It’s Wednesday…
It’s the last day of January 2024…
President Biden’s public schedule for 01/31/2024:
| 10:00 AM President Daily Brief | The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing Closed Press |
| 1:00 PM Press Briefing | Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre James S. Brady Press Briefing Room |
| 1:15 PM Has Lunch | The President and The Vice President have lunch Closed Press |
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre @1:00 p.m. D.C., time:
Economy Tweets
From Tuesday…
We learned last week that inflation was at the pre-pandemic benchmark of 2 percent over the last six months of 2023.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 30, 2024
That's a milestone. pic.twitter.com/kO3Z9gz8Dd
From BEA.gov…
01/26/2024:
Personal Income and Outlays, December 2023
Personal income increased $60.0 billion (0.3 percent at a monthly rate) in December, according to estimates released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (tables 2 and 3). Disposable personal income (DPI), personal income less personal current taxes, increased $51.8 billion (0.3 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $133.9 billion (0.7 percent).
The PCE price index increased 0.2 percent. Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index increased 0.2 percent (table 5). Real DPI increased 0.1 percent in December and real PCE increased 0.5 percent; goods increased 1.1 percent and services increased 0.3 percent (tables 3 and 4).
BEA.gov. 01/26/2024.
From the White House…
01/26/2024:
Statement from President Joe Biden on December PCE Report:
We learned this morning that inflation was at the pre-pandemic benchmark of 2 percent over the last six months of 2023. That’s an important milestone that means more breathing room for working families.
Our economy grew by more than 3 percent in 2023, while inflation has been at 2 percent in the second half of the year, and unemployment remained below 4 percent for a second year. This means significant progress for American workers—with wages, wealth, and employment all higher than they were four years ago. As more Americans are feeling more confident about the economy, I remain laser focused on doing everything in my power to lower costs for families and fight back against extreme Republican efforts to hand out massive giveaways to the wealthy and large corporations, while raising the costs of prescription drugs and cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
White House.gov. 01/26/2024.
Wages, wealth, and employment are all higher than they were four years ago.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 30, 2024
But that doesn't mean I'm done working to lower costs and raise wages for every hardworking family.
This morning from Econ New York Times reporter Ben Casselman…
Wage growth continued to slow in the fourth quarter. Headline Employment Cost Index up 0.9% (vs 1.1% in Q3). Wages and salaries also +0.9% (vs 1.2% in Q3). Same basic story in private sector.
— Ben Casselman (@bencasselman) January 31, 2024
Over past 12 months, wages up 4.3%. #ECI
Data: https://t.co/09YBPM2cyj
Importantly, though, even as nominal wage growth has slowed, cooler inflation has meant that *real* (inflation-adjusted) wages are still rising. Unlike in 2021/22, when real wages were falling despite strong nominal gains. pic.twitter.com/60svRUKW7b
— Ben Casselman (@bencasselman) January 31, 2024
Of course, the further out we get, the less fair it is to assume those trends would have just continued unabated (and you can draw trendlines in different ways). So I wouldn't take those charts too literally.
— Ben Casselman (@bencasselman) January 31, 2024
All economy eyes turn to today’s Federal Reserve meeting; they are likely to hold interest rates steady, so the eyes and ears will be on Chairman Powell’s presser that will happen 30 minutes after today’s meeting…
The decision will be announced at 2:00 p.m. D.C., time; with the presser happening at 2:30 p.m. D.C., time:
January’s jobs report will be released this Friday…
Our Friend Elmo is Right Tweet
From Tuesday…
I know how hard it is some days to sweep the clouds away and get to sunnier days.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 31, 2024
Our friend Elmo is right: We have to be there for each other, offer our help to a neighbor in need, and above all else, ask for help when we need it.
Even though it's hard, you're never alone. https://t.co/ffMJekbowo
Wow! Elmo is glad he asked! Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing. Elmo will check in again soon, friends! Elmo loves you.❤️ #EmotionalWellBeing pic.twitter.com/jhn2LNKfHf
— Elmo (@elmo) January 30, 2024
Elmo’s journey to help friends appears to have started with this tweet…
Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?
— Elmo (@elmo) January 29, 2024
Remembering Chita Rivera Tweet
From Wednesday…
Chita Rivera was an all-time-great of American musical theater, a pioneer whose magnetic performances in scores of Broadway productions brought joy to millions and captured the grit and grace of America.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 31, 2024
Our love goes out to her daughter, siblings, and generations of fans.
Statement from President Joe Biden on the Passing of Chita Rivera:
Chita Rivera was an all-time-great of American musical theater, a pioneer and perfectionist whose magnetic performances in scores of Broadway productions brought joy to millions and captured the grit and grace of America.
White House.gov. 01/31/2024.
The irrepressible third child of public servants – her mother was a Pentagon clerk and her father a clarinetist in the U.S. Navy Band– she moved to New York to dance at age 15. Over the next seven decades, she built a dazzling career, originating the roles of iconic strong women in classics from West Side Story, to Bye Bye, Birdie, to Chicago, to Kiss of the Spider Woman, while blazing a trail for generations of Latina performers.
Chita won three Tony Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, but she never quit putting the work first. She rode highs and lows with fierce resilience, including a devastating car crash that shattered her leg and left her with metal pins in her bones, only to see her climb back to the top and turn in Tony-nominated performances well into her 70s and 80s.
A mesmerizing dancer, singer, and actor, Chita’s work was more than entertainment – it reflects part of who we are as Americans and as human beings, and it has helped shape how we see each other and our world. Chita knew what great Americans know – it’s not how hard you get knocked down, it’s how quickly you get back up. Her dazzling charm will live on in the soul of our nation.
Our love goes out to Chita’s daughter, Lisa; to Chita’s siblings, Julio, Armando, and Lola del Rivero; and to her generations of fans.
Declaración del Presidente Joe Biden ante el Fallecimiento de Chita Rivera:
Chita Rivera fue una de las grandes del teatro musical estadounidense de todos los tiempos, una pionera y perfeccionista cuyas actuaciones magnéticas en decenas de producciones de Broadway trajeron alegría a millones y capturaron la valentía y la gracia de Estados Unidos.
Con un espíritu incontenible, era la tercera hija de servidores públicos –su madre era empleada del Pentágono y su padre clarinetista de la Banda de la Marina de los Estados Unidos–, se mudó a Nueva York para bailar a los 15 años. Durante las siguientes siete décadas, construyó una carrera deslumbrante, protagonizando papeles de mujeres icónicas y fuertes en clásicos desde West Side Story, Bye Bye, Birdie, Chicago y Kiss of the Spider Woman, abriéndole el camino a generaciones de artistas latinas.
Chita ganó tres premios Tony, el Kennedy Center Honors y la Medalla Presidencial de la Libertad, pero nunca dejó de poner el trabajo en primer lugar. Superó altibajos con resiliencia, incluido un devastador accidente automovilístico que le destrozó la pierna y la dejó con tornillos de metal en los huesos, solo para verla volver a la cima y llevar a cabo actuaciones que le valieron nominaciones al Tony hasta bien entrados los 70 y 80 años.
El trabajo de Chita, fascinante bailarina, cantante y actriz, fue más que entretenimiento: refleja parte de quiénes somos como estadounidenses y como seres humanos, y ha ayudado a moldear la forma en que nos vemos unos a otros y a nuestro mundo. Chita sabía lo que saben los grandes estadounidenses: lo importante no es la fuerza con la que caes, sino la rapidez con la que te levantas. Su deslumbrante encanto vivirá en el alma de nuestra nación.
Nuestro amor hoy para la hija de Chita, Lisa; a los hermanos de Chita, Julio, Armando y Lola del Rivero; y a sus generaciones de fans.
White House.gov. 01/31/2024.
NPR reported on Tuesday; Chita Rivera, who appeared in more than 20 Broadway musicals over six decades, has died, according to her daughter, Lisa Mordente. The three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway legend created indelible roles — Anita in West Side Story, Rose in Bye Bye Birdie, Velma Kelly in Chicago, and Aurora in Kiss of the Spiderwoman. She was 91.
“New” from the White House…
01/30/2024 (Tuesday):
- Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Campaign Reception | Los Gatos, CA
- Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton and NSC Coordinator John Kirby En Route West Palm Beach, FL; the YouTube is 26 minutes and 29 seconds long.
- Remarks by President Biden at a Campaign Reception | Jupiter, FL
- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at a White House Film Screening of No Ordinary Campaign; the YouTube trailer of the No Ordinary Campaign documentary is 2 minutes and 19 seconds long.
01/31/2024 (Wednesday):
This is an Open Thread.
