President Joe Biden touted his administration’s economic plan hours after launching his reelection campaign while speaking at the North America’s Building Trades Unions 2023 Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, on Tuesday.
“This feels like coming home, you know,” Biden told the group of union members. “I’m here because there’s no better place to talk about the progress we’ve made together, and wouldn’t have made without you, and that’s not hyperbole, that’s a fact.”
“Our economic plan is working. We now have to finish the job. There’s more to do. And you’re leading the way, shovels in the ground, cranes in the air, factories opening – all those jobs created,” he added. “I make no apologies for me labeled the most pro-union president in American history. I’m proud of it, I really am.”
In a campaign style remarks, Biden added that his economic plan is a blue collar blueprint “to rebuild America.”
Biden, speaking to a very receptive room, touted his administration’s legislative achievements, including the Inflation Reduction Act, saying: “We beat big pharma” even “without a single Republican vote.”
“It surprised me. I’ve had more than half a dozen Republicans I used to serve with in the Senate come up to me — and I gave my word, I’d never say who they were, and I never will — ‘Joe, we agree with you, but if I do this, I’ll lose a primary,’ ” he said. “Not a profile in courage, but an acknowledgement.”
The president did not explicitly acknowledge his newly-announced reelection bid — though the audience did by interrupting Biden’s pledge to “finish the job” and deliver a manufacturing boom with chants of “Four more years.”
Biden also repeated criticisms of House Republicans, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy — blasting him for seeking to slash social spending as leverage in ongoing debt ceiling negotiations.
“It’s the same old trickle down, dressed up in MAGA clothing, only worse, because this time they’re saying if they don’t get their way … they’re going to let the country default on the debt,” he said.
CNN’s From DJ Judd contributed to this report.
