4 keys to Biden’s energetic State of the Union address in which he attacked Trump and called for a second term

The President of the United States, Joe BidenThis Thursday, he delivered an energetic State of the Union speech, repeatedly attacking Donald Trump and addressing the issues that will focus his re-election campaign before the November elections.

Biden used the term “my predecessor” to refer to Trump 13 times in a speech that lasted more than an hour, without even once uttering the former Republican president’s nickname.

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He accused his likely election opponent of “bowing down” to Russia and attacked him during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

Biden also spoke of immigration, abortion, economy and war in Gaza.

The atmosphere in the House chamber was raucous at times, with loud cheers from Democrats and boos from some Republicans.

It was a spectacle more typical of a political convention than a State of the Union address, which is often fraught with pomp and politics.

But this is an election year and the stakes were high for Biden. He was combative and sought to draw the battle lines for his fledgling campaign.

These are the main themes he spoke about.

Reuters.

1. Attacks on Trump

It is not surprising that much of his criticism has been directed at Trump, given that he is almost certain to be his opponent in November’s general election.

“My predecessor failed in the most basic duty any president owes to the American people: the duty of care,” he said, referring to Trump’s handling of the Covid pandemic. “This is unforgivable”.

He criticized Trump for his recent comments about Russia and NATO, saying the Republican was trying to “bury the truth” about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

He blamed him for the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Roe v Wade decision guaranteeing the right to abortion and to block bipartisan immigration reforms.

However, Trump promised to react in real time to the speech on his Truth Social platform. “Biden is running from his record and lying like crazy to try to escape responsibility for the horrible devastation he and his party have created,” he wrote.

“They continue with the same policies that are causing this horror show to continue,” he said.

Biden’s aggressive approach may have been born, at least in part, out of necessity. At 81 years old, He is the oldest president in the history of the United States and has been plagued by questions about his age and mental acuity.

His approval ratings are the lowest of any modern president seeking re-election. However, he is tied in the polls with Trump, who is also viewed negatively by voters.

Even when Biden referred to his age, he did so by attacking Trump, who at 77 is just a few years younger than him.

“I know it may not seem like it, but I’ve been here a while,” he said. After reciting a list of positive attributes that he said defined America, he added a barb.

“Some other people my age see a different story: an American story of resentment, revenge and retribution.”

2. An immigration setback

Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene was one of those who disagreed with Biden’s speech. (REUTERS).

Biden improvised responses to reactions from a hostile audience on the Republican side of the House. He joked, defended and expressed false surprise at his opponents’ outbursts.

When the speech turned to immigration, an issue on which he is vulnerable, he was once again ready to respond to Republicans. But here he stumbled.

After Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene accused him of ignoring the murder of Laken Rileynursing student from Georgia, accused of being an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant, Biden held up a button with the young woman’s name, which Greene gave him upon entering.

After apparently mispronouncing his name as “Lincoln” Riley, she said she was murdered by an “illegal,” a term criticized by immigrant rights groups.

Biden continued to call on Republicans to support bipartisan immigration legislation passed by the Senate and accused Trump of “playing politics” by opposing that bill for electoral gain. However, the damage may already have been done.

3. A speech to middle-class voters

It was a speech aimed at the American middle class: the voters of moderate means who make up the majority of the electorate. (GET IMAGES).

When Biden wasn’t hurling criticism at his opponent, he sought to highlight what he characterized as a record of achievement during his first term and outline a case for his re-election.

“I inherited an economy that was on the brink,” he said, “and now Our economy is the envy of the world“.

Numbers on the US economy have been showing an upward trend for months. Public perception of the economy, however, has been much darker.

Biden described the United States’ economic recovery as “the greatest comeback story ever told.”

However, it remains to be seen whether the president’s words will be enough to change voters’ minds.

It was a speech aimed at the American middle class: the voters of moderate means who make up the majority of the electorate.

It included a variety of new proposals, most of which would require Congress to enact legislation, an unlikely scenario unless Democrats retake the House of Representatives in November.

He proposed a tax credit for new homebuyers whose purchasing power has been eroded by higher mortgage rates. He also called for expanding the spending limit on prescription drugs for all Americans with health insurance and increasing taxes on corporations.

REUTERS.

4. The problem of the war in Gaza

Biden began his speech with a plea for help from Ukraine, but most of his foreign policy discussion came to an end when he turned his attention to the Middle East.

The Gaza war has divided Democrats, with a vocal part of the liberal flank calling on the United States to use all means at its disposal to promote a ceasefire. Some protesters took to the streets of Washington on Thursday night, in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the president’s motorcade from reaching the Capitol.

Biden said his administration is working toward a ceasefire that will last “at least six weeks” and detailed a new plan for the United States to build a temporary seaport in Gaza to allow humanitarian aid to enter by boat.

He had some harsh words for Israel, calling the civilian casualties in Gaza “heartbreaking” and saying he had a “fundamental responsibility” to protect innocent lives.

Biden’s speech, given without serious stumbles or major gaffes, is an obstacle overcome for the president, and its content can serve as a guide on how his campaign plans to sell another four years of Democratic government to the American public.

At the very least, it will likely convince nervous Democrats that their presumptive nominee is ready to take on his Republican opponent in November.

Source: Elcomercio