Biden kicks off major tour, plans $40 million ad blitz

He will travel mainly to swing states, seeking to capitalise on strong State of the Union speech

United States President Joe Biden visited Pennsylvania on March 8 to kick off a tour of battleground states, and his reelection team will spend US$30 million (S$40 million) on an ad buy, as he moves quickly into the US general election campaign after his feisty State of the Union speech.

Campaign officials who briefed reporters said Mr Biden and VicePresident Kamala Harris will rally Democrats in March in many of the states where the Nov 5 election against Republican opponent Donald Trump is likely to be decided.

After Pennsylvania on March 8, Mr Biden was set to visit Georgia on March 9, New Hampshire on March 11, Wisconsin on March 13 and Michigan on March 14.

Ms Harris was in Arizona on March 8 and was scheduled to visit Nevada on March 9.

Kicking off a month-long set of barnstorming trips mainly to swing states, Mr Biden reprised the themes of his State of the Union address at a rally in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, as he sought to capitalise on his robust nationally televised performance and galvanise Democrats anxious about his age and poor poll numbers.

Mr Biden made clear that his regular targets during this re-election bid would be billionaires, corporations, pharmaceutical companies, banks, credit card companies and even potato chip-makers.

The President was introduced on March 8 by his wife, Mrs Jill Biden, who seemed likewise charged up by the address to Congress.

"Wasn't he on fire?" she asked the crowd.