President Biden sought to contrast his administration's accomplishments with House Republicans' agenda Friday night during the Democratic National Committee's winter meeting in Philadelphia Friday. The president's speech came ahead of a DNC vote on the party's primary calendar, and days before his State of the Union address.
The president touted progress during his administration on things like job numbers and infrastructure funding, and reminded people why he ran in 2020. As CBS News has reported, Mr. Biden is expected to announce a 2024 presidential bid shortly after his State of the Union address, which is on Tuesday.
"We're just getting started," Mr. Biden told his enthusiastic crowd. "...So let me ask a simple question. Are you with me?"
On the economy, the president particularly highlighted his administration's focus on manufacturing jobs, and on buying American products, before shifting gears in an effort to contrast his administration with House Republicans.
"Jobs are up, wages are up, inflation is down," he said. "COVID no longer controls our lives. But now, the extreme MAGA Republicans in the House of Representatives have made it clear they intend to put it all at risk...These aren't conservatives. These aren't conservatives. They're disruptive people. They intend to destroy the progress we've made."
The president also brought up the debt fight, as House Republicans look to cut spending in order to consider a debt ceiling increase. The president and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had their first one-on-one meeting on Wednesday, and discussed their perspectives on the debt limit. The U.S. has already reached its debt limit, and has about five months to raise the debt limit or risk a serious default.
"I'm not gonna let anyone use the full faith and credit of the United States as a bargaining chip," Mr. Biden said.
The president then set out the biggest items on his agenda moving forward. That list includes: Ensuring the cost of insulin is $35 a month for every American, passing paid family leave, restoring the expanded child tax credit, banning assault weapons, codifying Roe and passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
"Folks as much as we've gotten done over the past two years, we have some unfinished business on our agenda," the president continued.
Regarding the death of Tyre Nichols after a violent arrest in Memphis, Mr. Biden highlighted the need for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
"How many more horrible tragedies?" the president said. "How many more ghastly videos do we have, needless deaths to we have to see, before Congress steps up and does its job?"
As he frequently does, the president said he believes the nation is at an "inflection point" that will set the course for decades to come.
The Democratic Party this weekend is considering a plan that would kick New Hampshire out of its first-in-the-country status, and replace it with South Carolina, a state that was pivotal to the president's victory. Mr. Biden wants the plan to pass.
The president is heading to Camp David Friday evening, where he'll spend the weekend with top aides and speech writers writing, revising and refining his Tuesday State of the Union address. As CBS News has reported, the president is expected to focus on his administration's accomplishments.
— Aaron Navarro contributed to this report