And although i will no longer be a candidate, i will not stop using my voice for the things i believe in. In all likelihood donald trump will be the republican nominee when our Party Convention meet in july. I congratulate him and wish him well. I wish anyone well who would be americas president. Our country is too precious to let our differences divide us. That was part of nikki haleys speech yesterday announcing the end of her president ial campaign. It means we are now 242 days away from a rematch between President Biden and former President Trump. But today the focus shifts to washington and President Bidens state of the Union Address. Well go through what hes expected to say tonight to congress and the american people. And meanwhile, on capitol hill lawmakers appear to have another deal in place to avoid a partial Government Shutdown. But speaker johnson again needed support from democrats to overcome dissent from within his own party. Good morning and welcome to Way Too Early on this thursday, march 7th. State of the union day. Im jonathan lemire. Thanks for starting your day with us. Weve got a lot to get to this morning, and well begin with a november rematch between joe biden and donald trump that appears to be all set this morning following nikki haleys decision to drop out of the 2024 president ial race. Lets take a look at some of what haley had to say yesterday. Just over a year ago i launched my campaign for president. When i began i said the campaign was grounded in my love for our country. Just last week my mother, a first generation immigrant, got to vote for her daughter for president. Only in america. I am fill would the gratitude for the outpouring of support weve received from all across our great country, but the time has now come to sus spend my campaign. It is now up to donald trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it to who did not support it, and i hope he does that. At its best politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away, and our conservative cause badly needs more people. This is now his time for choosing. Notably, haley did not endorse trump in that speech but of course the door is open and she could revisit that down the road. What haley did do is leave open the possibility she could run again for president in four years. The money left in her Current Campaign could be used to power a 2028 bid. She could also move it to a Political Action committee for use going forward. Meanwhile, both the biden and trump campaigns immediately responded to haleys announcement and launched a new battle to win over her voters. In a statement President Biden welcomed haleys supporters into the fold. Writing in part, donald trump made it clear he doesnt want nikki haleys supporters. I want to be clear there is a place for them in my campaign. I hope and believe we can find common ground. In contrast, trump attacked both haley and biden in a post on truth social claiming haley got, quote, trounlsed in Record Setting Fashion before inviting her supporters to join the maga movement. Its worth noting that trump had previously said that anyone who contributes to haleys campaign would be permanently barred from the maga camp. Soon after haley announced she was sus spending her campaign, Republican SenateMinority Leader Mitch Mcconnell finally caved and went ahead and endorsed donald trump for president. The highest ranking republican in congress wrote in part it is abundantly clear former President Trump has earned the requisite for supporters. It should come as no surprise as nominee he will have my support. His endorsement comes despite trumps numerous attacks on mcconnell and social media posts, many of them racist about his wife. He also declared mcconnell after the january 6th attack mcconnell, of course, after the january 6th attack declared trump was morally and practically responsible for it. Mcconnell was asked about all of that on capitol hill yesterday. February 25, 2021, shortly after the attack on the capitol, i was asked a similar question, and i said i would support the nominee for president even if it were the former president. In april of last year you indicated and didnt really directly answer the question as to whether or not you were comfortable with mr. Trump, and he was in the middle of criminal trials and indictments and he was the nominee. That means youre comfortable with that . I dont have anything to add what i just said. I said in February Of 2021 shortly after the attack on the capitol, that i would support President Trump if he were the nominee of our party, and he obviously is going to be the nominee of our party. Lets recall, of course, mcconnells decision not to push for trumps conviction in a second impeachment trial, the one after january 6th, that left the door open for trumps political comeback. Hes currently enjoying. Meanwhile elsewhere in washington President Biden is set to deliver his state of the Union Address to the nation tonight where hell lay out the issues facing American Voters ahead of the General Election in that rematch with donald trump. This will be a big chance for biden to quell doubts about his reelection prospects as he seeks to reassure the public that hes still up for the rigors of the job. And were getting a preview of some the themes he plans to tackle tonight. Biden is expected to tout his economic accomplishments from the Infrastructure Bill to lowering drug prices and getting rid of some junk fees. The president will also focus on protecting womens reproductive rights especially following alabamas recent ivf ruling. Biden will make a contrast between his policy agenda and that of donald trump. The president will address the crisis at the border, ongoing war with ukraine and among other issues. And as far as potential hecklers, were learning House Speaker mike johnson is urging lawmakers to maintain decorum after republicans had a number of outbursts during speeches the last two years. But were told President Biden has been prepping for this and plans to, quote, rise above the disruptions. Meanwhile, on the republican side we know what former President Trump will be spending his night doing. Trump went on truth social yesterday to tell his followers he will do a live play by play of bidens state of the Union Address and that he will correct in Rapid Response any and all inaccurate statements. Following bidens speech, alabama freshman senator katie brit will deliver the gops official rebuttal. According to a source familiar with her speech, we can expect brit to lean into the argument that the Republican Party is the party of parents and families. She will address alabamas controversial ivf ruling. Were talking about policies affecting the country. Texas Congress WomanMonica Del Lucruz will deliver the Spanish Language address where shes expected to tackle the border and the economy. Joining us now White House Correspondent for reuters, jeff mason. Were so grateful youre with us this morning to offer a preview of the president s major state of the Union Address, a significant opportunity to prove his vitality, to prove to voters that hes up for the job. Lets also talk about some of the concrete things he might say tonight about the border, about the two hot wars, about the economy. What should we expect . I think youre right to emphasize this is a big opportunity. It may be the last opportunity President Biden has before the november election, even though its more than 200 days away. As you said to have this many eyeballs on him and just him for a big speech. So hell want to take advantage of that. Hell want to lay out his case for reelection in a way that is appropriate for a state of the Union Address when hes speaking to congress and not out on a campaign rally, but that is one thing biden has not really done. He has made a case for why voters should not reelect former President Donald Trump because President Biden has painted him as a threat to democracy, but he has not gone out and said this is what i would do with another four years, and so i think well hear that tonight with regard to the economy as you said, with regard to Abortion Rights, and with regard to the border. I think in particular on the border, which is an issue that former President Trump is hammering him on and republicans, he will hammer back and say, look, we had a deal. And you guys should have passed it. And i think hell lay the blame at the foot of republicans for not having done that and painted himself as somebody who will finish the job. Thats a quote he used in his State Of The Union last year. I think youll probably hear that or something similar again and saying this is what ill do in order to do that. Lets remember the president got high marks for last years speech, even had that sort of spontaneous exchange with republican lawmakers there, and he got the better of them. And white house aides hope for something similar tonight. Of course after his speech the president will hit the roads supporting it. Some members of his team already have been traveling. And you were with the Vice President , kamala harris, to the key her visit to the key Battleground State wisconsin yesterday. Tell us a little bit more about what she had to say and why we should expect her to play a big role going forward. I was with her yesterday. Wisconsin is a key Battleground State. I think youll be sighing Vice President harris there a lot. I think youll see President Biden there a lot. She yesterday was essentially touting President Bidens economic record. She was talking about apprenticeships. She was sort of underscoring the white houses case for bidennomics without necessarily mentioning that name, which has been both positive and negative i think in some cases for the democratic party. But as far as the role that she plays, jonathan, look, any Vice President plays a big role in a reelection campaign. All eyes will be on harris this year in a way that probably no previous Vice President has had or at least not in modern times because of President Bidens age. There will be a lot of scrutiny of her as there has been over the last few years. The scrutiny will only increase because of the possibility that she could potentially have to take over for an 82yearold and older president if hes reelected. And i think shes trying to make the case shes up for the job, and shes doing that with the travel, doing that by becoming the primary spokesperson for this administration on reproductive rights and the other things she was talking about yesterday. Yeah, no, absolutely. Thats a really good point about Abortion Rights and the Vice President. Well have much, much more on the State Of The Union as the show continues. White house correspondent for reuters, jeff mason, thank you so much for kicking us off this morning. Next up on Way Too EarlyHouse Republicans set a date for testimony for hunter biden. What he and his lawyers are saying about the gops continued push to impeach his father, President Biden. Plus, the latest from capitol hill as lawmakers do pass Senate Funding bills in an effort to avoid a Government Shutdown by the end of the week. Those stories and a check on sports and weather when we come right back as we take look at the site of tonights State Of The Union, a predawn u. S. Capitol. Tonights State Of The Union, a predawn u. S. Capitol. [ sneezing ] [ flatulence ] what is it youre holding . A cookie. [ groans ] get ready to meet your match. Skadoosh. Stand back. Im gonna kick my butt. psst psst ahhh with flonase, allergies dont have to be scary. Spray Flonase Sensimist daily for nondrowsy long lasting relief in a scent free, gentle mist. Flonase all good. Also, try our Allergy Headache and nighttime pills. Heres to Getting Better with age. Heres to beating these two every thursday. Help fuel today with boost high protein, complete nutrition you need. Without the stuff you dont. So, heres to now. Boost. No, my dentures uncomfortable dracula, lets fight back against discomfort. With new poligrip power max hold comfort. It has Superior Hold Plus keeps us comfy all day with its pressure absording layer. Time for a bite if your mouth could talk it would ask for. Poligrip. 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A representative for Hunter Bidens legal team told nbc news they would respond to the committee was invitation in writing. The announcement of the March 20th Hearing comes after hunter biden testified last week in a closed door deposition on capitol hill. He repeatedly denied that his father, the president , had any involvement in with his business dealings. A source familiar with the younger bidens legal strategy told nbc news that Republican Committee chair james comer is, quote, desperate to keep alive an Impeachment Inquiry that died when hunter biden testified for almost 7 hours last week. Well keep you posted. Elsewhere on capitol hill, the House Of Representatives has passed a set of Funding Bills needed to avoid a partial Government Shutdown this friday. In total 83 republicans and two democrats voted against the package. The bills will now head to the senate where the Upper Chamber is trying to reach an agreement to fast track their consideration to pass the measures in time. Both sides of the aisle are telling nbc news they do believe they will get the bills to President Biden in time for him to sign them and avoid the shutdown. In response to this funding package, House Speaker mike johnson said he was pleased with the legislation because it allowed him to make some spending cuts. Take a listen. We also advanced as youve seen the summary cuts to some of the agencies we believe are really overreach and have been turned in some ways against the american people. Were going to cut 3 from doj, 7 from the atf, 6 from the fbi, 10 from the epa. And thats just a start. We have a lot more priorities and things we need to advance, but the reality is as we all recognize is we have to grow the house majority, take back the senate from the Republican Party, and win the white house. And im here to tell you the reason were optimistic we believe those things are going to happen in november. We cant wait, they cant get here soon enough. Cutting doj, cutting the fbi, perhaps it is the republicans who are defunding the police. Meanwhile the Republican National committee will formally vote on its new leadership tomorrow in houston. Last week Ronna Mcdaniel announced shes stepping down as chairwoman, this after donald trump had