WASHINGTON (AP) — The President joe biden He used Thursday night's State of the Union address to make his case for a second term to discouraged voters, aiming to urge voters to reject the Republican front-runner's “American narrative of resentment, vengeance, and retribution.” ing. donald trump That would be a dangerous alternative.
Biden's third speech from the House podium will be a sharp contrast to his interview, as the nation's oldest president seeks to allay voters' concerns about his age and job performance, while also sharpening the contrast with his own speech. It will be something like this. almost certain Rivals in November.
“My whole life has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy,” Biden said in prepared remarks released by the White House, without mentioning Trump by name. It has been made abundantly clear that Mr. Trump is Mr. Trump. “A future built on the core values that have defined America: honesty, decency, dignity, and equality. Respect for everyone. To give everyone a fair chance. To give hate a safe place. I can't. Now, some people my age are seeing a different story, one of American resentment, revenge, and retribution. That's not me.”
The president wants to show off his accomplishments. performance It is pushing for action on issues such as infrastructure and manufacturing, as well as aid to Ukraine, tighter immigration controls and lower drug prices. However, at that time, attention will be focused not only on the 81-year-old president's message, but also on whether he can convey it with vigor and command.
What you need to know about the State of the Union
President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver his 2024 State of the Union address at 9 p.m. ET. Follow the live coverage here.
White House aides say Biden is determined to prove his doubters wrong by showing off his combative side and nailing Republicans, especially over positions he believes are out of step with the country. He said he would aim to access to abortionThe same goes for taxation and medical care. It's part of his campaign-year effort to even use public speeches to make voters' choices clear at the polls this fall.
Biden spent the weekend preparing a speech at Camp David presidential training camp with aides and presidential historian Jon Meacham. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said tweaks are expected to continue until the day of the speech.
The president ends up addressing Congress, which is historically ineffective. Speaker Mike Johnson took control of the Republican-led House of Representatives five months ago. chaotic exile Words from former Chairman Kevin McCarthy. Congress is still struggling to approve funding legislation for this year, and a foreign aid bill to support Ukraine has been stalled for months. stop russian invasion and support Israel's fight against Hamas.
The State of the Union is the most important night on the White House calendar, with the president making direct calls to a captive audience of lawmakers and dignitaries in the House chamber and to tens of millions of viewers nationwide. I can do it. But still, the night has lost some of its luster as viewership has declined.
Still, “It might not be as big as Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl, but it's still a big audience for a political speech,” said Michael Waldman, a speechwriter in the Clinton White House.
AP Washington Correspondent Sagar Meghani reports that much attention will be focused on how President Biden delivers tonight's State of the Union address.
Biden's top aides in the White House and on the campaign are picking up new talking points, such as when Trump feuded with heckling Republicans last year and criticized past efforts to cut Medicare and Social Security. I'm looking forward to that moment.
Mr. Johnson wants to avoid a similar situation this year, according to a person familiar with Mr. Johnson's remarks to lawmakers, who called on Republicans in a closed-door meeting Wednesday to show “civility” during his speech. That's what it means.
And Congressional Republican leaders are appealing to one of their new members through a rebuttal in the State of the Union to create a generational contrast with Biden. Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, the youngest Republican woman elected to the U.S. Senate, plans to paint a picture of a nation that “seems to be moving away” and where “our families are hurting.”
“Currently, our commander-in-chief is not in command. The free world deserves better than a flailing and fading leader,” Britt says, according to excerpts released Thursday night. It's planned. “America deserves leaders who recognize that secure borders, stable prices, safe streets, and a strong defense are the foundations of a great nation.”
Mr. Biden comes to the speech with a number of issues to address in order to improve his standing. One survey found that just 38% of American adults approve of the way he is conducting his job as president, while 61% disapprove. recent research By The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The same survey found that more than six in 10 (63%) say they have little or no confidence in Biden's mental ability to effectively serve as president. . A similar but slightly smaller percentage (57%) say Trump lacks memory and insight for the job.
Already intense scrutiny of Biden's age was further intensified as special counsel Robert Hur raised questions about the president's mental acuity. In his report last month Regarding Mr. Biden's handling of classified information.
Jim Messina, former President Barack Obama's campaign manager in 2012, said Thursday's speech gives Biden an important opportunity to address voters' concerns.
“The more people see him do his job, the better,” Messina said. “And the more people see him as the president of the United States, the better off our lives will be.”
Messina said that Xu is scheduled to testify before lawmakers about his investigation on Tuesday and that Biden's speech could serve as a “prelude” to the special counsel's appearance.
Biden is expected to envision an optimistic future for the country as the vast amount of legislation he signed into law during his first two years in office takes effect. But he also planned to warn that the progress he is seeing at home and abroad is fragile, especially if Trump returns to the White House.
Republicans, by contrast, use dark, threatening terms like “crisis” and “catastrophe” to describe the state of unions, echoing the somber tone Trump uses on the campaign trail.
“America is in decline, and nothing he says tomorrow night is going to change that,” Johnson said Wednesday.
President Trump said he would respond to Biden's comments in real time on the Truth Social platform.
Biden may also face protests and heightened emotions this year, particularly among supporters of the base, over his staunch support for Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The White House initially hoped a short-term ceasefire would be in place by the time of the speech.blame Hamas Haven't accepted the deal yet Mediated by the United States and its allies.
Amid growing concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, administration officials said in a speech that Biden would set up a temporary port on the Gaza coast aimed at increasing the flow of aid to the besieged region. He is said to be planning to announce that he has instructed the US military to do so. .
The president will also urge lawmakers to pass much-needed defense aid to Ukraine. A severe ammunition shortage allowed Russia to go on the offensive again in the two-year war.
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has refused to act on an aid bill passed by the Senate after President Trump used his influence to impose new, tougher measures to restrict immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. is claimed. help sink a bipartisan compromise That would have been just that.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, said he expected Mr. Biden to “hurt the Republicans” for rejecting the border security deal.
“Voters want candidates who care about the border, but they want candidates who are going to do something about it, not just complain about it,” he said.
President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on February 7, 2023 in Washington. Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (California) listen. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Martin, Pool, File)
Access to abortion and infertility treatment is also expected to be a key element of Biden's speech, especially in light of the Alabama Supreme Court's controversial decision that overturned access to IVF treatment in the state. .
One of the guests at First Lady Jill Biden's speech was kate coxsued the state of Texas to obtain an emergency abortion after severe fetal abnormalities were detected, and ultimately left her home state.
“I promise you, if the American people send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, we will make Roe v. Wade the law of the land again,” Biden will say.
The White House also invited union leaders and gun control advocates that Jill Biden and her husband met as they traveled the country to promote her policies. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will attend to commemorate the country's entry into NATO in the wake of Russia's war in Ukraine.
During his State of the Union address, Biden also raised the issue of “shrinkflation” (where companies put fewer pretzels in jars and less yogurt in sealed cups) and so-called “junk fees” for services. did. Neither is a major driver of inflation, but the White House wants to show consumers that Biden is fighting for them.
Mr. Biden also planned to unveil an expansion plan to raise corporate taxes and use the revenue to reduce the budget deficit and cut taxes for the middle class.
After the speech, Biden will head out on a campaign trip over the weekend, holding events in Pennsylvania on Friday and Georgia on Saturday. Trump is also scheduled to campaign in Georgia on the same day. The President's Cabinet will also be deployed across the country to spread the President's message.
The Biden campaign announced Thursday night that it will host more than 200 watch parties across the country, including in cities, suburbs and rural towns in battleground states. Campaign officials plan to use the event to recruit volunteers and encourage them to participate in Biden's re-election efforts.
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Associated Press Stephen Groves, Josh Boak, Aamer Madhani, Amanda Seitz and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
