It’s Friday…
I forgot yesterday to mark the start of a new month…
President Biden’s public schedule 08/02/2024:
| 7:30 AM Pool Call Time | Out-of-Town Pool Call Time Joint Base Andrews Overhang Out-of-Town Pool |
| 8:00 AM Pool Call Time | In-Town Pool Call Time In-Town Pool |
| 9:00 AM Official Schedule | The President departs the White House en route to Wilmington, Delaware South Lawn Open Press |
| 9:55 AM Official Schedule | The President arrives in Wilmington, Delaware Out-of-Town Pool |
| 12:00 PM Official Schedule | The President receives the President’s Daily Brief Closed Press |
Welcome Home Tweets
From Thursday…
Join me as I deliver remarks on the release of Americans detained in Russia. https://t.co/d8eeqle3uS
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 1, 2024
Remarks by President Biden on Freeing Americans Detained in Russia; the YouTube is 10 minutes and 27 seconds long.
Today, we remember all those still wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world. And reaffirm our pledge to their families:
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 1, 2024
We see you.
We are with you.
And we will never stop working to bring your loved ones home where they belong.
Today, I stood beside the families of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir in the Oval Office as they spoke to their loved ones for the first time since they regained freedom.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 1, 2024
These families never lost hope.
And today, they'll each be reunited with the missing piece of their soul. pic.twitter.com/v4Sv4fxsPd
Every parent, child, spouse, and loved one who joined me in the Oval Office today has been praying for this day for a long time.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 2, 2024
In just a few short hours when our fellow Americans return home, those prayers will be answered. pic.twitter.com/2xglu30HE9
I took the 2 minute and 15 second long video out of order that it was posted. I felt it was more fitting with the photo of the families standing around the phone.
I won’t transcribe the video as it must be watched to see the sheer joy on their faces as they hear their loved ones voices.
After enduring unimaginable suffering and uncertainty, the Americans detained in Russia are safe, free, and have begun their journeys back into the arms of their families. pic.twitter.com/1rYNBTt9tJ
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 1, 2024
The deal we made to bring home wrongfully detained Americans would not have been possible without our allies.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 2, 2024
They stepped up and stood by us.
So for anyone who questions whether allies matter, today is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world. pic.twitter.com/KSikbcgnUA
Today's deal included the release of seven Russian political prisoners. They stood up for democracy and their own leaders threw them in prison.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 2, 2024
We helped secure their release because we stand for freedom – not just for our own people but for others as well.
That's who we are.
Statement by President Joe Biden on Securing the Release of Americans Detained in Russia
Today, three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia are finally coming home: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza.
The deal that secured their freedom was a feat of diplomacy. All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia—including five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country. Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their agony is over.
I am grateful to our Allies who stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome— including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey. This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer.
And let me be clear: I will not stop working until every American wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world is reunited with their family. My Administration has now brought home over 70 such Americans, many of whom were in captivity since before I took office. Still, too many families are suffering and separated from their loved ones, and I have no higher priority as President than bringing those Americans home.
Today, we celebrate the return of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir and rejoice with their families. We remember all those still wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world. And reaffirm our pledge to their families: We see you. We are with you. And we will never stop working to bring your loved ones home where they belong.
Statement by President Joe Biden on Securing the Release of Americans Detained in Russia. 08/01/2024.
Join @VP and me as we greet Americans freed from Russia at Joint Base Andrews. https://t.co/0B5iOzYKk0
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 2, 2024
Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris Upon Return of Americans Detained in Russia | Joint Base Andrews, MD; the YouTube is 13 minutes and 51 seconds long.
Tonight is about reuniting families.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 2, 2024
Welcome home, Paul, Evan, and Alsu. You're right where you belong. pic.twitter.com/PIp7ghOs7z
In the comments section in the Owl you can see some other views of the reunion between the families and the Americans held unlawfully in Russia.
I recommend everyone watching the reunion it’s worth the 13 minutes to see the absolute joy shown in the reunion.
Jobs Report Friday Tweet
From Friday…
Since Kamala and I took office, our economy has created nearly 16 million jobs, unemployment has been at a 50-year low, and incomes have risen faster than prices.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 2, 2024
There’s more to do, but we’re making progress growing the economy from the middle out and the bottom up.
I won't stop fighting to lower costs by taking on price gouging, capping drug costs, and building more homes.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 2, 2024
Congressional Republicans are fighting for more tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations.
While they try to take us back, we will keep fighting for the future.
BLS.gov said that in July the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3 percent and the nonfarm payroll edged up to 114,000.
The unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent in July, and nonfarm payroll employment edged up by 114,000, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment continued to trend up in health care, in construction, and in transportation and warehousing, while information lost jobs.
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for May was revised down by 2,000, from +218,000 to +216,000, and the change for June was revised down by 27,000, from +206,000 to +179,000. With these revisions, employment in May and June combined is 29,000 lower than previously reported. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.)
BLS.gov. 08/02/2024.
This is an open thread
