Axios AM Thought Bubble: Biden's new targets

The oligarch hit list | Tuesday, March 01, 2022

Alerts   View in browser   Presented By Climate Power Education Fund   Axios AM Thought Bubble By Mike Allen ·Mar 01, 2022 Good evening. Here's quick reporting from the Axios politics team on President Biden's State of the Union address, which ran 62 minutes. Smart Brevity™ count: 396 words, a 1.5-minute read. Edited by David Nather and Margaret Talev.     1 big thing: Biden's new targets Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters President Biden set his sights on Russian oligarchs, COVID fraudsters, social media platforms and even defund-the-police efforts tonight — populist targets in a broader speech about national and global unity. Biden's anti-Russia, pro-Ukraine passages inspired the only real partisan unity in the chamber: The U.S. Department of Justice is assembling a dedicated task force to go after the crimes of Russian oligarchs. We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets. We are coming for your ill-begotten gains. On Vladimir Putin, Biden ad-libbed: "He has no idea what's coming." Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova is applauded by first lady Jill Biden. Photo: ABC News 🐦 Twitter erupted when Biden accidentally said Putin would never gain the hearts and souls of the "Iranian" people, instead of Ukrainian. Biden's other targets: He announced that the Justice Department will appoint a chief prosecutor to go after pandemic fraud. He bluntly distanced himself from the defund-the-police movement: "The answer is not to defund the police. The answer is to fund the police with the resources and training they need to protect our communities." With Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen in the audience, Biden framed social media as part of a larger mental health crisis and urged Congress to "strengthen privacy protections" and ban targeted advertising to children. Reality check: Privacy legislation has been stalled for years, notes Axios managing editor Scott Rosenberg. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) sat with Republican senators. Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP What we were watching, from Axios' Sophia Cai, in the House chamber: Fellow Supreme Court justices standing to applaud retiring Stephen Breyer — but careful to avoid politics by sitting when Biden mentioned his nominee to replace Breyer, Ketanji Brown Jackson. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) sitting with Republicans — but rising for most of the Democrats' applause lines. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) shouting "13 of them!" as Biden spoke, referring to Americans killed at Kabul airport during the frantic evacuation from Afghanistan. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) shouted: "Stay out of women's sports!" ⚡ Axios.com has the latest reaction, including the Republican response.     A message from Climate Power Education Fund American-made clean energy can fuel our energy independence     U.S.-made clean energy investments can help: Accelerate the production of cheaper, reliable energy that's not impacted by foreign conflicts. Save families $500/year in energy costs. Create millions of jobs that can't be outsourced. The result: Economic strength and energy independence.   📱 Tomorrow (Wednesday) at 3:30 p.m. ET, please join Margaret Talev and me for a virtual event with SOTU takeaways, including conversations with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.). Register here. Like this email style and format? Bring the strength of Smart Brevity® to your team — more effective communications, powered by Axios HQ.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: