and may God protect our troops. Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Applause.) And goodnight.
White House.gov. 11/30/2022.
The joint-presser has not started.
This is an Open Thread.
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