State of the Union: Biden is running in 2024, still open to attacking Republicans and more

President Joe Biden delivered his second State of the Union address Tuesday night, showcasing his economic successes and outlining the work that still needs to be done in front of Congress and a live television audience.

He sought to portray a country radically different from the United States hit by a pandemic that took place two years ago.

‘The history of the United States is a story of progress and resilience. To always move forward. Of never giving up. A story that is unique among all nations,’ she said.

‘We are the only country that has emerged from each crisis stronger than when we entered. That’s what we’re doing again.

Tens of millions of Americans watching from home will have seen several different facets of the president in just over an hour, plus get a glimpse of the Republicans aligned against him.

A bipartisan president

Biden opened by talking about how the nation is stronger when its two political parties work together.

“To my Republican friends, if we were able to work together in the last Congress, there’s no reason we can’t work together in this new Congress,” he said.

‘People sent us a clear message. Fighting to fight, power for power, conflict for conflict, gets us nowhere.

Biden has always presented himself as someone who can do congressional business across the aisle, and he tried to present himself as someone who can rise above the fray.

He conceded that sometimes Democrats had to “go it alone,” which downplays the intense partisan battles surrounding Biden’s COVID relief efforts and his Reduced Inflation Act.

But now he must also face a new reality, with Republicans in the House and a much tougher road ahead for Democratic-sponsored legislation.

A partisan president

In the end, he just couldn’t help it. After beginning with a call for bipartisanship, he went on to criticize Republicans over the debt negotiations.

“Some of my Republican friends want to take the economy hostage … I understand … unless I agree with their economic plans,” he said.

‘All of you at home should know what those plans are. Instead of making the rich pay their fair share, some Republicans… some Republicans want to end Medicare and Social Security.’

It drew howls of protest from Republicans on the chamber (Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene yelled “liar”) and criticism after he had delivered something resembling a campaign speech.

Republicans want spending cuts if they want to help the administration deal with the debt crisis, but their leaders say they have no plans to focus on costly programs like Medicare.

On the other hand, last year, Senator Rick Scott released a manifesto that would add sunset provisions to legislation, including Social Security and Medicare.

It’s been a frequent line of attack from Biden, and we may hear a lot more this year.

biden is running

The president’s staff have made it clear that he plans to run in 2024. And his State of the Union, replete with what his team considers his financial successes, could provide a springboard.

It seemed Biden was ready when Republicans booed him and mocked his claims about Social Security and Medicare forcing him to respond.

“I’m not saying it’s the majority,” he said, before inviting the disbelievers into his office where he could hand them a copy of the proposals.

“I enjoy the conversion,” he added.

Commentators said it was one of the strongest moments of his speech and an opportunity to confuse critics who push theories that his cognitive powers have been destroyed by age.

McCarthy has limited control over his troops

McCarthy won the speaker’s deck only after 15 rounds of voting.

A vocal minority signaled that they were not going to let him get away with it during the leadership election, and it proved so Tuesday night.

Before the State of the Union address, he scoffed at the idea that he could imitate his predecessor and imitate Nancy Pelosi by tearing up the president’s speech.

“We are members of Congress,” he said. We have a code of ethics for how we should present ourselves, that is exactly what we will do.

‘We’re not going to be playing childish games.’

Some of its members had other ideas. Greene appeared on Capitol Hill with a helium-filled balloon, like a dig at Biden’s handling of the Chinese spy balloon.

And while he didn’t bring it to the evening speech, he caused an uproar by yelling at Biden: “Liar.”

At times, McCarthy could even be seen trying to silence his more restless members into more dignified behavior. Not that she did much good.

China and Ukraine fade into the background

For a president who rose to power defending his foreign policy expertise, the world’s big geopolitical issues fell far behind his agenda.

Like last year, Ukraine’s ambassador Oksana Markarova, a guest of the first lady, received a warm reception when Biden singled her out and vowed to support and defend her country.

But the war with Russia didn’t dominate his speech as it did in 2022. And in the past year, Biden has frequently held back efforts to arm Ukraine’s fighters with bigger and better weapons, occasionally putting him at odds. with the allies, while the republicans fear. he is pouring cash into a bottomless pit.

China came towards the end of the speech, with a passage updated to take into account the spy balloon episode.

But make no mistake: as we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did it,’ he said.

However, questions linger as to why he waited so long before taking that step. And he will not have wanted to stop in China.

Biden is learning what many presidents before him have learned: There aren’t many votes in foreign policy when it’s done right. There’s even less when you’re wrong.