US President Joe Biden kicked off his first State of the Union Tuesday night with a standing
ovation for the people of Ukraine – and strong words for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over.
Instead he met a wall of strength he never imagined. He met the Ukrainian people."
In a further show of support for Ukraine, Biden applauded special guest Oksana Markarova,
the Ukrainian ambassador to the US - and announced the immediate
banning of Russian planes from American airspace.
Democrats and Republicans stood to clap for her – a rare display of unity in Washington,
where lawmakers of both parties have constantly been at odds
over funding Biden’s social spending programs.
Biden’s also come under pressure to address soaring inflation.
He called on American companies Tuesday to stop
relying on foreign supply chains - and lower their costs, not their wages.
“That means, make more cars and semiconductors in America.
More infrastructure and innovation in America.”
And for the first time in months,
congressional lawmakers in the audience weren’t required to wear masks.
The president highlighted his administration’s efforts to pick the country back up again
after two years and thousands of lives lost to the pandemic – and announced
a new initiative to give Americans with Covid-19 free antiviral pills.
“Let's use this moment to reset. So stop looking at Covid as a partisan dividing line.”
But the evening was still marked by partisan moments, with Republican
lawmakers Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert heckling Biden during this speech.
And Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds delivered the official GOP response to Biden's speech Tuesday,
slamming his handling of the Ukraine crisis.
Biden, whose approval ratings have plummeted in recent weeks, now faces the prospect
of shoring up domestic support ahead of crucial midterm elections this November.