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US President Biden Threatens To Change Senate Rules

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent

(Worthy News) – U.S. President Joe Biden used his first news conference to threaten fundamental changes to Senate rules to battle Republican opponents and defend his controversial migration and China policies.

The 78-year-old leader, who last week stumbled and fell while climbing the stairs to board Air Force One, tried to stay on course during the roughly hour-long press briefing.

Biden, calling himself a “gaffe machine” in the past, rambled at times and cut himself off at one point, suddenly asking, “Am I giving too long an answer?”

While he attempts to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic measures and resulting economic damage, Biden has troubles delivering on big promises with a razor-thin Senate majority.

In a controversial move, he suggested that changes to Senate rules would allow bills to pass with fewer votes may be necessary for him to achieve some of those goals.

“If there are complete lockdown and chaos, as a consequence of the filibuster, then we’re going to have to go beyond what I’m talking about,” he said.

CHINA

Amid the worst U.S.-Chinese relations in decades, Biden compared Chinese President Xi Jinping to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling them both supporters of autocracy.

But Biden, whose son Hunter has business dealings with China, said the United States was not looking for confrontation with Beijing over differences on trade or its rollback of democracy in Hong Kong, treatment of minority Uighurs, and military buildup.

He remained unclear about North Korea

only acknowledging growing concerns about North Korea’s nuclear program.

Early Thursday, North Korea launched the first ballistic missile tests of the Biden administration, but the president was restrained as he admonished the North for the latest tests.

He hopes to persuade the North to give up its nuclear program but thus far has faced radio silence from the reclusive, secretive communist nation.

Biden also said he would not meet a looming May 1 deadline to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan but added they would not be there in 2022.

MEXICO DRAMA

The president was repeatedly pressed about the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, where increasing numbers of young migrants have overwhelmed the government’s holding facilities.

Biden pledged better media access to the camps, but only once his administration has a better handle on things. He also promised improvements to the nation’s immigration system and U.S. help to improve conditions in the migrants’ home countries.

“I can’t guarantee that we’re going to solve everything, but I can guarantee that we’re going to make it better,” he said.

Biden had held off on holding his first news conference, preferring instead carefully choreographed meetings or statements with reporters. He also wanted to wait till he could use the news briefing to claim progress against the pandemic and passage of a giant COVID-19 relief package.

In his opening remarks, he declared that “hope is on the way,” as he doubled his original goal on COVID-19 vaccines by pledging that the nation will administer 200 million doses by the end of his first 100 days in office.

The administration said it had met Biden’s initial goal of 100 million doses earlier this month — before even his 60th day in office. Biden says he wants to defeat a pandemic that officials claim killed more than 545,000 Americans.