President Biden kicked off his address to a joint session of Congress with a string of phrases that no American president has ever stated earlier than: “Madam Vice President and Madam Speaker.”
For the primary time, the president is delivering his speech whereas standing in entrance of two ladies — Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California. While Ms. Pelosi has spent a number of State of the Union addresses sitting on the rostrum behind the president, that is Ms. Harris’s first time.
The two ladies greeted one another with a pleasant elbow bump earlier than the president arrived.
For an occasion that’s wrapped up in pomp and circumstance, the pictures from such nights can go away a lasting impression. And this tableau — a visible illustration that the primary and second in line of presidential succession are each ladies — depicts the development of ladies in American politics.
Hours earlier than the speech, when requested on MSNBC in regards to the historic second, Ms. Pelosi stated that whereas it’s “exciting” it’s additionally “about time.”
