Effective burst of energy
THE path through Thursday night looked steep for President Biden. There’s a reason he’s eschewed other opportunities to hold the attention of the nation even as he runs well behind Donald Trump in both national and battleground state polls.
Nevertheless, Biden could not wriggle out of delivering the State of the Union address.
He had a constitutional duty to address the country, and so he did — in prime time.
Biden’s delivery was stilted, and his age readily apparent under the lights — a fact he joked about.
But it cannot be denied that the Biden who showed up at the Capitol on Thursday brought much more energy and focus to the table than the one we see fumble through his limited schedule daily.
He even proved to be quick on his feet while heckled.
And wisely, his speech was aimed at highlighting the weaknesses of the Republican Party and its standard-bearer.
Setting a Trump trap
If Biden has any chance at all of prevailing in November, it will be because he’s made a persuasive case that he is the right choice if the alternative is Donald Trump, not that he’s a good choice.
He opened up his speech by arguing that the United States has an obligation to itself and its principles to continue to help Ukraine repel Russia in eastern Europe.
This should not be strong ground for Biden.
In 2012, he mocked Mitt Romney for his accurate diagnosis of the Russian regime’s intentions.
Then as president, he lifted sanctions on Putin’s lucrative Nord Stream 2 pipeline and invited aggression with his submissive, chaotic foreign policy, exemplified by the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal.
Moreover, Biden himself has slow-walked the provision of critical armaments to the Ukrainians since the outbreak of the war.
Yet when he contrasted Trump’s declaration that Putin can “do whatever the hell” he wants with our allies Ronald Reagan’s “Tear Down This Wall” speech, it was effective.
Instead of seizing on Biden’s weakness, much of the GOP has bizarrely charged him with being insufficiently acquiescent to Putin; it’s gleefully wicked political malpractice.
“My message to President Putin is simple: We will not walk away. We will not bow down. I will not bow down,” said Biden.
It was a righteous message — and good politics.
Next, Biden reminded the nation of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
“My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth of Jan. 6,” he declared.
This is a trap Trump fully intends on walking into.
Despite his advantage with the voters on nearly every major policy issue, Trump’s ego will not allow him to stop insisting that he won the 2020 presidential election.
At the Conservative Political Action Conference last month, Trump preempted his speech with a recording of Jan. 6 “hostages” — that is, those charged or convicted for committing crimes — singing the national anthem.
If Trump wants to run in 2024 by touting a national disgrace of his own making in 2021, Biden would be all too happy to watch him do so.
Finally, Biden rounded out his first three topics by railing against the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and the GOP’s efforts to restrict abortion.
“Many of you in this chamber and my predecessor are promising to pass a national ban on reproductive freedom,” observed Biden
“My God, what freedoms will you take away next?” he wondered aloud. This is shameless demagoguery, but that doesn’t make it ineffectual.
Republicans have yet to craft a coherent, compassionate pro-life message that satisfies core constituencies they will need the support of to win elections — including this one.
Boasts rang hollow
Biden spent much of the rest of his speech attempting to paint a productive, accomplishment laden picture of his administration, but there’ s not enough lipstick in the world to pretty up that pig.
Americans are rightly pessimistic about the economy and rightly incensed by the neglect of the southern border.
He dared not mention the word Bidenomics but offered election-year giveaways like $400 a month mortgage tax credits.
The murder of Laken Reilly by an illegal alien has been so resonant because it was so obviously the consequence of policy choices.
Even Biden recognized as much when he acceded to Republican demands to say her name from the podium.
Still, Thursday was a success for Biden.
As a performer, he exceeded expectations and much more importantly, he revived a prudent strategy.
Biden defeated Trump in 2020 by making the election a referendum on Trump.
He’s pursuing the same course this time around.
And although that should be more difficult as an incumbent, Trump and his yes-men in the GOP have made it realizable.