This week, we looked at Biden's post-State of the Union bump, Texas primary results and the latest from the Supreme Court. Plus, the first Jan. 6 trial begins.
The Big Picture: A needed boost
Saul Loeb/Pool/Getty Images
A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found that after President Biden’s State of the Union address this week, he got a badly needed boost.
His approval rating jumped 8 points to 47%, the highest it's been in several months. And it’s a historically significant increase. Just six times since 1978 has a president seen a 4-point jump or more after a State of the Union address, and three of those instances were for former President Bill Clinton.
A major reason for Biden’s better numbers is Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. The president is benefiting from a rally-around-the-flag effect — Ukraine’s flag.
Lots of members of Congress at Tuesday’s address had on ribbons and lapel pins in Ukrainian blue and gold. And there were lots of bipartisan applause lines when Biden talked about how the West was standing with Ukraine and sanctioning Russia. A whopping 83% of poll respondents said they support the sanctions. And when asked if they'd support the strict measures even if energy prices increased, 69% said they would, including a majority of Republicans.
But Biden’s biggest increases in the poll were double-digit gains with Democrats and independents. Both are groups Biden has been struggling with. And if Democrats are going to stem the expected losses in this November’s midterm elections, they will need both groups to turn out for them.
Ron Jenkins/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Texas primaries: Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott will face off against Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke in the race for governor of the state. And in the closely watched Democratic primary in the state’s 28th Congressional District, longtime Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, a fixture of South Texas politics, advanced to a runoff against progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros.
New COVID-19 plan: The White House this week unveiled a new plan aimed at continuing to combat the ongoing pandemic while envisioning life getting back to normal. The newest feature of the plan is a “test to treat” system that the administration claims will allow some patients to get tested for COVID-19 at pharmacies and, if positive, be prescribed antiviral drugs on the spot.
SCOTUS on Boston Marathon bomber: The Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the convicted Boston Marathon bomber. The decision was 6-3, with all the court’s liberal justices dissenting.
First Jan. 6 trial begins: The trial of Guy Reffitt, the first defendant charged in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, began this week. During testimony, Reffitt’s 19-year-old son testified about the “surreal and scary” text messages his father sent family members in the leadup to Jan. 6 and explained why he alerted the FBI about his father’s actions.
A key Georgia election: Secretary of state races have historically been pretty boring. But in Georgia, donations have been pouring in, as the current incumbent, Brad Raffensperger — who refused to go along with former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state — is facing a primary challenge from a prominent election denier.
Biden’s history with Russia: President Biden is leaning on his history with Russia to inform how he’s handling the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. That history includes his experience as vice president, when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
This striking image above — of a woman in a crowded subway station-turned-bomb shelter in Kyiv, Ukraine — is one of many filed from the region this past week. It’s a scene no doubt depicted in prior conflicts throughout history, but with her magenta hair, cellphone and to-go cup, it’s unmistakably modern.
NPR has been updating a story with new photos from Ukraine as the fighting there has continued. See them here.
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