Takeaways from President Biden's State of the Union address
President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Mike Johnson look on. Credit: AP/Andrew Harnik
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden sought to project vitality in his State of the Union address Thursday night as he strongly defended his administration, doubled down on key Democratic bills and issues and lashed out at Republicans and Donald Trump, his likely rival in the November election.
In a high-stakes speech that will set the tone for his administration and campaign for the next eight months, the 81-year-old Biden stood and spoke for a little more than an hour in an address that sharply contrasted his vision with Trump’s.
Biden touched on abortion access, the steps he has taken to improve the economy and his support for a Senate bipartisan border deal. He urged congressional aid for the wars in Ukraine and Israel and announced a floating dock to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Democrats greeted Biden with cheers and chants of “four more years.” Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) said he was encouraged by the president’s speech. “He performed very well,” he said. “Exceeded expectations.”
Republicans groaned when Biden brought up the Senate bipartisan border deal and laughed when he said he had delivered results in a “fiscally responsible way.”
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park) said, “The American people were forced to endure a meandering speech by President Biden riddled with blatant lies and obvious distortions of reality.”
Here are some takeaways from the State of the Union event:
‘Around for a while’
Biden turned to humor, a walk through his past and the country’s history, and a strong and loud delivery of his speech in a bid to shake off a special counsel report’s description of him as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
“I know I may not look like it, but I’ve been around for a while,” Biden said, drawing some laughs.
But then he turned serious.
“And when you get to my age, certain things become clearer than ever before,” he said.
“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 said.
“Now some other people my age see a different story: an American story of resentment, revenge and retribution,” he added, in a clear reference to Trump. “That’s not me.”
Former Republican Rep. Pete King of Seaford said Biden “showed he could stay on his feet and has energy,” but added that he came across as “angry and frenetic.”
But Suozzi said Biden “was forceful and resolute.”
Taking on Trump
Without naming the former president and presumptive Republican presidential candidate, Biden delivered sharp criticism of him and his policies.
“It wasn’t that long ago when a Republican president, Ronald Reagan, thundered, ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall,’ ” Biden said. “Now, my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, ‘Do whatever the hell you want.’ ”
In a social media post, Trump defended himself and said Biden's address was the "Worst State of the Union Speech ever made."
