Biden’s State of the Union address on a “conservative and progressive” agenda for his rematch with Donald Trump in November
President Biden didn’t waste any time in his primetime State of the Union address drawing a sharp contrast with his likely 2024 presidential rival, former President Donald Trump.
The president’s base was galvanized by issues such as abortion and gun control, and tax increases on the wealthy. But he also attempted to challenge Republicans in the chamber, and Trump outside of it, on issues like the border and crime, areas where he faces skepticism from many independent and suburban voters.
He denounced the people who didn’t comply with the threat of Russian President Putin to Ukraine and those who attended the Capitol storming, withoutmention his name.
The president referred to policies or comments from “my predecessor” more than a dozen times, making it clear the high stakes televised speech was his campaign roadmap for his rematch with Trump in November.
The president, who is 81, had a bar to clear to alleviate concerns from some in his own party about his age and capacity to hold the demanding job as commander in chief for four more years.
He was energetic while stuck to his script and Democrats in the chamber cheered when he shouted “four more years!”
The president criticized the majority of the Supreme Court for their decision to overturn the landmark abortion case on the basis of race. He warned about another assault on freedom when he mentioned that “history is watching” how the U.S. handles alliances abroad.
Biden said that Trump bragged about overturning the law and that the former president was responsible for it. He warned that Republicans in the Congress were pushing for a national abortion ban.
He ticked through how a host of red states have restricted access to reproductive health services — warning about the latest law in Alabama that effectively banned in-vitro fertilization. He mentioned Kate Cox, a guest sitting with the first lady. Cox suffered a fatal fetal condition during her pregnancy, but was unable to obtain an abortion in Texas and sued the state.
Biden warned the Republicans that women would mobilize if reproductive freedom was on the ballot, and that they would win again in four years.
He promises to restore the abortion law of the land, but it will be difficult if not impossible for a Democrats to gain control of the House and Senate in the next election.
The political symbolism of the power of women for Biden’s campaign was also visibly on display in the chamber. Dozens of democrats were wearing white and displaying buttons that said, “fighting for reproductive woman.”
Congressional Democrats, especially those in swing seats, needed Biden to alleviate voters’ concerns about his ability to do the job in this kick off campaign speech. They wanted him to highlight the economy.
What has the U.S. border done during Donald J. Biden’s term in office? The state of the union, the border situation, and immigration policy
He argued that the state of the country was far worse when Trump was in office, citing the pandemic that triggered job losses, millions of deaths and a “mental health crisis of isolation and loneliness.”
When Biden wasn’t calling out Trump’s record in the White House, he outlined his own. He showed the data on the health care bill, climate bill and bipartisan infrastructure bill that were all funded through his legislative accomplishments.
Biden took credit for reducing the cost of prescriptions, and capping the cost of diabetes drugs on Medicare at $35 a month. He vowed in a second term to extend that cap for all who need insulin.
He asked those watching at home the political question designed to relate to most Americans, “For folks at home, does anyone really think the tax code is fair?”
Going into the State of the Union the president and his advisers knew he needed to detail how he would address the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, and acknowledge the impact it is having, not just in red border states, but in blue cities across the country, where migrants are being bussed and straining public resources.
Public opinion polls consistently show it’s his weakest issue politically, and Trump and Republicans on Capitol Hill have made it their top priority. The “Laken Riley Act” was a reference to a nursing student who was murdered recently by a migrant who was in the U.S. illegally. The Democrats from swing districts supported the measure that required the storage of anyone with a theft record, even if they didn’t have a criminal record, in order to force them to go on the record.
Biden repeated a challenge he issued in a recent trip to the southwest Border for Trump to join him to help pass the bill. He mentioned he was looking at executive authority for policies to reduce the number of migrants — something that has split Democrats on Capitol Hill — but he also said he needed Congress to change the law to fund more enforcement personnel.
The border situation is expected to be the focus of blame game in the fall. Although Democrats are split on the president’s embrace of some conservative policies, like altering who can be eligible to claim asylum, the strategy of trying to flip the script and put Republicans on defense for blocking a bipartisan plan is one candidates in competitive races are expected to replicate.
The Israeli War against Hamas: A Brief History of the Biden-Bisn-Israel War and Implications for Democratic Reconciliation
In his speech, President Biden acknowledged families of those still being held hostage by Hamas in the chamber’s visitors galleries, and he made Israel’s war against Hamas a significant part of his speech.
His handling of the war has angered many progressives, and younger voters, who argue the president isn’t tough enough on the Israeli government. Democrats are worried that the backlash from his approach could prompt some voters to stay away from the polls.
In Michigan, a significant bloc of Democrats upset about the president’s handling of Israel’s war in Gaza, sent a message in the primary last week, with more than 100,00o registering a vote for the “uncommitted” option on the ballot, instead of for Biden. Several states had similar efforts.
In Thursday’s address, the president announced the U.S. military will build a temporary, emergency pier to facilitate the delivery of aid to civilians desperate for food and medicine. He said that there wouldn’t be boots on the ground.
The president stated that his administration is working on a cease-fire so that hostages can be released and more humanitarian assistance can be delivered. He stressed his record as a supporter of Israel, and his visit to Israel during the early part of the war. The only real solution, he said, is a two-state solution.
There is increasing pressure for an immediate cease-fire to materialize, and Biden, who recently predicted a temporary pause would be coming in a matter of days, faces calls from progressives in Congress to cut off military aid to Israel, and concentrate on humanitarian assistance.
The need to continue supporting Ukraine was largely united by Biden. But the deep fissures when it comes to his approach to Israel, as the death toll of civilians mounts in Gaza, has been a regular flashpoint already in campaign stops, and shows no sign of fading.
For Biden, his strong language was the latest example of how he has sought to flip the script on Republicans by attacking an issue that has been a political liability for him.
Barclays, Red Caps, and Border Security: Biden Spars with Republicans on State of the Union Address Immigration to Marjorie Taylor Greene
A new Monmouth University poll found that 53% of respondents support building a border wall, the first time a majority of Americans have backed the proposal since Trump launched his first presidential campaign.
Trump made border security a priority for the years to come. He has promised that if elected, he would make the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.
The congressman wore a red cap during the State of the Union with a Trump logo on it. She had a shirt with her name on it. She handed out pins with the same logo.
In reply to the heckling, Biden said Riley’s name. He forcefully repeated Laken Riley, though he mispronounce her first name.
He said that the woman was killed by an illegal. “That’s right. How many people are killed by illegal immigrants. To her parents, I am very sorry, my heart is with you. I understand how I lost children.
Source: Biden spars with Republicans on border security during State of the Union
Proposed measures to increase the security of the border, including hiring new judges and additional border security agents for the U.S. Department of Interior
He said some of the toughest measures include hiring 1,500 border security agents, 100 more judges and 4,300 asylum officers.
“It would also give me and any new president new emergency authority to temporarily shut down the border when the number of migrants at the border is overwhelming,” he said.