Biden makes address a pitch for reelection
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden aimed to use his State of the Union address Thursday evening to urge voters to reject “an American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution” as he made his case for a second term to a dispirited electorate and warned that GOP front-runner Donald Trump would be a dangerous alternative.
Biden’s third such address from the House rostrum was something of an on-the-job interview, as the nation’s oldest president tried to quell voter concerns about his age and job performance while sharpening the contrast with his all-butcertain November rival.
“My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy,” Biden would say according to prepared remarks released by the White House, not mentioning Trump by name. “A future based on the core values that have defined America: honesty, decency, dignity, equality. To respect everyone. To give everyone a fair shot. To give hate no safe harbor. Now some other people my age see a different story: an American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. That’s not me.”
The president hoped to showcase his accomplishments on infrastructure and manufacturing, as well as push for action on aid to Ukraine, tougher migration rules, and lower drug prices, among other issues.
White House aides said the 81-year-old Biden would aim to prove his doubters wrong by flashing his combative side and trying to needle Republicans over positions he believes are out of step with the country, particularly on access to abortion, but also tax policy and health care.
The president spoke before a historically ineffective Congress. In the GOP-led House, Speaker Mike Johnson took power five months ago after the chaotic ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Legislators are still struggling to approve funding bills for the current year and have been deadlocked for months on foreign assistance bills to help Ukraine stave off Russia’s invasion and support Israel’s fight against Hamas.
Biden aides inside the White House and on his campaign were hoping for some fresh viral moments — like when he tussled last year with heckling Republicans and chided them for past efforts to cut Medicare and Social Security.
Johnson, eager to avoid a similar episode this year, in a private meeting on Wednesday urged Republicans to show “decorum” during the speech, according to a person familiar with his remarks to lawmakers.
And congressional Republican leaders were showcasing one of their newest lawmakers through the State of the Union rebuttal in order to make a generational contrast with Biden. Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, the youngest Republican woman elected to the Senate, planned to paint a picture of a nation that “seems to be slipping away” and one where “our families are hurting.”
“Right now, our commanderin-chief is not in command. The free world deserves better than a dithering and diminished leader,” Britt plans to say, according to excerpts released Thursday evening. “America deserves leaders who recognize that secure borders, stable prices, safe streets, and a strong defense are the cornerstones of a great nation.”
Trump said he planned to respond in real time to Biden’s remarks on his Truth Social platform.