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CNN 10
The State Of The Union Address. Aired 4-4:10a ET
Aired February 08, 2023 - 04:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The speaker --
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT: Mr. Vice President --
RONALD REAGAN, FORMER PRESIDENT: Distinguished members --
GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT: Of the United States Congress.
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT: Members of the Supreme Court --
GERALD FORD, FORMER PRESIDENT: Distinguished guests --
RICHARD NIXON, FORMER PRESIDENT: My fellow Americans --
JOHN F. KENNEDY, FORMER PRESIDENT: I can report to you --
HARRY TRUMAN, FORMER PRESIDENT: The state of --
FORD: -- the Union --
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT: -- is stronger than ever before.
FORD: Think for a minute how --
G. H.W. BUSH: Far --
CLINTON: We`ve --
CARTER: Come --
FORD: In 200 years.
NIXON: We find ourselves challenged by new problems.
FORD: In this country --
REAGAN: At home --
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT: And Abroad.
TRUMP: Our values are renewed.
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, FORMER PRESIDENT: There demanded of us.
G. H.W. BUSH: Vigilance.
CARTER: Determination.
KENNEDY: And dedication.
CLINTON: We must rise.
NIXON: To make.
CARTER: A nation.
G. W. BUSH: Better than --
CLINTON: Any we have --
OBAMA: Ever known.
KENNEDY: The road --
OBAMA: Has been --
KENNEDY: Long.
TRUMAN: The burden --
NIXON: Heavy --
KENENDY: And the pain --
G. H.W. BUSH: This is --
G. W. BUSH: -- not going to be --
CLINTON: Easy.
FORD: We have --
KENNEDY: Only begun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let us have.
G. W. BUSH: The will.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the patience.
NIXON: To do.
FORD: This job.
OBAMA: Together --
TRUMAN: We need many different kinds of strength.
OBAMA: Military --
REAGAN: Economic --
G. H.W. BUSH: Political --
TRUMAN: And moral.
REAGAN: Nothing --
G. W. BUSH: -- is impossible --
REAGAN: No --
CLINTON: Victory --
REAGAN: -- is beyond our reach. No --
G. H.W. BUSH: Glory --
REAGAN: Will ever be too great.
G. H.W. BUSH: We are --
FORD: Americans --
G. H.W. BUSH: Part of --
OBAMA: Something --
G. W. BUSH: Larger --
G. H.W. BUSH: Than ourselves.
OBAMA: God bless --
REAGAN: You --
NIXON: God --
G. W. BUSH: Bless --
G. H.W. BUSH: The United States --
FORD: Of America.
OBAMA: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COY WIRE, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Just like presidents before him, many of those themes were discussed last night when U.S. President Joe Biden gave his
annual State of the Union Address to Congress.
I`m Coy Wire. This is CNN 10, reporting from Phoenix, Arizona, for you all week long.
The U.S. Constitution does not require a president to give this speech. In fact, Article II Section 3 only says, quote, he shall from time to time
give to the Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and
expedient.
So the fact that this speech happens every year, that it`s done in person, that it`s televised, and the fact that it`s followed up by a response from
the opposing political party -- well, those are all traditions associated with the State of the Union, not requirements by the Constitution itself.
Still, the event is an opportunity for the U.S. president to tout what he sees as successes by his administration and it`s an opportunity for the
opposing party to lay out a different vision for the country. This was President Biden`s second official State of the Union Address, but it was
first given to a divided Congress.
After Republicans took control of the House of Representatives following last year`s midterm elections. Have a listen to some of the highlights of
what the president had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Folks, the story of America is a story of progress and resilience, of always moving forward, of never ever
giving up. It`s a story unique among all nations. We`re the only country that has emerged from every crisis we`ve ever entered stronger than we got
into it.
Look, folks, that`s what we`re doing again. Two years ago, the economy was reeling. I stand here tonight after we`ve created with the help of many
people in this room 12 million new jobs, more jobs created in two years than any president`s created in four years because of you all, because of
the American people.
(APPLAUSE)
Two years ago -- and two years ago, COVID had shut down -- our businesses were closed, our schools were robbed of so much, and today, COVID no longer
controls our lives. And two years ago, democracy faced the greatest threat to the civil war and today, though bruised, our democracy remains unbowed
and unbroken.
(APPLAUSE)
As we gather here tonight, we`re writing the next chapter in the great American story, a story of progress and resilience. When world leaders
asked me to define America and they do believe it or not, I try to define it in one word, and I mean this -- possibilities. We don`t think anything
is beyond our capacity, everything is a possibility. You know we`re often told that Democrats and Republicans can`t work together, but over the past
two years, we`ve proved the cynics and naysayers wrong.
Yes, we disagreed plenty and yes, there were times when Democrats went alone. But time and again, Democrats and Republicans came together, came
together to defend us stronger and safer Europe. It came together to pass one in the -- one in a generation, once in a generation infrastructure law,
building bridges connecting our nation and our people.
In fact, I signed over 300 bipartisan pieces of legislation since becoming president, from reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, the Electoral
Count Reform Act, the Respect for Marriage Act that protects the right to marry the person you love. And to my Republican friends, if we could work
together the last Congress, there`s no reason we can`t work together and find consensus on important things in this Congress as well.
(APPLAUSE)
Well, folks, so let`s look at the results. We`re not finished yet by any stretch of the imagination, but the unemployment rate is at 3.4 percent, a
50-year low.
A near record -- a near record unemployment, near record unemployment for Black and Hispanic workers. We`ve already created your help eight hundred
thousand good paying manufacturing jobs, the fastest growth in 40 years.
So, I`ve come to fulfill my constitutional obligation to report in the State of the Union and here`s my report, because the soul of this nation is
strong, because the backbone of this nation is strong, because the people of this nation are strong, the State of the Union is strong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Now, as for the tradition of the opposing political party`s response to the state of the union address, it started in the 1960s and it`s a
speech given by Republicans when there`s a Democratic president and by Democrats when there`s a Republican president.
Last night, the rebuttal came from Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas. Sanders became Arkansas`s first female governor after
she was elected in November.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS (R), ARKANSAS: From out-of-control inflation and violent crime, to the dangerous border crisis and threat from China,
Biden and the Democrats have failed you. They know it and you know it, and it`s time for a change.
Tonight, let us reaffirm our commitment to a timeless American idea, that government exists not to rule the people but to serve the people. Democrats
want to rule us with more government control, but that`s not who we are. America is the greatest country the world has ever known because we`re the
freest country the world has ever known, with the people who are strong and resilient.
President Biden inherited the fastest economic recovery on record, the most secure border in history, cheap, abundant, homegrown energy, fast rising
wages, a rebuilt military and a world that was stable and at peace.
But over the last two years, Democrats destroyed it all, a new generation of Republican leaders are stepping up not to be caretakers of the status
quo but to be change makers for the American people. We know not what the future holds but we know who holds the future in his hands. And with God as
our witness, we will show the world that America is still the place where freedom reigns and liberty will never die.
Thank you. God bless you and God bless America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Ten-second trivia:
Which of these painters was known for his "drip technique" of splashing paint onto a surface?
Salvador Dali, Jackson Pollock, Claude Monet, or Pablo Picasso?
Modern American painter Jackson Pollock became famous for us look out I`m about to splatter some paint technique in the mid-1950s.
In today`s story getting a 10 out of 10, an accidental art installation on a highway in Australia. Take a look at this -- a cargo truck on the highway
lost control and spilled more than 260 gallons of paint. That`s enough paint for hundreds of canvases and aren`t the results just so perfectly and
perfect it turned the coastal area into a scene that would certainly catch the attention of Jackson Pollock. Hang this one in the Louvre, people.
All right. I want to give a special shout out to Hyatts Middle School in Powell, Ohio, for the work of art you created in the comments section of
our CNN 10 YouTube Channel and my @CoyWire social accounts. Thanks for the love and go Eagles.
All right. My perfectly imperfect people out there -- remember, of the nearly 8 billion people on this planet, there is no one in the world like
you.
I`m Coy Wire and we are CNN 10.
END
