STORY: Biden touts progress on economy, immigration despite wide disapproval
SHOOTING TIME: March 7, 2024
DATELINE: March 8, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:34
LOCATION: Washington D.C.
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Biden preparing to deliver the State of the Union address
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JOE BIDEN, U.S. President
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JOE BIDEN, U.S. President
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): KATIE BRITT, Republican Senator
5. various of Biden departing after delivering the State of the Union address

STORYLINE:

In a highly partisan State of the Union address Thursday night, U.S. President Joe Biden launched a scorching attack on Donald Trump, his presumptive rival in the November election, and touted his achievements on issues such as inflation and immigration.
   
With Biden's approval ratings lingering below 40 percent for months, his remarks likely won't resonate with most Americans, who are dismayed by still high prices, an uncertain economy, a border crisis, and geopolitical conflicts, among others.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JOE BIDEN, U.S. President
"I inherited an economy that was on the brink. Now our economy is the envy of the world! Wages keep going up and inflation keeps coming down!"

Biden made such remarks in his third State of the Union address at the House Chamber.

But a recent Gallop poll showed that 45 percent of Americans rate current economic conditions in the country as poor, while just over one-quarter describe conditions as excellent (5 percent) or good (22 percent) and another 29 percent believe they are only fair.
   
The poll also showed that inflation continues to affect a majority of Americans, with 17 percent saying it is a "severe" hardship affecting their ability to maintain their standard of living and 46 percent reporting it is a "moderate" hardship.
   
In his speech, Biden said his team negotiated with a bipartisan group of Senators, leading to a bipartisan bill with the "toughest" set of border security reforms. His remark was loudly booed by Republican lawmakers present. Republicans recently rejected the border deal, saying it wasn't tough enough.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JOE BIDEN, U.S. President
"In November, my team began serious negotiation with a bipartisan group of senators. The result was a bipartisan bill with the toughest set of border security reforms we've ever seen. Oh, you don't think so? Oh, you don't like that bill. That conservatives got together and said was a good bill. I'll be darned. That's amazing."

Republican Senator Katie Britt from Alabama gave Republicans' formal response to Biden's speech Thursday night, saying that the president created the border crisis and has "coddled criminals."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): KATIE BRITT, Republican Senator
"We know that President Biden didn't just create this border crisis. He invited it with 94 executive actions in his first 100 days."

Six in 10 swing-state voters say Biden bears responsibility for a surge in migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, a recent Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll found, which means immigration has become a tough issue for Biden as he aims for reelection.
   
Biden delivered the speech amid the protracted conflict between Ukraine and Russia that saw lawmakers get increasingly frustrated with relentless U.S. military aid to Ukraine, as well as the continued Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza that makes the humanitarian crisis suffered by Palestinian civilians more dire day by day.
   
Polls have revealed that voters generally disapprove of Biden's management of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Younger Americans are particularly critical, expressing dissatisfaction with both Israel's actions and the administration's handling of the Gaza conflict.
   
During his State of the Union address, Biden tried to convince voters that his policies have been successful, and forcefully advocated for a second term in the White House while assuaging concerns about his age.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Washington D.C.
(XHTV)