News Wrap: Biden hits the road in effort to build momentum for his 2024 campaign

In our news wrap Friday, Biden visited Philadelphia to make the case for his re-election, Trump posted a $92 million bond for his defamation judgment in New York, the RNC approved Trump’s picks for the committee’s leadership team, the Department of Labor reported 275,000 jobs added to the economy, international efforts to deliver aid to Gaza intensified, and more.
Geoff Bennett:
Good evening. I’m Geoff Bennett.
Amna Nawaz:
And I’m Amna Nawaz.
On the “NewsHour” tonight: The Senate races to pass a spending package and avoid a government shutdown.
Geoff Bennett:
Why many Americans say they’re unhappy about the state of the economy, even though indicators say it’s improving.
Kyla Scanlon, Writer, Video Creator:
When you tell them that things are getting cheaper, but their rent is not getting cheaper and their food is not getting cheaper, of course they’re going to feel bad.
Amna Nawaz:
And Hungary’s far right prime minister, Viktor Orban, visits the United States, meeting former President Trump, but not President Biden.
(Break)
Geoff Bennett:
President Biden is on the road tonight, hoping to build momentum for his reelection after last night’s State of the Union address.
Amna Nawaz:
First stop this afternoon was Philadelphia. His campaign said it’s the start of a sweep through the major swing states. The president told supporters he’s ready to take the fight to former President Trump. Tomorrow, he heads south for a campaign appearance in Atlanta.
Former President Trump has posted a $92 million bond to cover a defamation judgment in New York. That filing today lets him put off actually paying the penalty while he appeals. A jury found he sexually abused the writer E. Jean Carroll in 1996, and then falsely accused her of lying about it.
The former president also consolidated his grip on the Republican Party, as its national committee approved his leadership team. North Carolina Party Chair Michael Whatley was voted in as RNC chair. Mr. Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, will become the national co-chair. The Trump team has promised not to use RNC funds to pay his legal bills.
The nation’s jobs market put up healthy numbers in February. The Labor Department reports that employers added a net of 275,000 positions. That’s up nearly 50,000 from January. At the same time, the unemployment rate hit 3.9 percent, as more people began looking for work. And hourly wages had their smallest gain in more than two years, which could help lower inflation further.
Efforts to get humanitarian aid into Gaza intensified today. The European Union announced a ship loaded with supplies could arrive this weekend. The vessel will sail from Cyprus in a pilot operation for a maritime corridor extending than 200 nautical miles.
Today, the European Commission’s president, Ursula Von Der Leyen, inspected preparations at Larnaca in Cyprus. She said it’s critical to act now.
Ursula Von Der Leyen, President, European Commission:
The humanitarian situation in cap Gaza is dire, with innocent Palestinian families and children desperate for basic needs. This is why Europe is financing a major humanitarian aid effort for Palestinians in Gaza and in the region.
Amna Nawaz:
President Biden announced plans last night to build a temporary pier to move more aid into Gaza. The Pentagon said today it will take several weeks to get the facility up and running.
A U.N. report blamed Iran today for crimes against humanity in the death of Mahsa Amini and the unrest it sparked in 2022. The investigation found physical violence led to Amini’s death for allegedly violating rules on wearing headscarves. Nationwide protests erupted as thousands surged into the streets. The report found the ensuing crackdown used everything from shotguns to sexual assaults. More than 500 people were killed.
Today’s International Women’s Day was marked by celebrations and calls to action. Supporters of women’s rights in Spain and across Europe rallied for gender equality, and women in Afghanistan staged a rare protest against Taliban restrictions. Rally-goers in Turkey demanded basic rights.
Aysen Sahin, Turkish Protester (through interpreter):
The pressure on women is not just physical. It is psychological, economic, even digital. We are fighting against all kinds of violence. We still have not gained equal labor and wage rights. We do not have our freedom in this country.
Amna Nawaz:
In France, supporters marked the day by formally inscribing the right to abortion in its Constitution after lawmakers approved it on Monday.
The Biden administration won a round today in a legal fight over immigration. A federal judge in Texas upheld a program to admit 30,000 migrants a month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela on humanitarian grounds. Texas and 20 other states argued it’s an economic burden on them. They’re expected to appeal.
A federal jury in New York has convicted the former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, of helping to funnel tons of cocaine into the U.S. The verdict came two years after Hernandez was extradited to the U.S. Prosecutors said he took millions of dollars in bribes from drug traffickers. He could get life in prison when he’s sentenced in June.
The U.S. military has cleared its workhorse Osprey aircraft to return to duty. The entire fleet of several hundred Ospreys was grounded in December after a fatal crash in Japan. The Osprey hovers like a helicopter and flies like a plane, but it’s had a history of deadly crashes. Officials say they’re imposing new safety measures.
On Wall Street, stocks pulled back as shares in the high-flying chip maker Nvidia took a tumble. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 68 points to close at 38722. The Nasdaq fell 188 points. The S&P 500 dropped 33.
And a passing of note. The Japanese anime artist who created the hugely popular “Dragon Ball” has died after suffering a cerebral blood clot. Akira Toriyama began the “Dragon Ball” manga, or comic series, in 1984. It grew into video games, films, and television adaptations, and heavily influenced Japanese anime. Akira Toriyama was 68 years old.
Still to come on the “NewsHour”: David Brooks and Jonathan Capehart weigh in on the week’s political headlines. The sound designer of “The Zone of Interest” discusses his Oscar-nominated work on the film; plus much more.