The midterms are fast approaching. President Biden appeared in an audio-only fundraiser via Zoom at 7:41 pm on Wednesday for Congressman Matt Cartwright, a Democrat running for re-election in Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district.
Biden began by thanking Cartwright for representing the district, including Scranton, “close to my heart.”
Biden said that Cartwright is a man of “incredible integrity.” The President noted that Cartwright is “strong” and “independent,” and he praised his willingness to work across the aisle.
“Just 13 days until one of the most important elections in our lifetime, and that’s not hyperbole — because what happens in the next Congress in this off year is going to decide the direction of our country for our long time,” said Biden.
“I’m so sick and tired of trickle down economics,” he said, calling out Republicans for embracing “Mega-MAGA trickle down economics.”
Biden ticked through a number of his administration’s accomplishments, from 700,000 manufacturing jobs, a reduction in the federal deficit, and lowering of the costs of prescription drugs.
“But even with all this progress… people are still struggling with inflation.” It’s a global issue driven by a pandemic and Putin’s war in Ukraine, he said.
Biden touted the reduction in gas prices in recent months and once again predicted they would be further reduced.
“They’re gonna go down further when the gas companies agree to my demand and our demand that they pass the savings on the price of a barrel of oil when that goes down… It should be reflected at the pump. But it’s not these days. We’re going to insist that they have a direct correlation.”
Toward the end of the program, Biden returned to the issue of energy companies’ finances.
“Five major oil companies in the last quarter, do you know what they made in profit? $55 billion. Let me say that again. Five major oil companies in America made $55 billion in profit in the second quarter. Just one quarter. It’s not fair, it’s not fair,” he said.
The President attacked Republicans for their economic plans, reiterating a message he has been making recently about how “Republicans are fiscally reckless” and want to blow up the deficit with tax cuts for the wealthy. “They’re coming after your Social Security and Medicare,” warned Biden, predicting they would be willing to shut down the government to achieve cuts to those entitlements.
Biden criticized the Republicans who are running in the midterms for refusing to acknowledge the legitimacy of the 2020 election. He said such candidates are MAGA Republicans.
Toward the end of his remarks, Biden launched a plea for supporters to donate to Cartwright’s campaign.
“I say to all my friends from labor on this call. You’re the ones that brung me to the dance. You’re the ones who make this country what it is. And we need your help.”
