President Biden didn't waste any time in his State of the Union address, this past Thursday, drawing a sharp contrast with his likely 2024 presidential rival, former President Donald Trump. Instead of a speech properly addressing the “State of the Union”, the president leaned into politics, and at times, shouted and amped up Democrats with some fiery rhetoric, inciting chants of “4 more years”, echoing against the walls of the House chamber. Early in his speech, he derided Trump, without mentioning his name, and he chastised those who failed to act on the threat from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Ukraine and condemned those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The House chamber, meant for a straight evaluation of the nation's state, quickly devolved into a “show” resembling a political convention. While the speech might have felt overly bombastic (especially on Biden standards), there were some important points brought up.
Here are 3 key takeaways:
Preparing for a rematch
Biden referred to policies or comments from "my predecessor" a total of 13 times, making it clear the State of the Union Address was a key part of his campaign for president. The president leaned into the issues that energized his base, like gun control and tax hikes on the wealthy. Biden also attempted to challenge Republicans and skeptics on issues like the southern border and crime, areas where he faced skepticism from many voters in swing districts and suburban areas. Biden, who is 81, needed to address concerns from some in his own party about his age and capacity to have the job of commander-in-chief for four more years. He largely followed his script, exuded energy, and rallied Democrats in the chamber, prompting sporadic chants of "Four more years!" and enthusiastic standing ovations for the president. Biden also worked to flip the age issue against his not-so-inconspicuous opponent, who at one point he referred to as "some other people my age", comparing himself to Trump, who is 77.
Bidenomics is working, allegedly
Congressional Democrats, particularly those representing pivotal constituencies, sought reassurance from Biden regarding his competency to lead. Their emphasis lay predominantly on the economy, urging him to prioritize this issue. Biden countered by highlighting the difference between the current state of the nation and the tumultuous period under Trump's administration, referencing the pandemic-induced job losses, the staggering death toll, and the mental health crisis marked by isolation and lonliness. Acknowledging a sentiment shared by many Democrats, Biden gave in and acknowledged that the impact of significant legislative achievements since 2021 might not have such a wide impact when extrapolated across America. Nevertheless, he somehow managed to frame it as an untold narrative of resilience and resurgence. However, Biden's critique of Trump's tenure met with audible disapproval from numerous Republicans in the audience. Beyond scrutinizing his predecessor's record, Biden also outlined his administration's accomplishments. Drawing attention to tangible outcomes, he cited initiatives funded by key legislative victories, such as the healthcare and climate legislation, passed without any Republican support, and the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Biden claimed credit for initiatives like reducing prescription drug costs and capping insulin expenses for Medicare seniors at $35 per month. He pledged to extend this benefit to all individuals requiring insulin in a potential second term. Biden employed some populist rhetoric, advocating for redistributing cost savings to benefit lower-income groups, contrasting this with what he portrayed as Trump's favoritism toward the wealthy, referencing the 2017 tax cuts. Directing his message to viewers at home, Biden posed a rhetorical question about the fairness of the tax code, stating, “For folks at home, does anybody really think the tax code is fair?”, seemingly snickering towards the end of the statement.
Border Security + GOP Response
Well before the State of the Union address, Biden 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 overwhelmingly Republican border states, but in Democrat-dominated cities across the country, where migrants are being bused and straining public resources. Public opinion polls consistently show it's his weakest issue politically, and Trump and Republicans at the Capitol have made it their top priority. Before the address on Thursday, the House approved a bill titled the "Laken Riley Act," a reference to the 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was murdered recently by a migrant who entered the U.S. illegally in 2022. The act was a deliberate attempt to force Democrats to state their opinion that requires the detention of any migrant with a record of theft, and 37 Democrats (mostly from swing districts) backed it. Republicans wore buttons that included Riley's name, and some chanted her name when President Biden called for Congress to pass the bipartisan Senate border security bill, which White House officials helped broker over several months. The Senate approved the legislation with a significant bipartisan vote, but House Speaker Mike Johnson said it was "dead on arrival" and declined to take it up. Biden again didn't mention Trump by name, but blamed him for derailing it, "I'm told my predecessor called Republicans in Congress and demanded they block the bill. He feels it would be a political win for me and a political loser for him." 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 blame game over which party is more serious about the situation at the border is expected to be a leading theme through 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 that candidates in competitive elections are expected to replicate.
All in all, Biden’s (hopefully final) State of the Union address, was a fiery speech deeply rooted in the political values of the Democratic party, with a focus on the positive (debatable) impact of Bidenomics and the border security crisis, all while garnering support for his ticket in the 2024 Presidential election against Donald Trump (most likely).
Works Cited
“5 Takeaways from President Biden’s State of the Union Address.” NPR, 8 Mar. 2024, www.npr.org/2024/03/08/1236782758/state-of-the-union-address-biden-trump. Accessed 11 Mar. 2024.
“Biden Delivered Final State of the Union Address before 2024 Election.” 5newsonline.com, 8 Mar. 2024, www.5newsonline.com/video/news/local/biden-delivered-final-state-of-the-union-address-before-2024-election/527-a407a95b-914e-477a-9935-44ea60ecfb90. Accessed 9 Mar. 2024.
“Biden State of the Union - Google Search.” Google.com, 2019, www.google.com/search?sca_esv=8031294fadf62b25&sxsrf=ACQVn0_rUoxhiizstwH_j_i_PbSiECg0fg:1710123796749&q=biden+state+of+the+union&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwjplLXLk-uEAxXuv4kEHTkwBDcQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=1438&bih=754&dpr=1#imgrc=6CmSlTHsHj5UbM. Accessed 11 Mar. 2024.
“House Passes Laken Riley Act.” CNN, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024, www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/politics/house-passes-laken-riley-act/index.html. Accessed 11 Mar. 2024.
Liptak, Kevin. “Takeaways from Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address.” CNN, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024, www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/politics/takeaways-joe-biden-state-of-the-union-address/index.html. Accessed 11 Mar. 2024.
The White House. “Remarks of President Joe Biden -- State of the Union Address as Prepared for Delivery | the White House.” The White House, The White House, 8 Mar. 2024, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/03/07/remarks-of-president-joe-biden-state-of-the-union-address-as-prepared-for-delivery-2/. Accessed 11 Mar. 2024.
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