Takeaways from Joe Biden’s State of the Union address

Here are some early takeaways from Biden’s annual message to Congress, which will be updated throughout the speech:

Biden takes on Trump in most political State of the Union in years

Biden may not utter his predecessor’s name during his remarks, but there was little question that Donald Trump was at the very center of the State of the Union, making Thursday’s speech one of the most politically tinged yearly addresses in recent memory.

The president took multiple swipes at Trump, including in the very opening of his speech, referring to “my predecessor” while lambasting the former president for his statement about encouraging Russia to invade NATO members who don’t meet defense spending targets.

Shortly after, he went after election lies following the 2020 election as the “gravest threat to democracy” since the Civil War.

“My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about January 6,” Biden said of the 2021 attack on the US Capitol, going on to say you can’t “only love your country when you win.”

It was as clear a sign as any of how Biden views the upcoming general election campaign, with nothing less than the future of American democracy on the ballot. And even as he works to tout his own accomplishments, as important for Biden was warning what might happen should Trump return to office.

The president makes a forceful case for American leadership abroad

Foreign policy typically takes a backseat during State of the Union speeches; the intended audience is Congress and the American people and their concerns are usually within US borders.

But for reasons not entirely within his control, Biden is a foreign policy president at a moment of deep global tensions. The Russia-Ukraine war grinds on, with the future of American assistance in doubt. And Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, prompted by the terror attacks of October 7, has generated a humanitarian crisis that is dividing Biden’s political coalition.

So it was inevitable that foreign affairs would occupy a larger chunk of Biden’s time than in previous addresses, even if his aides acknowledge it’s not a topic that is always at the top of voters’ minds. It also led much of the early portion of his speech.

Even before he entered the Capitol, it was evident from protests along his motorcade route at the widespread discontent over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

In his speech, Biden made clear the imperative of allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza, and announced he was directing the US military to construct a temporary port in Gaza that will allow more food, water and medicine to enter the strip.

The incumbent president takes a shot at reshaping and resetting the 2024 narrative

If there was one task Biden entered Thursday’s speech with, it was reminding American voters – many of whom may have tuned out the last three years – what exactly he’s been up to.

Polls show many voters are still sour about the direction the country is heading, despite an economy that is by most measures roaring back from the Covid-19 years. Asked in surveys, many Americans have little idea of the accomplishments Biden has been working on that have helped bring the economy back.

That is part of why Biden, in his speech, refers to “the greatest comeback story never told” — part brushback against what he views as persistently negative media coverage, part an acknowledgement he could do more to explain his agenda to everyday Americans.

At the same time, Biden’s team acknowledges there’s a balance to be struck, and that Americans with valid concerns about the economy don’t necessarily want to be lectured about positive economic indicators they aren’t feeling themselves.

That’s why Biden chose to focus heavily on populist themes, like raising tax rates on the wealthy and corporations and lowering the cost of prescription medication, which Democrats are confident will be winners.

So, too, do Democrats believe showing indignation over corporate greed and price gauging will play well, particularly as cost of living concerns continue to drag down Biden’s poll numbers.

Biden shows up energetic and forceful amid concerns over his age

By now, questions over Biden’s age and fitness for office have become one of the principal backdrops to the presidential campaign. It’s one of the main reasons many Democrats say they would have preferred a different candidate.

So it was unavoidable that Biden would face the issue during his State of the Union, whether he wanted to or not. Apart from the substance of his speech, how he spoke and how he looked while he was speaking were going to be important factors in how Americans absorbed his message.

The president came out fired up and gave an energetic speech that was a far cry from some of his more subdued efforts that have concerned supporters.

Biden spent most of the last week fine-tuning and meticulously rehearsing his speech, both at the White House and at the presidential retreat Camp David. That appeared to pay off in his forceful delivery Thursday night.

Aides acknowledged ahead of the speech it was a topic on voters’ minds and something the president was prepared to address, if not dwell on, in his speech.

His argument on that front – that Trump is almost the same age, but with an antiquated and vengeful outlook – sought to defuse the issue and turn it around on his opponent.

“My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy. 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,” Biden will say, according to excerpts shared with CNN ahead of the speech. “Now some other people my age see a different story: an American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. That’s not me.”

It’s highly likely that argument takes a prominent role in the campaign going forward.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.

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