Biden Pushes for Infrastructure Plan at Georgia Rally

(CN) --- President Joe Biden spoke at a drive-in rally in Georgia Thursday evening to highlight his accomplishments during his first 100 days in office and help push his infrastructure plan.

A day after delivering his first joint address to Congress, the Democrat and First Lady Jill Biden traveled to the Peach State and met with former President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter before appearing at the Duluth rally.

Biden, who took the podium at the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth to Kool & The Gang’s Celebration, was interrupted few minutes into his remarks by protestors shouting, “Abolish ICE,” and “End detention now.” The president addressed the protesters, who continued their chants.

“I agree with you,” Biden said. “I’m working on it, man, give me another five days. Folks, you all know what they’re talking about. There should be no private prisons, period. Private detention centers. They should not exist. And we’re working to close all of them.”

The president said 220 million Covid-19 shots have been delivered in his administration’s first 100 days and that now “everyone over the age of 16 is eligible to be vaccinated right away.”

Biden thanked voters for electing Democratic Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, whose votes were key in getting the Covid-19 relief package passed in the Senate.

“If you ever wonder if elections make a difference, just remember what you did,” Biden said. “Because of you, we passed one of the most consequential rescue bills in American history.”

Georgia narrowly elected Biden over incumbent Republican Donald Trump in November and elected Ossoff and Warnock to the U.S. Senate in historic runoffs Jan. 5 that gave Democrats control of the Senate.

“You changed America,” Biden told the crowd. “You’re helping us prove that democracy can still deliver for the people.”

Biden said 1.3 million jobs have been created in his first 100 days in office.

“That’s more new jobs in the first 100 days than any president in history,” he boasted.

The president also addressed health care and lobbied for the passing of the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan. He later touched on climate change, noting his rejoining the Paris Climate Accord.

Biden promised tax cuts to the middle class and called for “the very wealthy and corporations start paying their fair share.”

“Folks, Wall Street didn’t build this country, you did,” Biden said. “The middle class did.”

The president also noted the passing of the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act to protect Asian Americans against racist attacks after Trump blamed China for the coronavirus pandemic.

The First Lady introduced the president by calling him “a man of action who always kept his promises, did the necessary work and showed up when it mattered.”

“That’s why I have always believed that he would be the president we need,” the First Lady said. “Joe is the man for this moment and with his leadership we are rising.”

The rally began with speeches from Democratic leaders from the Peach State, including former Democratic gubernatorial candidate and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Bottoms went after the General Assembly’s passing of a controversial voting restricting bill that critics say is a Republican attempt at suppressing the Black vote.

“John Lewis taught us well, and while he is no longer with us physically here on Earth, we are reminded that the vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool that we have in our toolbox to continue fighting voter suppression laws across the country,” Bottoms said. “This is why we must pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Get in some good trouble.”

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