Biden Speech: President Thanks 'Madames' VP Harris and Speaker Pelosi

U.S. President Joe Biden thanked “Madame Vice President” Kamala Harris and “Madame Speaker” Nancy Pelosi during his first speech to Congress.

“No president has ever said those words and it’s about time," said Biden.

Biden declared that the U.S. has turned the corner on the coronavirus pandemic that killed more than half a million Americans and crippled the economy, while outlining a broad plan for federal spending on infrastructure, education and other Democratic priorities.

“America is on the move again,” Biden said in his address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, according to excerpts the White House released. “Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setback into strength.”

But aides and allies say Biden views his speech as much about selling a broad vision to the American public as it is a pitch to lawmakers on any particular legislative program. The president, they say, sees the nation’s emergence from the pandemic as a unique opportunity to persuade voters that the country is more united and that government can help ordinary Americans.

Biden framed both his accomplishments and aspirations as an implicit rebuttal of the disarray that defined the federal government during the Trump administration, eroding confidence in the nation’s ability to meet big challenges.

After the address, Biden will follow in the path of his predecessors by taking his message directly to voters. He plans visits to key swing states to amplify his proposals. The president, Harris, their spouses and cabinet members plan to visit approximately a dozen states. That includes Biden’s trip Thursday to Atlanta, where he’s expected to hold a car rally to celebrate his 100th day in office.

The following day, he’ll visit Philadelphia to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Amtrak -- expected to receive a sizable funding increase under his infrastructure plan -- at the city’s 30th Street Station. Georgia and Pennsylvania marked key electoral victories for Biden in November after they had voted for Trump in 2016.

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