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CNN INTERNATIONAL: Biden To Deliver High-Stakes State Of The Union Address; Biden To Tout Economic Plan In State Of The Union; Sweden Set To Become NATO's 32nd Member. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired March 07, 2024 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[11:00:00]

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RAHEL SOLOMON, HOST: Good morning or good evening, depending on where you're watching. I'm Rahel Solomon live in New York.

In just a few hours, Joe Biden will give what could be one of the most important speeches of his presidency as a rematch against Donald Trump gets underway. The State of the Union address is a make or break moment for the President. New this morning, Sweden has been formally invited to become the 32nd member of NATO. The Swedish Prime Minister is in Washington where he is going to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and we will take you live to the State Department. Plus, hopes for a Ramadan ceasefire in Gaza have stalled as the Hamas delegation leaves negotiations, but little progress made. We're going to have a live report from Tel Aviv straight ahead.

Well, the moment couldn't be bigger for U.S. President Joe Biden and the stakes couldn't be higher. Just hours from now, the President will deliver his State of the Union address which will double as a sort of unofficial start to the general election. Now, the speech is expected to focus on his populist message for the economy, which the White House says will include a crackdown on price gouging and higher taxes for corporations and the wealthy. Biden is facing low approval ratings and sagging poll numbers as the race against former President Donald Trump really begins. Now, the address is a crucial opportunity for Mr. Biden to flip the narrative and answer fears from some voters, even Democratic allies, about his age and his vitality. Here was the White House aide speaking earlier to CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLIVIA DALTON, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY: The President is ready. He spent the weekend with his advisors and speechwriters, putting the finishing touches on the speech in Camp David. There is always in these moments a desire to focus on the distractions, de jour. The President is focused on one thing and that's communicating clearly his vision for the country, to the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: All right. Let's bring in our panel, Republican Strategist and former RNC Communications Director, Doug Heye, and CNN Political Commentator, Maria Cardona. She is also a Democratic Strategist. Great to see you both.

Maria, let me start with you. Let me read for you the top graph of POLITICO's story on what to expect tonight. "The State of the Union may be one of the most vastly overrated speeches in all of politics. But not this year." So, Maria, with stakes so high, what does a successful night look like for the President?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, & DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I think a successful night is when the President comes out and he is going to state under no uncertain terms the massive accomplishments that he has delivered to the American people in the last three years, not just with detail, but with personalization. And what that means, Rahel, is that we see that the economic numbers on a macro level are really good. We have a booming economy, but not everyone is feeling it.

So, tonight, I think, is an opportunity for the President to make those connections. Why is it that the $35 insulin is so important to the American people? How is it that canceling millions of dollars of student loans has helped families make sure that they have a bright future for their kids? I think those are the details that are going to be important in tonight's speech. But also, Rahel, as you can imagine, everyone is going to be not just listening to the substance, but perhaps even more so watching to see his demeanor, how does he deliver it, his energy, his stances, everything that he does with his hands, with his face, his expressions. Everything is going to be on stage tonight. And the President knows that.

And as you know, one of the biggest, I think, gifts that this President has is low expectations. He has been repeatedly underestimated, and every single time he comes out on top, and I think tonight will be no different.

SOLOMON: Doug, speaking of demeanor, let me play for you some clips from last year's State of the Union address.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security sunset. I'm not saying it's a majority. Contact my office. I'll give you a copy. Fentanyl is killing more than 70,000 Americans a year.

(CROWD CHANTING)

BIDEN: You got it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Doug, you understand the art of communication.

DOUG HEYE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST, & FORMER RNC COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Yeah.

SOLOMON: We saw Kevin McCarthy there behind the President. This year, of course, it is Speaker Mike Johnson, who has reportedly urged the GOP to show respect to the President.

[11:05:00]

What do you think about this? Is this just about decorum, or is there some greater strategy here about optics?

HEYE: It's both of those. And look, this really first started several years ago when Congressman Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina, yelled, "You lie at Barack Obama." That was a terrible moment for House Republicans, but not for Joe Wilson. And he raised a lot of money, raised his profile. And what we've seen, Rahel, is that incentive structure is a different one. I'm very glad that the Speaker's office is telling members to be respectful for decorum, but also to not allow Joe Biden to have a moment to where he can counterpunch. And if he counterpunches very well, because a Marjorie Taylor Greene or Lauren Boebert or somebody else directly challenges the President during his speech, you give that advantage possibly to the President that you don't want to give.

But again, the reality is, these members, they don't work for House leadership. They work for themselves ultimately, or their political base, how they view it. And that's why we've seen members act up in the past and why we're nervous that that may happen again.

SOLOMON: Well, Maria, to that point, would you say that Biden's stronger moments are the moments when he stays on script, or the moments when he goes off script, and he has a successful counterpunch, to Doug's point?

CARDONA: I think that when he has his strongest moments is when he is authentic, when he has the ability to think on his feet to counterpunch, as Doug says, because he did it really well last year. He wiped the floor with Republicans. And he really came out on top. And let's think about something else. This is a President who is a creature of the Senate, a creature of the House. He is going to come home tonight. He is very, very comfortable in that chamber. And I think you're going to see that comfort level as he delivers his speech.

And then one more thing I would say, Rahel, you talked about how -- on his -- in the back of his shoulder is going to be Speaker Johnson. Let's not diminish the kind of debacle that House Republicans have suffered in the past year ever since McCarthy was ousted. People remember that this is a Republican House that has not been able to deliver anything for the American people. And what's more, they have demonstrated that the only thing they're interested in is being puppeteered by Donald Trump. And I think Joe Biden as the President can really use that to his advantage to say, look, I am here. Democrats are here to serve you. The contrast is these Republican, this clown show is here to serve Donald Trump.

SOLOMON: Doug, I want to bring you back. But, let me actually get to Arlette Saenz. Maria, Doug, just stand by for just a moment. Let me get to Arlette Saenz live at the White House, who is also watching tonight very closely. Arlette, what more can you share with us? ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rahel, President Biden is expected to spend the day putting the finishing touches on this State of the Union address, a moment that really will offer him one of his most high-profile events to make his case to voters to give him a second term in office. This President's team has worked behind the scenes for months in crafting the speech, trying to identify the issues to prioritize, but also to craft a message that will convince voters he is up for a second term.

A big focus of this speech will focus on the economy, as the President is trying to convince Americans that his policies are starting to pay off for them when it comes to economic issues. The President is expected to call for raising the corporate tax rate to 28 percent, also raising the corporate minimum tax rate from 15 percent to 21 percent. He will talk about efforts to try to lower everyday costs for Americans in this administration and what he hopes in another four years in office as well. That will include trying to lower healthcare costs and the cost of prescription drugs. He specifically will call on Congress to expand the number of drugs that are eligible for Medicare at negotiation, the prices for those drugs from 20 drugs to 50 drugs each year.

The President also is expected to lean into the democracy and freedom arguments that have animated his reelection bid, including the issue of preserving and protecting reproductive rights. That is something Democrats really believe will galvanize voters heading into November. And then, there is things like Ukraine, Israel, border security, and the President's unity agenda that he has touted each year.

But really, this offers the President one of the most high-profile moments with a very large audience to make his case to voters at a time when his reelection campaign is facing challenging times. Polling has shown that there is no clear leader in the contest against former President Donald Trump. There is also discontent within the President's own party over his handling of the conflict in Gaza, and also persistent questions about the President's age and physical and mental fitness, raising questions about -- from voters about whether he'll be able to serve a second term.

So, part of the goal tonight is showing American voters that he has the energy, the spirit to continue on as President. We know that Democratic allies have encouraged the President to really engage in these fights, have more of a fighting spirit on display.

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That's something we kind of saw organically happen during last year's State of the Union when the President went toe to toe with Republicans in the chamber over the issue of Social Security. So, it's likely there could be some moments like that tonight. But, one of the key goals for the President hearing tonight is to tout his accomplishments, trying to lay out that vision for a second term, and convince voters that he is up for the job for another four years in the White House.

SOLOMON: Yeah, certainly a lot on his agenda. Arlette Saenz live for us at the White House. Arlette, thank you.

Let me bring back my panel. Doug, let me pick it up with you and pick up on something Arlette mentioned, sort of the President leaning into reproductive rights. The GOP response will be delivered by Alabama Senator Katie Britt. Important to note, the recent ruling in Alabama with IVF, reproductive rights is an issue that the GOP sometimes struggles in terms of their messaging. What are you going to be watching for in the GOP response?

HEYE: Well, I think first, Katie Britt is as good at choices Republicans could make. And interestingly, we're a party that usually seems to always put white dudes at the front of the line. The reality is, for the State of the Union response, is it's been a string of women and people of color, which is a welcome change for the GOP. And Katie Britt is going to talk about her background as a mom, talk about being a working mother, and certainly IVF, being that she is from Alabama, and this is an Alabama issue is going to come up. She is going to talk about moms and families first, and not leaning heavy into the things that have caused Republicans to be back on their heels on this.

I'm looking forward to what she says. I've been a fan of hers for a long time, even back when she was a staffer. The GOP could not make a better pick. I wouldn't tell you that the rebuttal always makes front page news or changes the course of things. But, it is a great face for the GOP to put forward.

SOLOMON: Yeah. Maria, I mean, to that point, I mean, is that a strategic choice from the GOP in light of the reproductive issues that are front and center for a lot of women, not just women, but a lot of people in this country right now, period, and some of the struggles we've seen from the party in terms of what the messaging is?

CARDONA: There is no one that the GOP could put up right now that would erase the reputation that they have as the party that wants to completely take away the right of women to make a choice about their reproductive future for themselves and their families. And that is what has been such a horrendous electoral kryptonite for the Republican Party. And they know it. When the Supreme Court made that decision about IVF, and saying that embryos were persons, they panicked, and for good reason.

This issue of reproductive freedom and reproductive rights was kind of a sleeper issue in the 2022 midterms. People thought that there was a summer of rebellion amongst women. But, you know what? Women will calm down. Well, guess what? We're not calming down, because when your rights and your freedoms are on the line, when you have somebody like Donald Trump who has said that he wants to support a national abortion ban, this is existential for our rights. I don't want my daughter to grow up in a country where she has less rights than I did. And women across the board, including Republican women, feel that way. So there is no one that the GOP could put up that's going to erase that right now.

SOLOMON: Doug, Maria, stick around. Don't go anywhere. Still a lot more to discuss about tonight and the implications. We're going to just pivot for a bit, but we'll talk to you soon.

In just a few moments from now, we expect to hear from Secretary of State Antony Blinken, alongside the Swedish Prime Minister. The Swedish Prime Minister is in Washington today and will attend the State of the Union tonight as a guest of the First Lady Jill Biden. Sweden is set to formally become the 32nd NATO ally after a process led by U.S. President Joe Biden in the wake of Russia's war in Ukraine. Now, the Prime Minister says that the latest procedural hurdle in Sweden's accession process has been cleared.

Let's bring in CNN's Jennifer Hansler, who joins us from the U.S. State Department. Jennifer, give us a sense of what more we can expect.

JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT REPORTER: Well, good morning, Rahel. In just a few moments, Secretary Blinken will meet with the Swedish Prime Minister for this last final step for Sweden to become a member of NATO. This has been a long time coming, more than a year after Sweden has sought to join the defensive alliance. They are going to become the 32nd member today.

So, what we expect to happen is Sweden will bring its articles of accession here to the State Department, where they will be deposited into a vault here at the agency where all of the articles of accession live, and they will finally clear that last procedural hurdle and become a member. So, this is a cause for celebration among the alliance, and also a sign of the shift within this alliance that we have seen not one but two new members since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine, Finland last year and now Sweden today.

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We do expect Blinken and the Prime Minister to give short remarks to mark the occasion, and to talk about the need for the alliance to stay united and stay strong as that war in Ukraine continues on here. Of course, all of this comes as the U.S. still has not passed more funding for the war in Ukraine. That continues to be blocked in Congress. We expect this to be a key point in the President's State of the Union address tonight, where the Prime Minister will also be in attendance. Rahel.

SOLOMON: And Jennifer, just remind me and certainly correct me if I'm wrong, speaking of tonight in the State of the Union, we also expect the parents of Evan Gershkovich to be there in attendance. And I'm wondering, both with Sweden now joining NATO and NATO expanding as well as these really high-profile guests, I imagine that those in Russia must be watching tonight very closely as well.

HANSLER: I have to imagine that's the case, Rahel. Everyone around the world is likely to be paying attention to what the President is saying, as he is dealing with a number of crises across the globe, both in Russia as well as in the Middle East there. We also expect a number of the families of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza to be in the audience tonight. And this comes, of course, as those talks over the hostages have continued to not yield a result. We understand that Hamas has left the talks in Cairo and have turned back to go to do consultations with leadership there. There is still hope that a deal can be secured. But, we have to wait and see there. So, a lot of eyes on the President's speech tonight, particularly on those foreign policy fronts. Rahel.

SOLOMON: Yeah. Absolutely. Jennifer Hansler live for us at the State Department. Jennifer, thanks so much.

HANSLER: Thank you.

SOLOMON: And we are just minutes away from those remarks by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. We will bring those comments to you live, just ahead. Plus, the armorer of the movie "Rust" has been convicted, more than two years after that deadly onset shooting of the film's cinematographer. We're going to have the details straight ahead.

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SOLOMON: Welcome back. Hopes are fading that a ceasefire for Gaza can be reached before Ramadan, which begins early next week. A Hamas delegation has left negotiations in Cairo, and Israelis did not attend this round at all. Now, mediators had hoped to have a draft agreement this week to pause the fighting and releasing hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. But, a diplomat tells CNN that "won't happen". The Gaza Health Ministry says that nearly 31,000 people have been killed in the war and at least 20 have died of starvation amid extreme food shortages.

Let's bring in CNN's Jeremy Diamond for more in Tel Aviv. Jeremy, with Hamas leaving these talks in Cairo and the Israelis not attending at all, what's next for negotiations? I mean, the period before Ramadan was seen as especially important because the idea of any military operation during Ramadan could be seen as especially provocative.

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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, no doubt about it. And we've been under a time crunch for a deal to be reached. And while there was a lot of optimism last week, this week, it is a far different situation with one U.S. official saying that hope is fading that an agreement can be reached in time for the start of Ramadan. Negotiators had hoped that they would have a draft agreement by this point in order to put a deal in place by the start of Ramadan. But, that seems to no longer be the expectation. And we know that a Hamas delegation left Cairo today without any breakthroughs actually taking place.

Israel is continuing to demand a list of the hostages who would be released under this agreement. Hamas has indicated that they won't be able to provide that list without a ceasefire that would allow them to gather the information on the whereabouts and the fate of those hostages. An Israeli official telling us today that they simply don't believe that assertion from Hamas. And Hamas, for its part, is continuing to push for a permanent end to this conflict, as part of these negotiations, something that Israel has rejected out of hand. So, despite some of the progress that was made last week, it appears that both sides are now once again at an impasse. And so that, of course, raises the question of what will happen next. Israeli officials had indicated that a major military offensive into

Rafah would be launched if there were not a deal reached by Ramadan. But, as you noted, Israeli officials are also very mindful of the fact that a major military offensive during that holiday of Ramadan could potentially inflame tensions at a very, very critical time. The holiday of Ramadan has often been a time when tensions have soared. Hamas has often sought to use the religious fervor around Ramadan in order to provoke or to call for attacks against Israelis or Israeli forces. And so, this is certainly a very volatile time. And we will have to see next week how things unfold particularly if there is not a deal in place.

SOLOMON: Certainly a lot to watch. Jeremy Diamond live for us there. Jeremy, thank you.

Well, it has been five months since the brutal October 7 attacks when hundreds of people in Israel were taken hostage by Hamas. One woman campaigning for the release of those still held in Gaza was the hostage herself. Chen Almog Goldstein saw her husband and one daughter murdered by Hamas on October 7. She and three surviving children were then taken to Gaza and held for 51 excruciating days. Goldstein talked to our Christiane Amanpour about her terrifying ordeal. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHEN ALMOG GOLDSTEIN, FORMER HOSTAGE, & HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER MURDERED BY HAMAS (Interpreted): In a few minutes, they are taking us into the tunnel. I can remember the looks of my son's in the car, looks I will never forget, asking me, mum, what happened to your lips? My lips must have been so white and dry. And I understand that the reflection of my anxiety has reached them and that I need to be strong and to function as long as I'm alive. And that's what I was trying to do, to be strong and to take care of myself and save them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: You can watch Christiane's entire interview with Goldstein right here on CNN. Amanpour begins at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, 6 p.m. in London.

Haiti, meantime, remains engulfed in chaos, and the U.S. is now pushing for the country's Prime Minister to move toward a political transition. Violence has spiked in recent days as gangs worked to oust Ariel Henry. A gang leader warns of "civil war and genocide" if he remains in power. The UN Human Rights Chief is calling on the international community to act quickly to try to prevent deepening turmoil. The Prime Minister remains outside of the country after having visited Kenya last week, then landing in Puerto Rico on Tuesday.

Let's bring in now CNN's Patrick Oppmann, who joins us from Havana, Cuba, with more on what Haiti is facing. Patrick.

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. All eyes on Ariel Henry, who essentially has become a Prime Minister without a country. And as you mentioned, increasingly, there is pressure on him from within Haiti and from outside of Haiti for him to essentially make way for a transition government that would then lead to elections next year. Far easier said than done is conditions in Haiti for the last so many months and particularly now simply don't allow for any kind of elections to take place because gangs control much, if not most of the country. And these gangs have rampaged over the last several days, and people, as they've gotten increasingly desperate, also taken to the looting places like ports and ATMs. And so, there is just a general sense of lawlessness.

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And I've spoken to people who are diplomats there and are simply bunkered down in their homes, not knowing when they can leave because of the main airport in Port-au-Prince is closed at this point, and there is really no way in or out of the country for the moment. So, will Ariel Henry listen to these demands and make way for some sort of transition government? Will this force from Kenya, that he was in Kenya negotiating the arrival, about 1,000 troops for Kenya, actually be able to arrive in Haiti and try to restore order? Time is slipping away. And for the people who are in Haiti who do not have access to hospitals, to food, to clean water, time is really slipping away. So, again, diplomacy continues to happen here, but far too slow for many people on the ground.

SOLOMON: And Patrick, you might argue for far too long, because remind us, I mean, the previous leader, I mean, there has been turbulence since even he was assassinated for Haitians.

OPPMANN: Absolutely. And we should remind people that after that assassination of the President, Ariel Henry essentially became head of state in Haiti, but he had never been elected. So, immediately, there was pressure for new elections to be called, and that did not happen because conditions, of course, were not -- it was just not possible. But, the violence has only gotten worse. And so, at this point, how much worse does it can get? Does the presidential palace need to be overrun? Does the airport need to be completely overrun? You constantly think things can't get worse, and yet they continue to do just that.

SOLOMON: Yeah. Patrick Oppmann live for us there. Patrick, thanks so much.

We're going to bring you down to that breaking news. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is about to speak, as Sweden is set to join NATO. Let's listen together.

ULF KRISTERSSON, SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER: Be patient. Just allow me to present to you the document of accession to NATO. Thank you so much for receiving (inaudible). Thank you.

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Welcome. Well, good things come to those who wait, no better example. But, with receipt of this instrument of accession, let me be the very first to welcome Sweden as a party to the Washington Treaty, and the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Prime Minister, to you, my friend, the Foreign Minister, a personal note of thanks for your extraordinary leadership, your extraordinary vision and your resilience. This has been a little bit of a road. But, I think we've known from day one that we would be here today, and now we are. This is a historic moment for Sweden. It's historic for our alliance. It's historic for the transatlantic relationship. Our NATO alliance, our defensive alliance is now stronger and larger than it's ever been.

But, I think if you step back and think of where we were three years ago, none of this was foreordained, and in fact, none of this was foreseeable. Sweden had a 200-year-old policy of non-alignment. And before Putin's re-invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, if you looked at the polling, less than one third of Swedes supported joining NATO. This was part and parcel of Sweden's history. And then, everything changed.

After the invasion, three quarters of the Swedish people made clear their desire to join. Swedes realized something very profound that if Putin was willing to try to erase one neighbor from the map, then he might well not stop there. And if he was allowed to proceed with impunity, not only would his aggression potentially continue but would be aggressive as everywhere, would get the message that it was open season.

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And so, the Swedish people stood up, stood up not only for their own country, but stood up to the common responsibility that we share, to try to make sure that the very foundations of the international system that we all rely on to have peace, to have security, to have opportunity. When they were challenged, we were there to defend. Sweden was there to defend them. And I think what this tells us even more profoundly is the reaffirmation of Sweden's democratic character, change driven by its people, by its citizens.

There is also no clearer example than today of the strategic debacle that Putin's invasion of Ukraine has become for Russia. We see a Russia that is now weaker militarily, economically, diplomatically. Its standing in Ukraine has changed dramatically, whereas before 2014, the first invasion, people were open to positive relations with Russia, now virtually the entire society, and not just today, probably for generations, is turned against Russia because of its aggression. And, fundamentally, our alliance is now, as I said, both larger and stronger than it's ever been. And we see again and again and again that everything Putin sought to prevent, he has actually precipitated by his actions, by his aggression.

And there is no clear example of that than Sweden becoming a member of this alliance. But, even once that decision was made, none of this was easy. None of this was obvious. It's taken two years, nearly two years of tireless diplomacy, together with the extraordinary Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, to achieve ratification by every NATO member. And again, the determination of Sweden's leadership, the extraordinary diplomacy that it's exerted, making sure that every question was answered, every challenge was met, every obstacle was overcome, that's what brought us to today.

Now, some data did we get here? We never did. And we are here. This, of course, is also built on an extraordinary foundation of partnership between Sweden and NATO that goes back many, many years. Sweden has long been an active partner with NATO allies, training together, exercising together, working together. And fundamentally, the reason this is such a strong, powerful fit is because Sweden embodies and promotes the core values that are at the heart of NATO, democracy, liberty, the rule of law. And it also brings some unique capabilities to this enterprise, unique capabilities in the Arctic, the Baltic Seas. And this year, of course, Sweden will contribute more than two percent of its GDP to defense, and continue to show the way for all NATO members.

If you go back to 1949, at the signing of the NATO Treaty, President Truman said this, and I quote, "In taking steps to prevent aggression against our own peoples, we have no purpose of aggression against other peoples. We hope to create a shield against aggression, and the fear of aggression, a bulwark which will permit us to get on with the real business of government society, the business of achieving a fuller and happier life for all of our citizens."

That is fundamentally what this enterprise is all about, what NATO is all about. It's making sure that together we are creating an environment in which our people are safe, secure, and can meet their full potential. Today, we have fortified the shield, fortified the shield against aggression. We brought more people under his protection, so that together we can focus on the real work of delivering for our people. With that, Mr. Prime Minister, the floor is yours.

KRISTERSSON: Thank you so much, Mr. Secretary Antony. Thank you so much. Today is a truly historic day. Sweden is now a member of NATO.

[11:35:00]

We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming bipartisan and congressional support for Sweden's accession and for the strong leadership from the U.S. administration leading the way on ratification and security assurances. I would personally like to thank both President Biden and you, Secretary Blinken, for your invaluable efforts and personal commitments during the accession process. I would also like to thank all NATO allies who have supported our accession and welcoming Sweden as the 32nd member of the alliance. We are humble, but we are also proud. We will live up to high expectations from all NATO allies. United we stand. Unity and solidarity will be Sweden's guiding light. As a NATO member, we will share burdens, responsibilities and risks with other allies.

Today is, as Secretary Blinken said, it's a victory for freedom today. Sweden has made a free democratic, sovereign and united choice to join NATO. There is an overwhelming support in our Parliament and among our people. That is a strength both for Sweden and for the alliance. And as a strong democracy, Sweden will stand for the values in the Washington Treaty, signed just a few blocks from here, 75 years ago, freedom, democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law. Sweden is, as was mentioned now, leaving 200 years of neutrality and

military non-alignment behind. It is a major step, but at the same time, a very natural step. Membership means that we are coming home to the alliance for peace and coming home to the lives for freedom to which many democracies already belong, also home to our neighbors' security cooperation, home to the circle of countries where we for generations have belonged. We will defend freedom together with the countries closest to us, both in terms of geography, culture, and values.

The security situation in our region has not been this serious since the Second World War, Russia will stay a serious threat to the Euro- Atlantic security for the foreseeable future. It was in this light that Sweden applied to join the NATO defense alliance, to gain security, but also to provide security. We have unique capabilities to contribute on land, in the air, at sea. Our support to Ukraine is a fundamental part of that. Ukraine is fighting bravely for its freedom, but they are also defending European freedom.

At the same time, we are strengthening our defense and doubling the defense budget right now. From this year onwards, Sweden meets the NATO standard of two percent of GDP to defense spendings. This is important for NATO security, obviously, and to burden sharing. We are increasing the numbers of conscripts, strengthening civil defense, and reintroducing civilian service in Sweden. We have been prepared for this task for quite a while. And I'm very pleased to take this very final step. Sweden is joining NATO is not the end of something. It's the beginning of something new. I look forward to making the world safer and freer together with the United States and all other NATO allies.

And allow me finally, a very short summary in Swedish, (Foreign Language).

SOLOMON: All right. We've just been listening to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as well as the Swedish Prime Minister. Comments taking about 10 minutes. Just a couple of takeaways from those comments as Sweden now formally becomes the 32nd member of NATO. Blinken calls it a historic moment. He said, our alliance is stronger and larger than ever. He talked about three years ago, this moment was neither ordained or foreseeable, but he said it. Putin was willing to erase one neighbor from the map. He might not stop there. The Prime Minister, for his part, saying that today is a victory for freedom. Today, Russia will be a threat for the foreseeable future. We should point out that he will be a guest of the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, tonight at the State of the Union.

[11:40:00]

All right. Coming up for us, Donald Trump says he too will be busy during tonight's State of the Union address. What does he have planned as counterprogramming to President Biden's speech? We'll talk about it in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOLOMON: Welcome back. You are watching CNN Newsroom. I'm Rahel Solomon live in New York.

Top Democrats say that they want to see more fight from President Biden when he delivers his State of the Union address in just a few hours. Allies are hoping that Biden's speech will help push back on critics who claim that he is too old to serve another term in office. The U.S. economy also expected to be front and center in Mr. Biden's pitch to voters, with a call for a crackdown on price gouging. Donald Trump, the candidate that Biden will once again face in the general election, well, he says he plans to do a live play-by-play rebuttal of the President's remarks during the address. So, safe to say, there will certainly be a lot to watch and a lot to discuss right now.

Natasha Alford joins us now from New York. She is a CNN Political Analyst, and she is the author of the new book "American Negra". Natasha, so good to have you my friend.

NATASHA ALFORD, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST, & AUTHOR, "AMERICAN NEGRA: A MEMOIR": It is so great to be with you. I love this show. And yes, I'm excited tonight is going to be quite the night.

SOLOMON: Yes, it is. So, you have an interesting perspective because you follow and report frequently on issues that impact people of color, Latina, brown, black, young people. What are you watching tonight in terms of the appeal that the President might make to try to reach some of those voting blocs?

ALFORD: Yeah. It's a great question. I think that a lot of black voters were given promises when President Biden came into office. He promised to do a lot with criminal justice reform, police reform, the economy, and sort of being focused on making sure that employment opportunities improved for African Americans. Equity was a huge theme. And so, there are some black voters who are disillusioned with President Biden, and unfortunately, all of these things that President Biden had in terms of a vision, they weren't just under his control. Right? There was a Congress that blocked a lot of legislation, but many people still hold the President responsible.

And so, this is his opportunity to shape his own narrative, to talk about what he tried to do, to talk about ways that he worked around roadblocks, like with student loan forgiveness. And so, hopefully, voters will see their concerns addressed.

SOLOMON: Let me talk to you, Natasha, a little bit about your new book "American Negra". You speak about your experience being both a black woman, a Latina woman.

[11:45:00]

I thought it was so interesting. There were so many things, Natasha, and full transparency for the audience. You and I have known each other for a very long time, and yet there was so much that I thought I knew that I actually did not know. So, talk to me a little bit about what compelled you to write this book and what you hope readers get from it.

ALFORD: I think the first word really is inspiration. I want this book to be seen as a story about the American dream. And yes, it talks about identity. Yes, it talks about me being a black girl in America. But, it also complicates our notion of what it means to be black, what it means to be a Latino. Those two terms are often talked about completely separate. And I'm showing a world in which I am both. Right? And those two communities have histories that are really connected to the American story, migrating to the north, looking for opportunity.

So, I think it's a story of hope. But, it also talks about why we have to understand each other as communities, because this election is, in some ways, Donald Trump pitting certain ethnic groups against each other. We see many Republicans sending Latino migrants into black neighborhoods. And so, there is this question of a scarcity of resources. People feeling like, well, what is it going to take for my community to get ahead? Is it a zero-sum game when we talk about immigration? And so, while these can be uncomfortable topics at times, we cannot presume that certain alliances are just solid going into this election. We have to talk about some of the differences and the nuances, and I hope my book can bring that to light.

SOLOMON: Yeah. Speaking of nuances, Natasha, you had a moment earlier this year, not long ago, actually, where you were speaking about racial sort of dynamics in the country. It was in the context of a larger conversation of politics. But, it was a moment that clearly resonated. It went viral. You might say it was widely shared. And I'm wondering if you feel like the concept that the U.S. as a post-racial society is actually damaging, or is it a sign of progress?

ALFORD: I think that we have to understand that the foundation of this country in many ways is tied to race. And so, rather than try to escape that, rather than try to avoid that, or rewrite the narrative in a way that ignores the truth and the reality of it, we can create a vision for America that talks about what progress looks like without sort of playing naive, as our -- Nikki Haley, we saw her response. I thought that was an example of naivete around the importance and the role of race in America. And so, instead of worrying about whether -- teaching about slavery makes white children feel bad, why not teach white children to identify with the abolitionists, right, the people who were at the forefront of saying that this cannot keep America together. And so, we can have those conversations, but it takes leadership.

SOLOMON: And then lastly, Natasha, I mean, this is an international show with an international audience. And I'm wondering, and I have certainly felt like just my own experiences traveling around the world, race relations in the U.S. is a very unique experience. It is different than other places in the world. And I'm wondering if you think that readers might have a better sense of some of the nuances, some of the sensitivity, some of the discomfort around racial relations in the U.S.

ALFORD: I think that having a diasporic lens is important. We often think of the United States as the sort of center of the universe. But, when you go to other countries, you learn about similarities that we have. You learn about our role in some of these countries, foreign policy, and the way that certain countries have been disrupted. And so, if we take a broader lens, I think there is a lot to learn. And that's why I'm encouraging people to learn about Puerto Rico, race relations there. Learn about Brazil. Learn about Haiti. All of this helps us to understand our history as Americans, but also, again, how we are in many ways more connected than different.

SOLOMON: Yeah, more like than, than we are not. Natasha Alford, so good to have you today. She is a CNN Political Analyst, and also the author of the new book "American Negara", which you can get. Anywhere books are sold. Natasha, thanks so much.

ALFORD: Thanks, Rahel.

SOLOMON: All right. Coming up for us, if you want to look smaller for special events, say the Academy Awards, coming up, one pharmaceutical company says that diabetes and weight loss drugs are not the way to go. We'll talk about it.

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[11:50:00]

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SOLOMON: Welcome back. And our one more thing today is a warning from a prescription drug maker out of this Sunday's Academy Awards. Oscars host, you might remember, Jimmy Kimmel, infamously joked about the diabetes drug Ozempic being used by Hollywood elites to stay slim at last year's ceremony. And now, the maker of a pair of similar drugs will run an ad discouraging people from using them for "vanity". Eli Lilly makes Zepbound for obesity and Mounjaro for diabetes. And while it doesn't name the drugs, it does implore people not to use them just to fit into a smaller dress or tux.

Let's bring a Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell, who follows this space very closely, and joins us now from New York. Meg, interesting take here from Eli Lilly.

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Rahel. You know I've been following the drug industry for a long time, and I don't think I've ever seen advertising like this. First of all, as you said, it doesn't say the names of these medicines, and therefore it doesn't have the litany of side effects. You usually hear in pharmaceutical drug ads. But also, the main message here is, we don't want you to take this drug, at least for this specific reason. Take a look at a clip here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some people have been using medicine never met for them. For the smaller dress, a tux, for a big night, for vanity. But, that's not the point. People whose health is affected by obesity are the reason we work on these medications.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TIRRELL: Now, they say it matters who gets these medicines. And of course, that big joke by Jimmy Kimmel at the Oscars last year leading to a lot of conversations. There is already a lot of talk around Ozempic, and the Oscars leading into this weekend. We'll see if this ad actually airs during the ceremony itself.

But, I spoke with Lilly CEO about why they put this ad together, and he really pointed to three things. One is that they haven't tested this drug for cosmetic weight loss. They've only tested it for diabetes, and for weight loss for people with obesity or weight- related health conditions. He also noted, of course, there is a shortage going on. So, people already can't access these medicines. And also, health insurance coverage is really poor. So, here is what he said about sort of using this moment to try to draw attention to these issues.

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DAVID A. RICKS, ELI LILLY CEO: This is a serious condition with a serious medication. And yes, the media attention drawn on that from last year and might be drawn this year, we're taking a point of view on that, that these medicines were invented for people with a serious health condition. They're not invented just to have someone who is famous, look a little bit better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TIRRELL: So, Rahel, there are so many conversations going on about these medicines. It is a huge problem that people who need them can't get them. Paying for them is very problematic. They cost more than $1,000 a month without insurance. And Lilly CEO told us half of people who could qualify for these medicines don't have insurance coverage. So, they're really trying to draw attention to that, which of course benefits them.

SOLOMON: For sure. And it's interesting, Meg. Unfortunately, we don't have the time to talk about it. But, it's one thing to hear the executive say how they're meant to be used. It's another thing in terms of investors on another network. Once upon a time, you and I may have been talking about this angle, but how investors feel like who should be using it in the cost of it. But, that's a conversation for another time.

[11:55:00]

Great story. Thanks, Meg Tirrell.

TIRRELL: Thanks.

SOLOMON: All right. And we know your time is money. So, thank you for spending some time with me today. I'm Rahel Solomon live in New York. Stick with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is coming up next.

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