President Joe Biden was introduced to an enthusiastic crowd at Onondaga Community College last week by master electrician Shawni Davis from the IBEW. Biden used the opportunity to stress his party’s support of workers.
"I made a promise, and I'm keeping it. I'd be the most pro-union president in American history, and I'm going to make sure that happens," he said.
The president was joined on the stage by two prominent Democrats who will be on the ballot this year. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is being challenged by Republican Joe Pinion. Gov. Kathy Hochul is running against Republican Lee Zeldin to earn her first full term as governor.
The president praised Schumer for leading the charge on the Federal CHIPS and Science Act and Hochul for New York’s Green CHIPS legislation.
"Making these chips in America is going to help lower the cost for families looking to buy a car, to replace your washing machine, get a new cell phone. It also helps companies out-compete the rest of the world," he said.
The president went on to address the economy, listing what he sees as his administration’s accomplishments: declining gas prices, unemployment at its lowest rate in 50 years, and the creation of 10 million jobs.
But New York GOP Chairman and congressional candidate Nick Langworthy said he sees the country’s economic situation differently.
"Now interest rates are up, making it harder for businesses to get access to capital and much more expensive for families to buy a home,” said Langworthy. “Seniors are being forced to put off retirement, and no matter how they want to redefine the word, we're in a recession."
Despite criticism from the right, President Biden is doubling down on his message that Americans are seeing an improvement.
"Fewer families are behind in their mortgages, their credit card bills than they were before the pandemic,” he said. “More Americans have health insurance than before the pandemic, and we're doing everything we can to give folks just a little bit of, my dad would say, just a little bit of breathing room."
