* “You know, I think this is going to be a popular speech with the American public.”– Fox News’ Chris Wallace’s take on President Biden’s speech.
* “I applaud President Joe Biden’s efforts to promote environmental justice in his infrastructure plan, the American Jobs Act. His proposal to replace the lead pipes that provide water to our schools, day cares and homes would be transformational in communities of color.”–Former Florida state Rep. Sean Shaw, the 2018 Democratic nominee for attorney general.
* “I do think the Biden Administration and President Biden have exceeded expectations that progressives had.”–New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
* “Whether you’re on the left or right, Biden’s boldness—his sheer audacity—is politically admirable.”–Gary Abernathy, Washington Post.
* “The center has moved. And Biden is aware, as a politician, of the progressive moment in history that he’s operating in.”–Faiz Shakir, who managed Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign.
* Optics always matter: One of the first glad-handers encountered by President Biden after his joint-session-of-Congress speech was Bernie Sanders.
* It was beyond a sobering democratic optic to see the post-insurrection Capitol of the U.S. encased by metal fencing and ringed by National Guard troops in preparing for a presidential address. Another Trump legacy box checked.
* When there are enormous national challenges—from a life-and-death pandemic to critical infrastructure needs—the answer is not “smaller government.”
* A hinged, non-tweeting president: What a concept.
* On Earth Day, the president announced that the U.S. would reduce greenhouse emissions by half to 52 percent of 2005 levels by 2030.
* “‘Wokeness’ is a problem and everyone knows it. It’s hard to talk to anybody today—and I talk to lots of people in the Democratic Party. … But they don’t want to say it out loud—because they’ll get clobbered or canceled.”–Democratic political consultant James Carville.
* It speaks volumes about the Administration’s commitment to climate—and global security—to have John Kerry as Joe Biden’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. And it was well noted that Kerry, the former secretary of state, became the first Administration official to go to Beijing.
* “Jimmy Carter was a little bit needy in his relations with his successors. But they were wrong not to take more advantage of his immense intelligence and experience in the world.”–Jonathan Alter, author of “His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life.” Nice gesture by President Biden to find time–before his recent Atlanta rally–to pay a visit to the Carters in Plains, Ga.