Biden addresses issues, such as Ukraine and inflation, in State of the Union speech

Biden addresses issues, such as Ukraine and inflation, in State of the Union speech

Transcript¹

NPR's A Martinez talks to NPR White House correspondent Scott Detrow and Michelle Singletary, personal finance columnist² for The Washington Post, about President Biden's State of the Union address.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

President Biden spoke³ to a world grappling with a perilous⁴ war last night, as well as a country facing rising prices and still trying to get back to normal from the pandemic, as he delivered the State of the Union address.

(SOUNDBITE OF STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS)

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: We meet tonight in an America that has lived through two of the hardest years this nation has ever faced. The pandemic has been punishing, and so many families are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to keep up with the rising cost of food, gas, housing and so much more.

MARTINEZ: So what did he proposed to fix some of those problems? We're going to hear from two people coming up in just a bit. It'll be Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary but, first, NPR White House correspondent Scott Detrow. Scott, inflation - front and center for voters. Biden has not gotten one of his biggest priorities through Congress. How did he frame his agenda to tackle those issues?

SCOTT DETROW, BYLINE⁵: You know, he really declared inflation as his top priority, even reframing things like his big climate and energy push as a way to help lower home costs for Americans. And this is a real shift from that sweeping⁶ and, at times, ambiguous Build Back Better push that took up most of last year. Biden talked about dealing⁷ with inflation by keeping wages high, doing things like cracking down on overcharged corporate⁸ profits. All in all, there was a lot of economic populism in the speech. Politically, Biden channeled Bill Clinton a little bit, in a way, of reframing areas of Republican criticism as areas of agreement, saying, you know, at this particular moment, he supports masks coming off as COVID drops. Also, talking at another point - pushing back against calls from the left to defund the police.

(SOUNDBITE OF STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS)

BIDEN: We should all agree the answer is not to defund the police; it's to fund the police.

(CHEERING)

BIDEN: Fund them. Fund them.

DETROW: So at this moment where Republicans think that is one of their most potent⁹ midterm issues, you had Republican leaders standing¹⁰ and clapping for what Biden said on that - on those two issues.

MARTINEZ: Yeah, and the speech was given in a roomful of people who were not wearing masks. What did he say about where the pandemic is heading?

DETROW: Biden has been so cautious, purposely modeling caution, even as many Americans have moved on from COVID precautions. This was, by and large, the far - the biggest crowd he's spoken to since he was president. And it jumped out to see Joe Biden maskless, hugging, shaking hands in a crowded room. He tried to frame this as an endpoint for the first time. He talked about this new CDC guideline saying 70% percent of the country can go mask-free, saying that that number is going to keep growing at the moment, unless a new variant¹¹ pops up. And on that note, he was careful not to declare victory, saying there's still work to do; there's still treatments to push and expand and lower the cost of. But, you know, Biden at the same time was making this big call to get back to work, to fill our downtowns again, to keep kids in school. And I think more than anything else, the White House wants Americans to think of that image of a full House chamber¹², just like it was before COVID began.

MARTINEZ: NPR's Scott Detrow. Scott, thanks a lot.

DETROW: Sure thing.

MARTINEZ: All right. Let's bring on Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary. Michelle, first, let's get into inflation. What are your thoughts on what the president had to say on that?

MICHELLE SINGLETARY: Well, he certainly was aggressive in recognizing inflation is a real issue for lots and lots of Americans. We've had an economy where people have profited. Their retirement¹³ plans are up. And then we have the other half of the country that is still struggling, living paycheck to paycheck, facing gas prices up, housing prices up. And they are still struggling.

MARTINEZ: The U.S., Michelle, does very little direct trade with Russia, but could this invasion in Ukraine impact Americans' retirement accounts? How could that be the case, maybe?

SINGLETARY: Well, you know, short term, yes. I mean, I talk to financial experts - they talk about, yeah, you know, people are skittish¹⁴ and scared, and some people, you know, are pulling out. But after - you know, when things like this happen, the market tends to rebound¹⁵ anywhere from six months to a year or sooner right after it. So what they're saying is just hold tight. Don't panic sell. If you have a long-term plan, stick with that because, over time, your retirement funds will do well. What happens is people panic, they sell, and then they lock in those losses, and you want to avoid that.

MARTINEZ: Michelle, I'm not even logging into that retirement account.

SINGLETARY: Right.

MARTINEZ: I don't even want to look 'cause I don't want to ride the wave. I don't have enough Kleenex, I don't think, that it would take to soak my tears up.

SINGLETARY: That's exactly right. Don't look. Just don't.

MARTINEZ: Yeah.

SINGLETARY: Yeah.

MARTINEZ: So what else did the president say about the economy that stuck with you?

SINGLETARY: You know, there was one thing that he said that I really liked. What he said - he talked about trickle-down economics and that the better way to build the economy is from the bottom - you know, from the middle out, not from the top down. And I think that really struck with me, that when you help the people, you know, who are struggling in the middle, we all profit. And that - I tell you, I wrote it down. I tweeted about it 'cause that's exactly what has been happening with the stimulus¹⁶ payments. It's like, let's make sure that we help the most vulnerable of our population, and everybody will do better.

MARTINEZ: What do you think will happen to the federal minimum wage, quickly, Michelle?

SINGLETARY: You know, I would hope that it does increase because we know people need a living wage, but we've got a Congress divided. And, you know, getting anything through has been so difficult, and I just hope in this next year that Congress can come together with a plan to increase federal wages so people can have a way to live and not struggle.

MARTINEZ: That's Michelle Singletary with The Washington Post. Michelle, thanks.

SINGLETARY: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 columnist   

n.专栏作家

参考例句：

• The host was interviewing a local columnist.节目主持人正在同一位当地的专栏作家交谈。
• She's a columnist for USA Today.她是《今日美国报》的专栏作家。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

7 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

8 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

9 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

12 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

13 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

14 skittish   

adj.易激动的，轻佻的

参考例句：

• She gets very skittish when her boy-friend is around.她男朋友在场时，她就显得格外轻佻。
• I won't have my son associating with skittish girls.我不准我的儿子与轻佻的女孩交往。

15 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

16 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。