Members of the media praised President Joe Biden for his address to Congress, championing him for his “direct, conversational, under-stated” remarks.
“Veterans, single moms, poor kids, those suddenly without jobs and health care,” CNN White House correspondent John Harwood tweeted Wednesday. “Biden grounding his speech in plain, non-political, non-ideological language invoking the people he wants to help.”
veterans, single moms,
poor kids, those suddenly without jobs and health careBiden grounding his speech in plain, non-political, non-ideological language invoking the people he wants to help
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) April 29, 2021
“Much different rhetorical style from recent predecessors,” he added. “No showmanship, poetry, lyricism, lip-biting emotion. Direct, conversational, under-stated.”
Biden addressed Congress for the first time as president on Wednesday evening in a sparsely attended event, which featured the commander in chief touting his coronavirus response and proposing more than $4 trillion in new spending.
“Now, after just 100 days, I can report to the nation: America is on the move again. Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setbacks into strength,” he said. “We all know life can knock us down. But in America, we never, ever, ever stay down.”
Harwood wasn’t alone in praising Biden’s speech, with other journalists and media pundits also fawning over the president.
Hearing it all laid out, it’s pretty astonishing how much has tangibly changed in Americans’ lives in the first 100 days of this presidency.
More than a million new jobs. $1400 checks. And most importantly, vaccines now available to every American.
— Charlotte Alter (@CharlotteAlter) April 29, 2021
Again, some of this is good timing, but the jobs numbers he’s touting now are actually unprecedented. And lots of the criticism on the right/business press is that the economy is growing too fast!
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 29, 2021
Joe Biden is absolutely correct in saying tonight that January 6 was “the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.”
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) April 28, 2021
Other journalists made supportive comments of the president during on-air reactions, including NBC’S Andrea Mitchell.
NBC’s Andrea Mitchell hails Biden’s #JointAddress as “a remarkable speech” that “spoke about white supremacy” as “a real threat and the worst terror threat to America” as well as one that “was so passionate about human rights.” pic.twitter.com/aOIZGJBZmB
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 29, 2021
“His use of voice modulation was rather extraordinary,” MSNBC anchor Brian Williams said of Biden.
The media’s reaction largely fell in line with how Democratic lawmakers also lauded the president and his speech, characterizing his leadership as historic and a welcomed change from former President Donald Trump’s administration.
FACT: This is the most successful First 100 Days since Franklin Roosevelt. #Bidenspeech #Biden100Days
— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) April 29, 2021
America is on the move again. #JointSession
— Congressman Bill Foster (@RepBillFoster) April 29, 2021
