Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
What to watch for in Biden’s speech
WASHINGTON — Look for new faces and fresh political dynamics as President Joe Biden delivers this year’s State of the Union address, coupled with attention to some old problems brought back into painful focus by recent events.
The president Tuesday night will stand before a joint session of Congress for the first time since voters in the midterm elections handed control of the House to Republicans. Biden, like presidents past, will make the case that the nation is strong and that better days lie ahead. But he finds himself in choppy waters as he passes the halfway mark of his term.
Some things to watch for Tuesday night:
New House speaker: It will be GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy wielding the gavel and seated behind Biden on the dais this time rather than Democrat Nancy Pelosi. Watch the body language between the two — and how Republican legislators treat Biden overall after some sharp GOP outbursts from the audience last year.
The president and new speaker recently had a productive first sit-down but are at an impasse over the nation’s borrowing limit. Republicans have refused to raise the statutory debt limit unless Biden accepts cuts in federal spending. Biden has said raising the cap is not up for negotiation, and Congress must pay the nation’s bills or the country will face economic calamity.
Biden last week said McCarthy made “absolutely off the wall” commitments to win the speakership. Biden’s rhetorical jabs might not be so sharp in the formal address, but look for him to more subtly argue that there’s an enormous chasm between how he and Republicans approach the economy, health care and Social Security.
Gun violence and policing:
The parents of Tyre Nichols, who was severely beaten by police officers in Memphis and later died, are expected to be in the audience for Biden’s address. So is Brandon Tsay, who disarmed the gunman who shot and killed 11 people last month in Monterey Park, California, along with others who jumped in during recent mass shootings.
Watch how Biden speaks to the recent rash of mass shootings and the beating death of Nichols, after his past efforts to address gun violence and police excesses have been sharply restricted by resistance in Congress.
Biden has repeatedly urged Congress to pass an assault weapons ban and he’s likely to talk about it again Tuesday. He’s also spoken out about the deaths of minorities at the hands of police but for him it’s a sensitive matter. He’s a longtime institutionalist who believes in the rule of law and often says he believes in giving police forces better tools and training — not disbanding them.
New faces: The nation has a new Supreme Court justice since last year’s address in Ketanji Brown Jackson, and in recent years justices have tended to attend addresses by the president who nominated them. There are new legislators from both parties, as well.
Among those getting oversized attention: Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., who has been in the spotlight for embellishments and lies about his education, work experience and other aspects of his personal and professional life.
Chinese balloon: Look for Biden to talk about his decision to have the military shoot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon Saturday, but how tough will he be on China?
His comments on the balloon are likely to be part of a broader section on countering China’s more assertive economic and military actions around the world, according to two administration officials who requested anonymity.
War in Ukraine: Biden has repeatedly said the U.S. is committed to helping Ukraine “as long as it takes” to beat back Russia. The United States has already committed nearly $30 billion in security assistance since the start of the war.
Polls show Americans remain in favor of providing support to Ukraine as it tries to fend off Russia. Administration officials, however, have made clear to Ukraine that Congress’ patience with the cost of war is not endless.
Look for Biden to spotlight that Ukraine has been able to stay in the fight with a more formidable Russian military because of U.S. and allies’ generosity. He’ll also try to spell out why Americans must remain committed to a war that has ramifications far beyond Europe.
GOP response: Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will deliver the GOP response to Biden’s address.
Sanders has staked out ground in the early days of her term on hot cultural issues in schools by issuing executive orders targeting the teaching of critical race theory in Arkansas schools and expressing support for legislation banning instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
Don’t expect her to hold back on the national stage in making the case that Democrats are out of touch with mainstream American values.
It’s back: Following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by Trump loyalists who refused to accept Biden’s election victory, a massive security fence went up around the grounds of the U.S. Capitol as a temporary security measure.
It stayed there for six months before being removed. It went back up briefly before last year’s State of the Union address, when Democrats were still in charge of Congress. And now it’s back up.