The Obamas will join former President Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Biden served as vice president alongside Obama for eight years, and the two remain close friends. The 44th president campaigned for Biden in the final weeks of the 2020 presidential race, while Michelle Obama delivered a stinging rebuke of Trump during the Democratic National Convention in August. The former first lady, who is among the most popular figures in the party, otherwise stayed off the campaign trail last year.
Biden s inauguration will be scaled back due to the coronavirus pandemic, and officials have urged Americans to avoid traveling to the nation s capital to be there in person. Virtual events are planned, though the swearing-in ceremony is still expected to take place outside the Capitol.
“Absolutely not. No,” Manchin told The Washington Post in an interview published Friday. “Getting people vaccinated, that’s job No. 1.”
“How is the money that we invest now going to help us best to get jobs back and get people employed? And I can’t tell you that sending another check out is gonna do that to a person that’s already got a check,” he said.
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Manchin in a tweet, later said if a new round of checks go out, they should be targeted to ensure they go to those in need.
If the next round of stimulus checks goes out they should be targeted to those who need it. https://t.co/MWvt9EHOBS Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen JoeManchin) January 8, 2021
Manchin shoots down proposed round of $2K checks: Absolutely not thehill.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thehill.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
In a statement, Perdue noted that while he finished ahead of Ossoff in the November general election, he had fallen short in the Jan. 5 runoff election, one of two in Georgia that helped hand Democrats control of the Senate.
“Although we won the general election, we came up just short of Georgia’s 50% rule, and now I want to congratulate the Democratic Party and my opponent for this runoff win,” Perdue said. “Bonnie and I will continue to pray for our wonderful state and our great country. May God continue to bless Georgia and the United States of America.”
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Biden made the remarks Friday afternoon as he introduced Boston Mayor Marty Walsh
“I did give serious consideration to nominating my friend Bernie Sanders to this position. I’m confident he could have done a fantastic job,” Biden said. “I can think of no more passionate, devoted ally to working people in this country.”
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“But after Tuesday s results in Georgia, keeping Democratic control of the United States Senate in a tie vote, Bernie and I agreed … we can’t put the control of the Senate at risk on the outcome of a special election in Vermont,” Biden continued.
The Hill has reached out to Sanders s office for comment.