President Biden Visits Maine to Tour ‘Bidenomics’ Success

President Joe Biden made his first presidential visit to Maine Friday to push his "Bidenomincs" economic plan and to sign an executive order.

After landing Air Force One in Brunswick, the president, along with Sen. Angus King, Rep. Jared Golden, and Rep. Chellie Pingree, flew aboard Marine One to Auburn Manufacturing.

Among those greeting the president was Lewiston native Patrick Dempsey, who sat in the front row with several local politicians including Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque and Lewiston Mayor Carl Shelin.

The trip was the first visit by a sitting president to Auburn since 1912. President Lyndon Johnson visited Lewiston in 1966 and made a stop at a Dairy Queen in Topsham, according to the Bangor Daily News.

The president touted his economic success while taking a shot at Republicans.

"We're growing faster. We're economically more advanced than every other major country in the world. It's down from 9% to 3%, and it's going to continue to go down. While there's more work ahead, earlier this week the Washington Post suggested," Biden said. "Republicans may have to find something else to criticize me for now that inflation is coming down. Maybe they'll decide to impeach me because it's coming down. I don't know. I'd love that one."

He talked about the creation of 13 million new jobs nationwide, including 28,700 in Maine and a half-trillion dollars in private investment in the economy.

"That’s more jobs in two years than created by any president in a four-year term," Biden said.

He also blamed high inflation on the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, supply chain issues, and what he called excess profits of companies.

"I’m not against corporations," Biden said. "But they should pay their fair share."

The president also talked about how Maine suffered under "trickle down economic" and benefits from "Bidenomics", which he said helps the middle class and "making things happen in America again."

He cited Auburn Manufacturing having their biggest export year ever, as well as the old Verso site in Bucksport being used for aqua farming, as examples of growing the rural economy in Maine.

"Having these facilities close by means farmers have a better shot at getting a fair price for their product. When those farmers do well, when the wealth they generate stays in Maine, when their children can stay in Maine and continue to farm, it builds a strong rural economy," Biden said.

The president also met with some employees and took selfies for about 15 minutes before leaving.

Biden signed the “invent it here and make it here” executive order, which the White House says will improve transparency, cut red tape, and streamline reporting requirements in the federal research and development process to better track progress towards the administrations domestic manufacturing goals.

The order will also increase incentives to manufacture new inventions in the United States, encourage the expansion of domestic production for critical industries, and make the domestic manufacturing waiver process clearer.

After leaving Auburn, Biden attended a private fundraiser at a barn in Freeport hosted by Carol and Joe Wishcamper in support of the Biden Victory Fund. King and Gov. Janet Mills were among those at the event. He then returned to Brunswick and Air Force One, where he flew to Dover Air Force Base and a weekend stay at his Delaware home.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH