Fact-Watching Biden: Where the President’s Speech Is Wrong

The New York Times: We actually checked Biden’s Prime-Time White House address

President Biden, in a speech Thursday night, exaggerated elements of the coronavirus pandemic, along with his and his predecessor’s response to it. Here is a fact check. (Qiu, 3/11)

The Washington Post: Fact-checking of Biden’s speech to the nation

President Biden’s speech to the nation was heavy on emotion and hope, but light on facts. Here are two moments where the president told the truth. (Kessler, 3/11)

PolitiFact: Joe Biden’s Fact Check on US Rescue Plan

The address was the culmination of Biden’s efforts to get the rescue plan through Congress. Here we are going to examine some allegations from Biden’s speech on Thursday night, as well as some of his recent discussion points on the impact of COVID-19 on employment, food insecurity and schools. (Sherman, 3/11)

The Washington Post: Biden’s Vaccine Wins Build on Trump Team’s Work

President Biden slammed leaders of two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies for the White House on Wednesday and blamed his government for the ‘almost unprecedented collaboration’ between longtime rivals Merck and Johnson & Johnson, which are now jointly producing a coronavirus vaccine. But the breakthrough Biden put forward was first conceived last year by Trump officials, which culminated in a January 4 conference call between Merck and Johnson & Johnson’s senior leaders, four Trump administration officials said. said with knowledge of the efforts. (Diamond and Stanley-Becker, 3/11)

Also –

The Philadelphia Enquirer: During his speech, Biden mentioned a woman of his father who just wanted ‘the truth’. We found her.

Kirsten Hess did not pres. Joe Biden’s first speech seen marking the year of the coronavirus pandemic. But she received about 20 text messages instructing her to turn on the TV. “Last summer I was in Philadelphia and I met a woman,” Biden said. “I asked her, ‘What do you need most?’ ‘Never forget what she told me. She said and looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘I just want the truth. The truth. Just tell me the truth. ‘”(Terruso, 3/11)

6ABC Philadelphia: President Joe Biden’s Mixed Response Primetime Speech

President Joe Biden’s first speech to the country commemorating the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic was mixed. As many Philadelphians, in turn, waited to be vaccinated, those eligible waited in long queues at the FEMA Mass Vaccination Center in the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Thursday night. (Brooks, 3/12)

NPR: Poll: Biden approval 62% on handling COVID-19 pandemic

There is currently no more urgent matter for the US – or the world – than the COVID-19 pandemic. And politically, how President Biden views it over the next year or so may define his presidency and his chances of re-election if elected. So far, according to the latest NPR / PBS NewsHour / Marist survey, he has started well on Thursday. Sixty-two percent of Americans agree well with how Biden handles the pandemic. (Montanaro, 3/11)