President Biden\u2019s third State of the Union address was filled with political moments, as he chided Republican policies, proposals and repeatedly invoked and blasted his predecessor and GOP opponent for the White House in 2024, former President Donald Trump.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden\u2019s address Thursday night was criticized as resembling a campaign speech as he touched on numerous Democratic political issues and talking points that his campaign has highlighted in its re-election efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Members of the Democratic caucus in the audience even spent time chanting \u2018four more years.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
The president began his address by calling for additional funding for Ukraine, while accusing Trump of \u2018bowing down to a Russian leader,\u2019 referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden invoked Trump nearly a dozen times throughout his address, but never mentioned him by name.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The president, before declaring the traditional phrase, \u2018the state of the union is strong,\u2019 hit Trump again\u2014 this time, on Jan. 6, 2021. Biden, at campaign events this year, has focused on the Capitol riot and tied any \u2018political violence\u2019 in the country to Trump.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018My predecessor and some of you here seek to\u00a0bury\u00a0the truth of January 6th,\u2019\u00a0he said. \u2018I will not do that. This is a moment\u00a0to\u00a0speak\u00a0the truth\u00a0and\u00a0bury\u00a0the lies.\u2019<\/p>\n
He added: \u2018And here\u2019s the simplest truth. You\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0love your country\u00a0only\u00a0when you win.\u2019<\/p>\n
Biden went on to demand lawmakers and Americans \u2018join together and defend our democracy.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Remember your oath of office to defend against all threats foreign and domestic,\u2019 he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden, in a swipe at Trump, added: \u2018Respect free and fair elections; restore trust in our institutions; and make clear that political violence has absolutely no place in America.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
The president then shifted to the issue of women\u2019s reproductive rights after the Supreme Court, in 2022, ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden invoked Trump on that issue as well and pointed to women voters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018In its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade the Supreme Court majority wrote, \u2018Women are not without electoral or political power.\u2019 No kidding,\u2019 Biden said. \u2018Clearly, those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women in America.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden then pointed to the 2022 midterm elections, elections in 2023, and predicted victory for Democratic policies in 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018They found out though when reproductive freedom was on the ballot and won in 2022, 2023, and they will find out again in 2024,\u2019 Biden said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The president\u2019s State of the Union address was criticized by conservative commentators as being angry and dark, as opposed to bright and forward-looking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the president did, however, tout his economic policies under his administration, and say that America\u2019s \u2018comeback is building a future of American possibilities, building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down, investing in all of America and in all Americans to make sure everyone has a fair shot, and we leave no one behind!\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018I inherited an economy that was on the brink. Now our economy is the envy of the world,\u2019 Biden claimed, celebrating the \u201915 million new jobs in just three years.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden also discussed lowering drug costs, and strengthening Medicare.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Now, I want to cap prescription drug costs at $2,000 a year for everyone,\u2019 Biden announced.<\/p>\n
As for healthcare, Biden also announced a plan for $12 billion to \u2018transform women\u2019s health research.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
The president also discussed an annual tax credit that he said would give Americans $400 a month for the next two years \u2018as mortgage rates come down to put toward their mortgage when they buy a first home or trade up for a little more space.\u2019<\/p>\n
Biden also said his administration wants to eliminate title insurance fees for federally backed mortgages, while investing in and building 2 million affordable homes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden also touched on education and providing access to preschool, and stressed his desire to ensure every child \u2018learns to read by third grade.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
He then went on to tout his student loan cancelation benefit; urge a 25% tax for billionaires; and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
All this before addressing the crisis at the U.S. southern border.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden began that section of the speech by blasting Republicans for failing to pass his border bill.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He invoked Trump, claiming he demanded lawmakers block the bill from passage, and claimed he needed additional \u2019emergency\u2019 power from Congress to shut down the border.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden was heckled by GOP lawmakers on the issue, as they urged him to acknowledge 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, who was murdered last month, allegedly by an illegal immigrant.<\/p>\n
Biden appeared to call Laken Riley \u2018Lincoln Riley,\u2019 but said she was \u2018an innocent young woman killed by an illegal.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
He also said his \u2018heart goes out\u2019 to her parents, \u2018having lost children myself.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Biden went on to address LGBTQ+ issues, urging the passage of the Equality Act.<\/p>\n
\u2018My message to transgender Americans: I have your back!\u2019 Biden said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A former White House speechwriter ripped the speech as an \u2018utter disgrace,\u2019 and \u2018the most partisan\u2019 in modern history.<\/p>\n
\u2018Attacking his opponent directly in the first minutes of his speech is unprecedented and perhaps the most partisan start to a State of the Union address in modern memory,\u2019 Marc Thiessen, a Fox News contributor and former speechwriter in President George W. Bush\u2019s administration, said during the address. \u2018As someone who helped write several SOTUs and who reveres this important presidential institution, I\u2019m stunned by this address. It\u2019s an utter disgrace.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018This man should never be allowed to take the rostrum of the House and deliver a State of the Union address again,\u2019 he added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the president also declared that the country is \u2018safer today than when I took office.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
At that moment, he was interrupted by a Gold Star dad, who yelled: \u2018Abbey Gate, Abbey Gate\u2019\u2014in reference to the terrorist attack outside Kabul Airport during the botched U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thirteen soldiers were killed in the attack.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As for national security and U.S. military involvement abroad, Biden directed the U.S. military to \u2018lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier\u2019 on the Gaza coast that can \u2018receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters\u2019 as the war between Israel and Hamas rages on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018No U.S. boots will be on the ground,\u2019 Biden said, while demanding that Israel \u2018allow more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren\u2019t caught in the crossfire.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden also stressed the need for \u2018stability in the Middle East,\u2019 and said his administration is working to contain \u2018the threat posed by Iran.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018I\u2019ve ordered strikes to\u00a0degrade\u00a0Houthi capabilities\u00a0and\u00a0defend\u00a0U.S. forces in the region,\u2019 he said. \u2018As commander-in-chief,\u00a0I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and military personnel.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the president said he wants \u2018competition with China,\u00a0but not conflict.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018And we\u2019re in a stronger position to win the competition for the 21st\u00a0Century against China\u00a0or\u00a0anyone\u00a0else for that matter,\u2019 Biden said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ahead of the president\u2019s address, many opponents and even some supporters signaled concern over his age and performance. The address came just weeks after Special Counsel Robert Hur released a damning report, not bringing any charges against Biden, but describing him as a \u2018sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden, seemingly addressing the issue of age, at 81, said Thursday night that in his career, he\u2019s been told he\u2019s \u2018too young\u2019 and \u2018too old.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Whether young or old,\u00a0I\u2019ve always known what endures. Our North Star. The very idea of America,\u00a0that we are all created equal\u00a0and deserve to be\u00a0treated equally\u00a0throughout our lives,\u2019 Biden said. \u2018We\u2019ve never fully lived up to that idea,\u00a0but we\u2019ve never walked away from it either. And I won\u2019t walk away from it now.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden added: \u2018My fellow Americans, the issue facing our nation isn\u2019t how old we are, it\u2019s how old our ideas are.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are among\u00a0the oldest of ideas,\u2019 he said. \u2018But you can\u2019t lead America\u00a0with\u00a0ancient\u00a0ideas that only take us\u00a0back.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden said, \u2018to\u00a0lead America,\u00a0the land of possibilities,\u00a0you need a\u00a0vision\u00a0for the future\u00a0of what America\u00a0can\u00a0and\u00a0should\u00a0be.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Biden said he sees a future \u2018where we defend democracy not diminish it,\u2019 \u2018restore the right to choose and protect other freedoms not take them away,\u2019 \u2018where the middle class\u00a0finally has a fair shot\u00a0and the wealthy\u00a0finally have to pay their fair share in taxes,\u2019 and \u2018where we save the planet from the climate crisis\u00a0and our country from gun violence.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n\n
President Biden\u2019s third State of the Union address was filled with political moments, as he chided Republican policies, proposals and repeatedly invoked and blasted his predecessor and GOP opponent for the White House in 2024, former President Donald Trump.\u00a0 Biden\u2019s address Thursday night was criticized as resembling a campaign speech as he touched on numerous <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":16683,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-16682","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politics"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shareperformanceinsight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16682","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shareperformanceinsight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shareperformanceinsight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shareperformanceinsight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16682"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shareperformanceinsight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16682\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shareperformanceinsight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shareperformanceinsight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shareperformanceinsight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shareperformanceinsight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}